The Importance Of Being Taimur Ali Khan

With  due apologies to Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman, the  biggest Khan superstar  of India  is Taimur Ali Khan.

As he turns  all of 2 on December 20 his proud paparazzi-wary parents have whisked him away to Africa far away from the cameras which love him the way only a true star is loved. At 2, little Tim(as he is affectionately called  by his father) is fully aware of his best camera angles. He calls out to the paparazzi who adore him and always ensure his comfort before clicking.

What he  wears, and the  random words that lisp out of  his lips  become the the trending topics  of the day.And the child  loves every bit  of the attention.

So is Taimur, my most favourite  member of the Pataudi clan after his grandmother SharmilaTagore,  the most popular star-kid in the world?  Tom Cruise’s Suri comes close. The  little girl was followed around by the paparazzi to  describe her clothes, shoes, purse. In no time at  all little Suri acquired adult  mannerisms and  turned into quite  a poseur.

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 In spite of all the media  attention, Taimur remains blissfully uncorrupted. Yes, he loves  the  flashbulbs and the media attention. But he doesn’t strike poses. Not as yet.

At 2,  Taimur is a  force  that the  photographs  cannot do  without. According to glam shooters  in Mumbai a picture  of Taimur fetches a  higher  price than that  of Salman Khan. And  Taimur effortlessly lords over the below-5 brigade  of star kids. His  popularity  exceeds  that  of  Aamir Khan’s son Azad and  Shah Rukh’s AbRam.

Such is his popularity in the public domain  that Taimur needs constant surveillance.  He  is no danger  of any kind.  It’s just that he attracts way too much attention for a child his age. His parents fear their Tim may soon  lose his  innocence. Or else,the paparazzi may soon lose interest  in Tim, and move on to another star-kid.

 Too young understood how the media operates Taimur may lose all the attention overnight without  knowing why they’ve disappeared.

We must guard against the child’s  first heartbeak when he is no more the darling of the  photographers.  We all know how savagely Taimur’s parents were trolled for naming their  son after a cruel invader.Nothing that the  original Taimur did can match the cruelty  of trolls  gunning for little Taimur’s  parents for their child’s name. I am glad they stuck to their guns. Imagine if  they had re-christened  him Tarachand  or Timothy.

Would he  have been as  popular? As  Tim turns a  year older we can only hope that he gets the same attention in the  future that he is getting now. A  tall order, I know. Children born with golden  spoons often  find that spoon snatched away from their mouths. That such a thing can ever  happen to  Taimur is  heartbreaking , to say the least.

So let’s all think only positive thoughts for the Golden Nawab. Dear Taimur,  Tim, Timmy,  Tim-Tim…may you shine  brighter  than both your parents.

Oops, you already do!