Looking back over thesemester, I reflected on all the good and not-so-good things that happened to me. This easily qualifies as the biggest highlight, perhaps of the year. Meeting Shah Rukh Khan, my all-time favorite Bollywood movie star, was literally a dream come true! It’s the sort of thing that only happens at USC – with its reputation as the top film school in the country attracting film shootings, movie stars, and advance movie screenings.
Allow me to gush a little – for those who don’t know, Mr. Khan is an international star and loved by fans everywhere. He is a Hindi film actor, and he portrays his charactors effortlessly and with depth. His prolific film career spans almost 3 decades and includes acting and producing movies. Classics include Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayange and Chak de! India. Another great classic, simply for watchability, is Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. While he shot to fame and maintained fame as a romantic hero, some of his movies, like Swades and My Name is Khan, have addressed more serious issues.
It felt surreal walking through campus and seeing Mr. Khan right there. His humility, down-to-earth quality, and intelligence humbles and amazes me. The day I met him, he wasn’t focused on his popularity but on whatever event had brought him there that day. I really appreciated that. Yet, he made time, albeit brief, for his fans. Despite the gossip mill and the fact that I sadly can’t agree with all of his recent choices in movies, I am happy that meeting him only confirmed my idealistic expectations and did not disappoint. I’m thankful for this unplanned opportunity.
If you want your own movie star story, just keep your eyes and ears open at USC! Or consider signing up for “CTCS 466 – Film Symposium” at USC. It’s an undergraduate class and unlikely to qualify for graduate credit unless you find a creative way to incorporate it into your coursework or audit it. However, they show movies and documentaries each week in class and invite the filmmakers for a Q&A session afterwards. There are usually 1-2 directors, producers, costume designers, writers, or actors from the movie. Usually one major feature film is screened in advance in class and well-known guests are usually present.
Published on December 14th, 2016
Last updated on August 29th, 2017