Every time a Shah Rukh Khan film releases, his fans all over the country celebrate it with great enthusiasm and fervour. For SRK fans, every new film of the superstar is no less than a festival, which is why the celebrations are big. Zero, starring Shah Rukh, Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif, which hit the screens on Friday, saw a huge gathering of fans celebrating the day as #ZeroDay at E-Square Carnival, Ganeshkhind Road. Zero features SRK as Bauua Singh, a 38-year-old man from Meerut, who is vertically challenged, Anushka, who plays Aafia Bhinder — a wheelchair-bound scientist with cerebral palsy, and Katrina, who essays the emotionally-challenged celebrity Babita Kumari.
SRK Universe, Pune division, the largest fan club of the star, arranged a First Day First Show (FDFS) screening at E-Square Carnival on Friday morning and the multiplex was abuzz with SRKians wearing exclusive Zero T-shirts and shaking a leg to Issaqbaazi — a popular dance number from Zero, amidst a lot of cheering and hooting. The fans also struck SRK’s signature pose and clapped and cheered for their hero.
The day’s event began with the distribution of exclusive merchandise of Zero to the fans followed by the screening of the movie and an event held to acknowledge the message portrayed through the film: ‘celebrating life in any which way it comes’. The event was attended by a cerebral palsy patient and children from Nirankar Balgram, an orphanage in Hadapsar. With scarves around their neck, the kids posed like King Khan. They were given some goodies, clothes and stationery too. Expressing that Dilwale is their favourite movie, the children from the orphanage made a wish to meet the actor one day.
Firzgar Hansotia, a huge SRK fan, software engineer and numismatist, who has a rare collection of currency notes with the series combination of release dates of SRK movies and even the birth date of the actor in various denominations, attended the event too. He is looking forward to making an album on King Khan’s life history through the currency notes.
The fun-filled event culminated with an exciting photoshoot and cake cutting while fans cheered on top of their voice. “SRK is the best, SRK is the best!”
We caught up with some of the SRKians to know about their experiences:
“This is not just a movie, it is a feeling!”
— Anand Kadam, the admin of SRK Universe, Pune division
“Being SRK fans, we love all his movies, but Zero holds a special place as it brings out a social message. Everyone can do much better than what life actually offers you. All of us began with a zero in life, and life is complete with that zero. Even the star himself has grown from zero and reached the place where he is today.”
— Shweta Chitrode, member of SRK Universe, Pune division, and founder and editor-in-chief of Stylewhack.com
“The character of Bauua Singh reaches your mind straightaway, the film is a complete package of fun, drama, romance.”
— Kunal More, member of SRK Universe, Pune Division, and YouTuber and choreographer-dancer of Dance Floor Studio
“Zero is one of the most unique movies in Bollywood so far. A realistic vision is given through various segments in the movie. Secondly, the takeaway from the film is that a disabled person should not consider himself any less than other human beings.”
— Dyaanraj Kale, an SRK fan and a student of BMCC
“After people see this film, they will begin to respect my dwarfism as well. I saw my own reflection on the screen in the role of SRK and I personally thank him for portraying such a role (Bauua Singh)”
— Rafik Shaik, shopkeeper
“This will be a super hit movie. Not only the fans but everyone must watch the film as it presents a perfect blend of all emotions.”
— Ravindra Lankal, SRKian and a cerebral palsy patient
