No, I haven’t met him. If that’s why you came here, you will be disappointed. I know it sounds new and weird. Usually such articles find Salman Khan under the spot light, not Ranveer Singh. You know when you are hit by cancer, people have a lot of advises to impart and a lot of comments to make about your lifestyle that might have caused this disease. Everybody is a doctor when it comes to cancer. Usually cancer patients are expected to see Hope, see the light in the darkness and instigate Faith in the smallest of living beings and so on. Let me tell you that the reality is very different.
Most of this happens after you have survived this disease, while you are fighting it, you are only focusing on knocking out the other losers and winning this race. When you return home after a rigorous 36 hours of chemotherapy, you cannot see Hope. When you are locked inside a room for over 15 hours in a day to prevent infection and the ulcers in your mouth do the dance even if you roll your eyes, Faith is far away in some other happy universe. No one will tell you this about Cancer. I am saying it, because well, I like to speak my mind. So while I was going through this and much more, I happened to stare at the television blankly, basically just trying to ignore the poisonous pain that was spreading its legs in my back.
I saw Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone promoting Ram Leela at a popular comedy show and kept staring because everything else sucked on TV (they should really start an entertainment channel for cancer patients!). Before I could realize I was grinning from ear to ear half way into the show like some awestruck teenager (I am NOT a teenager). Then I watched the film (at home☹), but I did. I don’t remember watching any song on repeat the rate at which I watched Tattad Tattad in a single night. I don’t know if it was him, his infectious energy, his Amrish Puri mimicry or all of it, but it helped. Being locked away in a room didn’t feel so bad suddenly. All pain seemed manageable the moment some music channel aired Tang Tang from Gunday. Of course prayers help, a proper diet helps, taking your pills at the right time keeps things in check, the way your parents stand by your side does wonders, but between all of this, there is a time when you are all alone fighting the pain while everyone else is still having a life and probably managing logistics for your comfort (whatever comfort means at that point of time). That time is the most challenging. Nothing moves, a normal life seems like a forgotten dream and your lips don’t recall what a smile means.
I managed to get most of my sanity back just by watching this guy do his job on screen. You cannot find another actor with his kind of energy! I read a lot of cancer survivors talking about keeping the Faith and Hope, it isn’t wrong, but there is one more aspect to it; managing the pain, beating time and staying happy and Ranveer Singh helped me to do just that! He got me out of bed and dance with him in my ugliest of days. I cracked up with his roadside dance in a Krissh 3 costume when I was feeling low and he taught me how to flaunt a bald look in style. I know that I am not the only Ranveer Singh fan out there, girls are ready to fight dragons to marry him and guys wish they were half as cool as he is; I have no such dreams (he looks smoking with Deepika), but I have a better fan story. I am just writing this because if I have the good luck and Ranveer Singh actually reads this, I would want him to save and read it when he is feeling real low. May be this could cheer him up and I can repay what he has done for me. People keep asking you to keep positive in your lowest; they just don’t tell you how to do that; because they don’t know how it’s done. Ranveer Singh showed me how it’s done. Smile. Laugh Hard. And dance like you don’t give a fuck!
Today, as I walk into the theatre to watch Dil Dhadakne Do, I can feel the change over these two years, especially my ever so growing gratitude for this guy. That’s growing at a bullet’s pace. Thank you, sir. Among all those who want to say a zillion things to you.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU”
(how I wish I could say it in person!). For me, it’s important for you to know that the shoulder you injured and the back that screwed you over during Lootera; hasn’t been for nothing!
Sincerely,
Someone who kicked Cancer in its balls!
