"Shah Rukh always had a great memory," recalls Sunil Kukreja, a Rajinder Nagar based businessman, who was close friends with superstar Shah Rukh Khan during their teenage years when the actor was still a Dilliwala boy, who studied in St.Columbus school. Kukreja and Khan were friends who lived in the same colony, played cricket and fought together, like two regular Delhi boys.
Khan, who lived in Delhi's Gautam Nagar area and was 15-years-old when he shifted to Rajinder Nagar with his family, turns 56 today. As the world celebrates his birthday, his childhood friends recall the boy he was before becoming the superstar that he is today.
Going down the memory lane, Kukreja recalls, "He called me Githi and we used to call him Mela. I was always a little on the heavier side, so when we used to fight, his mother used to laugh and shout at me that I would hurt her son."
Kukreja, who is a few months elder to Khan, says that one quality of the actor has stayed constant from his younger days.
"He was always very determined and stubborn. If Shah Rukh had his mind set on something. He would not give up until he achieved it. He had a great memory. He would never forget what someone had said to him even after years," says Kukreja.
Khan shifted to Mumbai in 1992 and summoned the destiny of a star. Did he ever mention becoming an actor during his school days?
"He was in St.Columbus school and mostly after school we would come to each other's house. Sometimes we would have lunch at each other's house. He never had acting on his mind back then but he was always very hardworking," says Kukreja.
"I remember eating daal chawal at his house a lot. His mother was a very nice lady. She loved us like her own and everyone respected. Shah Rukh loved the paranthas that my mother made, so he would often come over when my mother cooked paranthas. Those were simpler, innocent days," says Kukreja.
Although the two have not been in contact for over a decade, Kukreja wishes best for his childhood friend and is happy that his son Aryan is back home.
"We are very happy. I met Aryan when he was a child. Years back. Shah Rukh's sasural (in-laws' house) was in Pancheel (Park) and I had gone to meet him there once. Aryan was a toddler back then. We are happy that he is home and safe with his family," he says.
