It was his first day in Bhopal for the shoot of Prakash Jha’s Aarakshan. Saif Ali Khan was in his room, busy in a meeting, when a stranger suddenly wandered into his room. Bemused, the star inquired who he was and was told that he was a guest at a wedding that was being hosted in the hotel premises.
By then, Khan’s personal security had got into action and gently, but firmly, steered the visitor out. But news of Khan’s presence had leaked out and soon baraatis (members of the wedding party) were coming up and crowding the corridor outside for a dekko of the star.
“This continued well past midnight. Khan remained inside, while the hotel security and his own guards ensured that he was not disturbed,” says his personal trainer, Kunal Bhandore, who had accompanied him.
The next day, Khan stepped out for a workout by the hotel poolside to find a huge crowd of fans waiting for him. The security cordon stopped them from getting too close but the stargazers hung around and watched Khan’s muscles ripple.
“The routine continues everyday. Saif chats with some of them between workouts and sometimes, after he finishes with his exercise routine, he strums music on his guitar. That’s a bonus for them,” laughs Bhandore, recalling how a boy from Indore waited until 9 pm for the actor to return from his shoot so he could meet him.
He adds, “Saif posed for a photograph with him and the boy went back home happy.”
“The routine continues everyday. Saif chats with some of them between workouts and sometimes, after he finishes with his exercise routine, he strums music on his guitar. That’s a bonus for them,” laughs Bhandore, recalling how a boy from Indore waited until 9 pm for the actor to return from his shoot so he could meet him.
He adds, “Saif posed for a photograph with him and the boy went back home happy.”