The first Khan to turn 60 (he smiled when I told him that he was now a member of the “ever-young senior citizens’ club”), Aamir Khan celebrated his birthday, as always with the media, thanking them for loving him and celebrating his big day each year. As his birthday falls March 14 which is a day this year when colors are splayed all over, he kept his party a day earlier (March 13), on the actual day the Holi fire is lit, also revealing that in the year he was born (1965), it was also Holi, and the nurse had put a teeka on his forehead on that day.
About his age, he quipped, “No senior citizen feels old, said a journalist to me, and I agree. I don’t feel my age at all! In fact, when I see a 40 year-old, I automatically address them as uncle or aunty even now!”
Aamir cut two cakes on the occasion (one no doubt presented by someone else) and spoke about his forthcoming ad with Ranbir Kapoor, which is being hyped on social media by Alia Bhatt, and about his get-together with Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan a day earlier, stating that they just had a good time with each other talking about “yahaan wahaan ki baatein and gossiping about you all!” “We all met after a really long time!” he let on.
n an earlier interview, he had revealed that he had been offered both Darr and Bajrangi Bhaijaan but in both cases, he had turned them down and had also suggested Salman for the latter film. He admitted that they would love to come together in a film.
The ever-young looking Aamir also spoke of his next release and production, Sitaren Zameen Par, which he declared was a sequel in theme to Taare Zameen Par, in which he played the antagonist, and there were 10 people who were the Sitaren. “Taare made you weep, but this film will make you laugh throughout! It is ten steps ahead in its message!” he stated. Lahore, his other production with Sunny Deol, has been watched by a top filmmaker in its first cut, and the latter has predicted huge success.
Asked what his future personal plans were, he revealed, “There is nothing special, but I keep trying out new things. For the last two years, I am learning classical music and singing.” On obvious pressure from the media, he began to sing Dil kehta hai from Anu Malik’s Akele Hum Akele Hum. He then paused, felt it was too sad a song for the occasion, and started singing Raja ko rani se pyar ho gayafrom the same film. “Actually, I love singing!” he smiled. “And about two years back, I met my guru-ji Sucheta Bhattacharjee, jo bahut hi kamaal ki teacher hai!”
One had to admit that his vocal command was way superior to his singing in films, which had begun with Aati kya Khandala in Ghulam (1998). (Later, in his suite at Taj Land’s End, and prompted by me, he detailed the hazards of the train sequence in that film, complete with his posture and a mobilephone used as the train on a table). “If I had been just 1.2 seconds late, or has tripped on the loose stones on the track, it would have been my end!” he stated. “The driver had already told me he wouldn’t be able to stop so fast!”
About the learnings in his life as a human being, he opined that the ability to forgive is a big one. “We shouldn’t be judgmental about other people’s situations. And another one is that family and relationships are the most important.”
Terming A.R. Murugadoss, his Ghajini director as a “kamaal ke director”, he wished Salman Khan the best for the filmmaker’s Sikandar, which is releasing this Eid.
And then came the final and humongous surprise from the 60 years young man! A lady entered, who was introduced by him as “Gauri, my partner!” The lady is from Bangalore, and as of now, they are together minus formalities like marriage. Gauri Spratt, her name, has no film background, has barely watched a few films of his, but has known him for close to 25 years.
But it was only in the last 18 months that they came to know each other well and romance blossomed, because he reconnected with her through his cousin, Mansoor Khan’s sister Nuzhat Khan, credited incidentally for co-writing the screenplay of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. They are now living together along with his 6-year-old son and she is working for his production house.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she holds an FDA in Fashion, Styling and Photography from the University of Arts, London. Granddaughter of a freedom fighter, she is half-Tamilian and half Irish.
“Bhuvan ko usski Gauri mil hi gayi (Bhuvan finally met his Gauri)!” Aamir joked at the press meet, making a reference to his heroine’s and his name in his film Lagaan. He mischievously also noted that he had managed to successfully keep their relationship a secret from the media!
Gauri has already been introduced to his children, family and Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan.
(Used with permission)
