Jab We Met Aamir

So before the ‘Waqt Ki Deemak’ erodes the memories I thought it would be best to blog the same.



So there is no secret that both Divya and I are big Aamir fans. The winter holidays were spent discussing Ghajini with the supreme fan is the family Pushker Bhaiyya. We also spent some good time in SRKB (bashing).

So I was surf- lazing on a Friday evening (Jan) when the ticker on zoom caught my eye. Aamir shifts to IIMB for the shooting of 3 Idiots. I waited it for to re-appear a few times to confirm it was 1) Aamir Khan 2) IIM Bangalore (which is 2 kms away from our house and where Divya completed her PhD 2 years ago). Having done (confirmed) , waited for Divya to return from work to break the news and get her to swing into action to find out the details. A few phone calls here and there and we thought the best would be for us to land up there for a reconnsiance mission. So we drove down to IIM, straight to the PGP car park inside. We saw the first visible signs of a shoot in progress, the big make up vans. But pretty much nothing else. After asking around a bit we figure out that the shooting was in progress on top of the water tank (another Mausi scene ?). Entry was barred to the tank (for us and others), and the earliest they would be down was something like 4 AM. So after hanging around for some time looking at vans and the dark tank, we left. Importantly we learnt that the shooting the next day would be around 8:00 PM, in the hostel zone. So we left (a little disappointed).

So the next day, Saturday, armed with my Sony Alpha 350 and little hope we reached the campus around 8:15 PM. Drove straight to the vans again. There was some comossion and flash bulbs popping. Some star we though and Divya led our charge as I was left parking Matiz in. When I reached there, it was the first face to face to Aamir. Aamir was happily allowing a small photo shoot with all the cameras pointing and smiles all around. I remember a person standing next to him hesitating to put his hand on his shoulder (you never know what a star could do I guess what he was thinking). Aamir put him at ease, and said that he could touch him (the look on the guy’s face was something to remember). For Divya it was her big moment of her life. Though the best she mustered at that time was screaming (almost) his name with a flushed face. I managed a quick handshake (the script in my pocket never came out!). We then followed the team to the shoot.

The shoot was on in the C block. There was a quite a crowd there. We tried a few stunts with Divya’s knowledge of the building around the hosted, but could not find the exclusive view. We finally joined the crowds for the regular view.
So film shoots are boring affairs. There are multiple re-takes. There are infinite rules (no photos, no phones). Almost everyone was shouting for silence, there were some mobile phones ringing, there were shouts of not taking photos. Etc etc. Aamir came out a few times, mingled with the crowds. We managed our first autograph then. Aamir was busy with this Rubik cube. In general his star power and a lack of ego was on display and amazing.

We retired around 11:00 PM that day. We paid a visit the next day again at the same time. More snaps. It was simply a pleasure observing him, his interactions with the crowds and co-stars. (Kareena was there). His sense of humor was on display when two kids approached for an autograph and Aamir dished out a chewing gum for one of them. Only that it was one of those trick ones, which give out a small shock rather than being edible. (How did he find time for that during the shoot)? He later went on to sign an autograph promising the real chewing gum the next time.

The next meeting happened on a Saturday. Divya was busy finishing a paper and Sona and I landed to pick her up. The shooting was on near the class rooms that day. We got a good close look at the shot being taken that day (Aamir in a blue T, being dragged by a Einsteiny looking Bomann Irani). After the shoot we managed a few snaps before we were cordoned off.
Undeterred Sona and I climbed down the stairs and took another route up. And we ran into this small group with Aamir sitting on the ledge. The photographer in me (amateur) managed a few snaps here (sure the best anyone has taken of him) esp. the one where it looks he is talking with his eyes!). Sona got her 15 min of fame with an exclusive snap sitting with Aamir on the Ledge (one of the best again I am sure of Aamir and also of Sona).



The last meeting happened with Aamir when we went again the next evening. I got some of snaps developed in the Ghajini style (Polaroid effect). The icing was getting Aamir’s autograph on it (Aamir’s reaction: “Wow , how did you do that”, I reminded him that I had taken it yesterday. So there is a nice autographed snap of Aamir and Sona now. We also ended up creating a scene. My camera did not get the space to get focused, and there was a total free for all (some lady shouted are you guys making a complete film there!). Aamir was cool through all the chaos!.


What was impressive the time Aamir spent with almost any fans around him. Giving a few min of quality time each. He was talking about his experiences with IPS officers to one group, he was visibly interested to know if Pushker Bhai was in town when I introduced my self to him, expl aining Rubik cube to another gang etc.

So a great experience with him. 3 idiots is already special for us. Waiting for the next time.