The Curious Case Of Chirag Paswan

For a while, circa the time he wanted to be  a  movie star, Chirag Paswan was close  to me. It started when  his  Bollywood debut  Miley Na Miley Hum was released  in  2011. Prakash Jha  was  supposed to launch  Chirag  into cinema. But I think  Jha refused.

 One day  I got a  call from a friend  of  Chirag’s saying he  would like to meet me in Patna.

I told the friend to tell Chirag to speak to me  directly. He promptly called. I  invited  him  over for dinner. He asked if he could bring a friend, and landed at my place with a bottle of wine which I refused to  accept.I don’t drink and even  if I did, I wouldn’t accept it.  He  took it back with him at the end  of the evening.

We  had a fairly  interesting evening when he  told me clearly that he wanted  to be  an actor and not a politician like his father. He  also shared many shocking  secrets  with me and told me how keen  he was to  get  into  the  good books  of the big guns  in Bollywood.

 He wanted my help to become  a star.I tried  to explain to him that becoming a star was  not  in my hands.He insisted that I had the  power  to do it.He didn’t enjoy  the  meal  because, his friend informed me Chirag  didn’t  like vegetarian  food.Chirag shoveled down the  food in spirit of  a martyr who  must  caress the cross to make sure God isn’t cross.

We  stayed  in  touch. He kept  reminding me of my  “responsibility”  towards  him. And soon become disgruntled. The  breaking point in our shortlived association  came  when  after  inviting him for  dinner(again) I  had to back out  due to  an acute  toothache. I think he  felt I  was making excuses.  Chirag felt insulted and never got in touch with me again.

I saw him get  into politics  and conduct himself with dignity. Recently I sent him a message wishing him all the  best. He  wrote back saying  I’d have  to  introduce myself since  he knew many  people  of   the same  name.The childish attempt to hit back at me  made me  smile.

Well I know   only one  Chirag Paswan.And  although  he felt  I let him down  by  not making him a star I wish him  success in his   political career.