There was a time when bodyguards who worked for celebrities, especially in Bollywood, lived in anonymity and were overshadowed by the stardom and popularity of the latter. But Gurmeet Singh Shera, popularly called Shera, has managed to create a name for himself despite being superstar Salman Khan’s bodyguard. Shera has been working with Salman for the last 21 years and his journey has been nothing short of overwhelming.
Shera, who now owns Tiger Security Services, was in the city during the announcement of Da-Bangg The Tour Pune organised by Four Pillars Events in association with 18 Degrees and Nirman Group. Da-Bangg The Tour will be filled with celebrity performances and a showcase of popular Bollywood numbers. Directed and scripted by Sohail Khan Entertainment and JA Events, the event will see power-packed performances by Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sonakshi Sinha, Prabhu Dheva, Daisy Shah, Guru Randhawa and Maniesh Paul.
Talking about his journey with Salman, he says, “It has been a beautiful relationship of more than two decades. My journey of serving Salman and being around him for so long has been a phenomenal one. People die to be around him, a mere glimpse of his is enough to enthrall his fans. For me, it seems like a lifetime of being with him.” Shera has also been involved in security for celebrities from West including late Princess Diana, Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber and events like Miss World.
Shera, who was earlier into bodybuilding, got into security services thanks to a friend. He met Sohail Khan and later when Salman saw his body of work, he hired Shera to be his personal bodyguard.
Shera says that today this work has begun to get recognition. “Before I started managing Salman bhai, this profession didn’t have much respect. Now the opportunities for bouncers and bodyguards have increased. My company not just provides security services, but also looks after training aspect. For the upcoming show, my boys will be coming to Pune to ensure that the crowd of 32,000-35,000 is well taken care of and everything runs smoothly. I will personally take care of everything at the event,” says Shera, adding that he integrates technology in his work to make fool-proof security plans.
When asked about the qualities needed in the industry, he says that apart from the physical strength and a great presence of mind, decision-making skill is also very important. “There is no bigger fan following than Salman bhai’s and while working with him I’ve realised that you have to act in the moment. Amidst a crowd of thousands of people, you need to be vigilant, alert, focussed and take decisions in the blink of an eye. Basic education and professional training is mandatory. They have to do a lot of research before they set their foot into the field of security,” quips Shera, adding that a bodyguard has to maintain his diet really well and ensure that he exercises regularly. He adds that there is a difference between being a bouncer for an event and working as a personal bodyguard. “There is a lot of trust and mutual understanding involved when you are a personal bodyguard,” he adds.
When asked about his relationship with Salman, he gets slightly emotional, and replies, “He is the purest soul I have ever met. He has a heart of gold. He is kind and does a lot of charity. He is my family.”
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Da-Bangg The Tour will be held at Shree Chhatrapati Shivaji Sports Complex, Mahalunge, Balewadi on March 24. The event will start from 6.30 pm onwards and gates open at 2.30 pm. Tickets available on TicketExpress.in, BookMyShow, PayTM, and www.dabanggtourpune.com