HAPPY 45TH SHAHRUKH!!

Happy 45th Shahrukh!! May you stay healthy and continue to be the entertainer that you are born to be.

I used to LOVE Shahrukh. And I really mean LOVE love. Like I would spend hours just reading up his Yahoo! thread. It was torture everytime I couldn't get access to the Internet when I started Matrics. Those times, I would play his "songs" (coz he doesn't really sing) and just look through his pictures saved on my computer. Hee... My absolute favourite film was Kal Ho Naa Ho. It's just a perfect blend of emotions and was so aesthetically refreshing... Shahrukh was absolutely glorious in it. I thank god that KJo didn't show Aman's death scene as it somehow made him ethereal-like, as opposed to Dev's death scene which sometimes brings a shudder through my entire body.

The obsession started simply enough with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and I slowly started to seek other stories. I would buy all of his movies and watch them, either alone or together with my family. I knew I was hooked when my heart literally ached for this dissheveled guy going after his girl in Dilwale. That still is one of my favorite scene ever! (BTW, Shahrukh and Kajol is pure LOVE on screen, I love them!!)

Phir Bhi Dil Hai is the first Shahrukh movie that I saw at the cinema. I even brought Zaid and Husna along.. While I was stepping into the cinema, only one thought crossed my mind.. Would they have subtitles? Haha.. Ever since I try to at least watch his movies once in the cinemas, but have failed to do so lately due to my obsession with boys in other parts of the world (cough*TVXQ*cough*Arashi*). If I remember correctly, I watched Devdas an impressive NINE times at the cinema and Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Ghum, and KHNH comes at a close SEVEN. Don't ask me why, it just happened like that.. I used to be able to just fawn and spazz over Shahrukh until I could fill an entire FOUR pages just gushing about him. Aah, those were the days.. I couldn't find that paper, but if I do, I'll make sure to re-type it here for posterity. Hee...

What actually drew me to Bollywood was their song and dance. It's so full of life and (used to be) fun. It's gotten a bit vulgar now, which is kinda why I don't really watch Hindi movies (except for Shahrukh's, of course!) ... Back to the dancing, I used to memorize the steps and danced along whenever I got the chance. It was good workout. I've forgotten a lot but still remember some like Dola Re Dola from Devdas, Banke Tera Jogi from Phir Bhi, Bole Chudiyan from Kabhi Khushie Kabhi Gham and Dil Se from Dil Se. The songs were also one of the factors that drew me in. I loved the fact that they use songs to convey emotions and I'm such a sucka for good songs in a movie. Hindi singers also have a way of singing that totally pulls at your heartstrings. They have this sort of lilting that just brings more emotion to the songs. I particularly love Shreya Goshal and Sonu Nigam. Their voices just rock!

I still read up on Shahrukh. Just not as obsessively as before. His newer movies were OK. I cried when watching Billu, friendship themes just get to me somehow... Rab Ne was OK.. Surinder Sahni or Raj is just too cute! I love the picturisation of Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte.. The five heroines were amazing! My Name is Khan is phenomenal.. I've gotten all of my family and most of my colleagues to watch it.. As cheesy as the movie was (as pointed out in my previous post) the message it carried is worth to be shared by everyone. His upcoming movie is one that he's been thinking of doing for a while, which is a superhero movie.. Can't wait for Ra1.. Go Shahrukh!!

OK, so yeah.. Janamdin Mubarak Shahrukh Saab.. Stay happy with your family, friends and other loved ones.. May you have all the success and happiness you deserve.. Keep being the cheeky, rapid-mouthed entertainer that you are.. God bless you..

P/s-Is is OK for me not to use Dato' even once? Hee..