Reply With QuoteScion a bigger hit than son-in-law
In Bhopal, Chhote Nawab is proving a bigger draw than Big B.
Saif Ali Khan, along with Amitabh Bachchan, is currently shooting in Bhopal for Prakash Jha’s Aarakshan. Every day, a huge crowd gathers outside his hotel and at shooting locations for a glimpse of the actor. Saif goes out of his way to oblige fans, shaking hands, giving autographs and getting himself photographed.
A fan from Pune stood outside hotel Noor-us-Sabah for over 12 hours to see him. When Saif heard that the film unit’s security guards had not let him in, he came out to hug the young fan. His relaxed manners and lack of starry airs has made him popular.
In contrast, Amitabh Bachchan, the city’s most famous son-in-law, is keeping a low profile. His whereabouts are shrouded in mystery as Amitabh frequently shuttles between Bhopal and Mumbai by a chartered plane.
Amitabh now plans to recite his father Harivanshrai Bachchan’s poetry at a local college. He has also posted a message on the social network site Twitter saying, “Bhopal nivaasiyon ko naman, sneh aur pyaar (I offer my affection and love to all the residents of Bhopal).”
But in the last fortnight, Saif has been a bigger talking point than Amitabh.
At one shooting, Saif’s co-star Deepika Padukone was reportedly getting uncomfortable with the huge crowd that was closely following her movements. But Saif’s presence provided her some relief. Insiders said a nervous Deepika was amazed at the ease with which Saif mixed with the crowd.
The actor is reverentially referred to as Chhote Nawab, in recognition of his great grandfather Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the last ruler of the princely state, and popular grandmother Begum Sajida Sultan, who remained titular ruler of Bhopal till the abolition of privy purses.
Unlike other Muslim princely states, Bhopal’s merger with the Indian union was peaceful as Hamidullah ceded through his pen the suzerainty that his forefathers had won by the sword 240 years earlier.
Sajida was married to Saif’s paternal grandfather Nawab Iftekhar Ali Khan.
At times, Saif is seen strumming his guitar and humming songs.
Asad Khan, who went to Bhopal’s Shishu Vihar school with Saif, said: “He was a bright and lively boy.” Saif used to love eating green chickpeas (hara chana) picked from the field, he recalled. “He used to love eating our farmers’ lunch of fried bhindi, daal and rice.” Asad’s brother Samad says it is an irony Saif is staying in a hotel that used to be his family’s guest house.
Originally Posted by SadumoN
