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Wednesday 31 July 2013

Sharukh Khan is a Lovely Guy...and Thin.

I was a bit narked at being kept waiting over an hour by the man Newsweek described as one of the 50 most powerful people in the world and consumed an unreasonable amount of delicious chocolate chip cookies while realising that however seasoned we are, it is our subject's prerogative to keep us waiting for interviews.

The more star struck of the youngsters around gazed longingly into his eyes and told him he had her undying love. Outside the Courthouse Hotel in central London fans waited expectantly, pens and paper in hand. I discovered one girl outside my interview room being held back by a security guard and crying her eyes out as she could not meet her hero, despite having come from Paris to see him. It was a bit disconcerting.

Interviewing Sharukh Khan about his latest release Chennai Express I was impressed by his gentle, laid back style and quiet thoughtfulness. He has a stillness about him and told me that he was quite shy about romance.

He gave me all his attention when I asked him my questions and gently corrected any preconceptions my editor and I had formulated while discussing topics around Chennai Express this morning.

There I was, sitting at my screen in my office contemplating private equity when the urgent call came through for this assignment. I've wanted to meet the guy the Los Angeles Times called "The world's biggest movie star" for months despite one of my editors -who put him on a front cover- telling me he was kept waiting for over four hours.

Shar Rukh Khan told me he was fit and enjoyed the action sequences in Chennai Express, and sure enough, when I observed his physique as he got up to leave, he did look really, really slim.