Bollywood keeps Chandigarh date

Ditto for the crowds that first swarmed Chandimandir and then the Forest Hill Resorts. The two hotels — North Park and Mountview — are flooded with phone calls. ‘‘I have received 30 calls seeking Shah Rukh’s whereabouts,’’ says Amit Sachdeva, a front office employee at Hotel Mountview, where most stars are put up. But, be it the bunch of auntyjis or children as young as four, Big B is the biggest draw. ‘‘We saw Amitabh in person. I’m going to remember it forever,’’ gushes 40-something Paramjit Khosla.

The actors are obviously impressed. ‘‘I came here as a child but don’t remember much. The city’s green and I would love to drive around,’’ Shah Rukh Khan says. The Big B has fond memories of the city. ‘‘It was 1958-59, I was just out of school (Sherwood) and came seeking admission to a city college. My parents weren’t sure I would make it anywhere else,’’ he laughs. But, with three security men guarding him, getting autographs is tough. ‘‘If we let one person speak to him, everyone else would want to do the same,’’ says Yashwant Singh, one of the security men.

If that’s tough, getting to Yash Chopra’s sets for a glimpse of SRK and Preity is tougher. Acquaintances, references, everyone’s trying just about everything. ‘‘I know the people who work here. He will recognise me once he sees me,’’ someone screams at the Forest Hill gates as the guard says a firm, ‘‘Only one entry.’’ Those on the other side can just thank their stars.