TALENTED television star Param Singh has won over fans with great performances in drama serials and a grounded nature away from acting. Good friends Varsha Roy from Kolkata, India and Rehab Jamali from Dubai run a fan club dedicated to the actor. Eastern Eye caught up with them to find out more...
What first made you want to set up the fan club?
We came together to showcase our love for Param Singh Bhatia. It started off as a token of admiration and appreciation for him, and went on to becoming a fan club called Param Ke Admirers (@ProudParamholic).
Tell us more about your fan club...
It is basically a family involving the followers and a world centred on the man himself. From various updates about Param Singh and appreciating his work to celebrating birthdays, his success, Twitter anniversaries and everything else, we are all in this together!
What has been your most memorable moment?
There have been many, but an outstanding one is getting a follow back on Twitter. That feeling when someone you love notices you and acknowledges your work is unreal. That moment was truly memorable!
What is the best thing you like about Param Singh?
There are so many great things that it is hard to pick, but one is that he is always himself and never forgets to reciprocate the love he receives. His down-to-earth nature, politeness, simplicity and passion for his work make him a favourite of so many!
What is your favourite work Param has done?
Every single work of his has been a favourite, be it Yudi of Parvarish, Randhir Singh Shekhawat of Sadda Haq, Rangeela of Ghulaam or Dhruv Narang of Black Coffee, Param has always been top notch. He is obviously getting better each passing day.
Tell us an interesting fact about Param...
He is both an incredibly deep personality and a kid at heart at the same time. He can go from having thoughtful conversations and speaking about things that matter to just simply cracking jokes and playing pranks. He’s that person who makes everyone laugh and is loved by everyone, without whom everything seems incomplete.
What is your definition of a true fan?
When people say they’re a true fan, they usually mean that they’re obsessed with something or someone and can stay up all night going crazy over it. A true fan is one who supports their favourite through thick and thin, good calls and bad, good plays and terrible ones. One who supports a person no matter what he does.
Visit Twitter: @ProudParamholic, @varsharoy05 or @masalachaii for more information.
Raj almost wasn’t Indian, Tom Cruise was the idea.
The title? Kirron Kher just threw it out there.
Pigeon scene: Totally SRK winging it. Kajol freaked a little.
Mehendi Laga Ke Rakhna got added last minute. Can you imagine?
Maratha Mandir. Playing. Every day. Since 1995. Fans love it.
You might think you’ve seen it all in DDLJ. Raj, Simran, the songs, yes, we all know them. But there’s a lot behind the camera that most people have no clue about. Some of it was luck. Some of it Shah Rukh Khan just winging it. And some… well, Aditya Chopra being a little crazy. Here’s the stuff nobody really tells you.
How Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge became a Bollywood legend: 10 untold stories Youtube Screengrab
1. Raj almost had a totally different face
Aditya Chopra literally imagined an American guy and an Indian girl and had Tom Cruise in mind. But then his dad, Yash Chopra, stepped in and said, “Nope, Indian boy.” And then the story completely changed. Suddenly, it wasn’t Hollywood, but NRIs, family, love, and all the cultural stuff that actually hits you in the gut.
2. Kirron Kher named the film
That long, unforgettable title? Shah Rukh Khan thought it was clunky. But the rookie director, Aditya, heard it from Kirron Kher and went with his gut. And yes, she got a credit in the opening titles.
3. Script written in a month
Three years of thinking, then all of a sudden, the final script was done in three or four weeks. Can you imagine? The blueprint for the biggest romantic film of the ’90s, completed in less than a month.
4. Accidental magic
That pigeon-feeding scene with Amrish Puri? Totally improvised by Shah Rukh. Even Kajol’s shocked face in Ruk Ja O Dil Deewane was not planned. Aditya kept it a secret to get a real reaction. And it worked big time. Fans don’t even know half the story behind that moment.
5. Director hiding in a car
During the Zurich car ride, Aditya wasn’t just lurking behind the camera. No. He was lying flat in the back of the red convertible, flat out of frame, watching every move. Can you imagine lying like that for hours? Wild.
6. Raj’s leather jacket wasn’t a costume
Raj’s iconic leather jacket? The one every guy copied? Uday Chopra just bought it from a Harley shop in California and cost 400 bucks. Not a big fancy wardrobe magic, it was just a cool jacket he found.
7. Mehendi Laga Ke Rakhnaalmost didn’t happen
That wedding song everyone hums? Almost didn’t exist. It got added at the very last second, borrowed from another Yash Raj project. Imagine weddings without it!
8. Kajol’s towel moment
Kajol wasn’t a fan of that towel scene. She seriously didn’t want to shoot it, but the director insisted. And that white skirt in the song? The director said it looked frumpy. Manish Malhotra, the designer, had to take scissors and cut it shorter on the spot.
9. Shah Rukh’s prophecy
After reading the script, Shah Rukh told Yash Chopra: “This will define my stardom.” And he nailed it. Spot on.
10. The first “making of” documentary
Before YouTube, before making-of reels, they aired a half-hour documentary on Doordarshan.
Chaudhary Baldev Singh Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge Shah Rukh Khan Kajol www.easterneye.biz
24*7- for 365 days
And then there's Maratha Mandir. This old theater in Mumbai. It's still showing the film. Every. Single. Day. For 30 years. Tickets are 50 rupees. Fans go to watch it like a ritual, some book the gallery for birthdays or anniversaries. People even fly in from abroad. Iconic, right?
30 years later, Raj and Simran are on stage in Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical in Manchester. 18 original English songs. Same story. Same magic. New audience. And people are loving it.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.