I CAN TALK AUTOGRAPH I CAN WALK AUTOGRAPH I CAN LAUGH AUTOGRAPH

Gopal Das Agrawal

 

 

Hello. This is Gopal Das Agrawal. I am a Hotelier. I am also an avid autograph collector and I stay in Kolkata.

I have been into philography from the past 38 years and along with autographs, I have innumerable cherishable memories. Some of them have a special place in my heart.

Sometime in 2007, Superstar Amitabh Bachchan had visited Kolkata to shoot for his film “The last Lear”. He was staying at the ITC Sonar Hotel in the presidential suite on the 2^nd floor. He was in Kolkata for about 20 days. He would leave in the morning around 10 and would return around 8 pm (I am an autograph collector, I have my ways of finding out these things)

It was most logical to approach him after he returned from the shoot. So I planned to approach him the next day.

Those days his song ‘Kajrare Kajrare’ was very famous. My daughter was 6 years old then and she was very fond of this song. I asked her if she would like to meet “the uncle in the song” and she readily agreed.

I left the house with my daughter, reached the hotel and sat in the lobby at about 8 pm. I waited for about 20 minutes and Mr Bachchan walked in with almost 40 bouncers!

When a celebrity walks in the lobby, the hotel staff gets alert. They keep a close watch on him. With so many bouncers and the vigilant hotel staff, this was not a good time to approach Mr Bachchan.

There were mixed feelings in my head. On one hand I was nervous that Mr Bachchan was in such close proximity and I would be meeting him soon, on the other hand I was also thankful to God that I was the only philographist over there, otherwise it would have been difficult for me to meet him.

Mr Bachchan had just returned from his shoot and I was sure that he would need some time to freshen up. I waited for 20 minutes more. Then I walked towards the lift and immediately a staff intruded!

 

“C’mon. I am going to my room, what is your problem?”

“Sorry sir!”

 

In such situations, confidence works like magic!

I walked towards the lift, and I knew that if I wanted to use it, I needed the card that all the guests at the hotel have.

Exactly at this moment, a waiter came down the lift. I immediately said in a stern voice –

 

“Excuse me, please start the lift, I need to go to the 2^nd floor!”

The waiter did as he was told.

I reached the 2^nd floor and walked towards the suites. Outside a particular suite there were many bouncers standing in black uniform and a gentleman in a white shirt and a trouser.

The gentleman in white was Mr Bachchan’s secretary – Mr Sheetal Jain. I stood in front of him.

 

 “Yes?”

“My daughter wants to meet Mr Bachchan!”

 “Do you have an appointment?”

“No, my daughter wanted to meet him and I came here!”

 

Usually I am confident, but that day, the way confidence was dripping from me was unbelievable!

He looked at me and stepped inside the suite.

Was Mr Bachchan going to come out or was the secretary going to inform the hotel staff about my intrusion?

These questions were running in my head when suddenly the suite door opened and MR AMITABH BACHCHAN STEPPED OUT!

 

“Kaun bachcha milne aaya hai?” (where is the kid who has come to see me)

“Sir 2 bachche milne aaye hain” (2 kids wish to meet you)

 

Mr Bachchan picked my daughter and held her in his arms!

I was on Cloud 9! I immediately captured this beautiful moment in my camera (there were no camera phones that time)

Mr Bachchan could see my excitement.

 

“Are you okay? What is your good name?”

“Gopal”

“Gopal relax, please come with me.”

 

He took us inside his suite.

 

“Sir my daughter loves you and your song “Kajrare!”

“Achcha? Beta Kajrare sunao” (really? Please sing)

 

My daughter stared at him, not comprehending what was being told.

 

“Achcha autograph nahin loge?” (don’t you want the autograph)

“Sir bada bachcha autograph lega” (the grown up kid would take the autograph)

 “Dijiye” (please hand over)

“Sir main toh kuchh laaya nahin. Ye meri shirt par de dijiye” (I didn’t bring anything to collect your autograph . Please sign this shirt that I am wearing)

 

Mr Bachchan stared at me for a moment!

He walked towards his wardrobe, took out a tie, put his autograph on it and gifted it to me!

I have many celebrity moments but this one will stay with me till I live!  RISHTE MEIN YE WAAKAI HUM SAB KE BAAP LAGTE HAIN!

Gopal Das Agrawal is a Hotelier and runs a river cruise on River Ganga. He has a chain of hotels in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Dound and Khandwa. He  has a collection of over 85,000 autographs including all Indian prime ministers and presidents, all Bharat Ratnas and Dada Saheb Phalke awardees, 70-80 Nobel laureates for peace, and even the rare autographs of Thomas Edison, Adolf Hitler, Haji Mastan and many more. He has collected them on flags, footwear, ties, sports accessories, musical instruments, personal belongings of celebrities and other items.

 

This article has been written by Pooja Gupta.      

She is a freelance writer, anchor and a former Radio Jockey. She hosts shows all across India and writes everything from ads, articles, promos, short films, screenplays, dialogues, feature films and even web series. For work, she can be contacted on pooja.gupta2178@yahoo.com.