Kathmandu:

We get butterflies in our tummies when we get to meet our favourite celebrity. Our hands get sweaty and we get tongue tied thinking of what to say to them. But how does it feel when our celebrities meet their favourite stars — is it the same for them too? Let’s find out

While visiting India for recording of various songs for Nepali movies, I got to meet many singers, musicians and actors and I have very good relationship with all of them. But the most memorable one will be meeting Rahul Dev Burman and Lata Mangeshkar.

I met him for the first time while I was there for the recording for Cheli beti and again during Prem Pinda. I am a very big fan of his music so I was awestruck while meeting him in person.

The most memorable incident was while recording for the song Sarangi ko dhun le for the movie Sarangi — Krishna Bahadur Gandarva, the sarangi player was with me. We were recording at Madhur Dhuni studio and RD sir was at Film centre, suddenly I got a call from him asking if he could borrow Gandarva for a while. That was so touching the way he requested.

When I met Lata didi I was recording a song with Kavita Krishnamurthy at Bombay lab studio. My flight was in the afternoon and Kavita too had to leave for Bangalore the same day, so we had booked the studio in the morning. When we reached there, we came to know that Lata didi was there for her recording and as she had to catch a flight to London that day, she too wanted to finish her recording. I was in big trouble. If I cancelled my flight, I had to wait for a whole week to get back home and Kavita too had emergency. When we requested the owner, they said they could not say no to didi. But suddenly she called me to her room and said she wouldn’t mind recording later as her flight was at night and let us record first. She spoke a while about Nepal, Nepali music and her song in Maitighar and as I was about to leave she said, “Aap mere saath photograph nahi lenge (won’t you take a picture with me?)” I was so taken aback with her care for others. I could not have asked myself but when she said that I was very happy.

— Shambhujeet

Baskota, musician

Glittery seconds

It was year 2000 and I was teaching at Galaxy school. One day we had to attend a wedding party and there I met Nabin K Bhattarai. I was such a huge fan of his that when I saw him, I did not even feel awkward in front of all other people around him. I just went ahead and asked him to sign an autograph for me. I was carrying a glittery ink pen and I still have that autograph with me. I was so thrilled to meet him that for couple of days the smile wouldn’t be wiped out of my face.

Another down to earth singer that I have come across is Sabin Rai. He helped me and took me around Dharan when I was there for a programme. He is very friendly and caring.

During my visit to India recently, I came across various well known artistes. Meeting legends like Javed Akhtar, Simi Garewal and Shobha De was great. They spoke to me and were very sweet. They even liked my voice and encouraged me to continue singing.

— Ciney Gurung, singer

When I was visiting my sister-in-law at Jaipur, Maharani Gayatri Devi Rajmata of Jaipur too was there for dinner. It was such an honour just to meet her, know her and listen to her talk.

I have always been a big fan of hers, for her being such a wonderful and thoughtful lady. She is one of the most beautiful ladies in the world and yet she is so down to earth. She has done so much for the people in Rajashthan. She even started a girls’ school Maharani Gayatri Devi School and has done lots of work for women in Rajasthan.

The way she carries herself and has aged so gracefully, her personality just shines above all. When I met her, I knew that she was the ultimate woman.

— Sneh Rana, make-up artiste