Shopkeeepaaa, cake dena... Hanji Benji

GAURAV GERA became a household name when he played the role of Nandu in Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin.

But I've known him ever since he was a kid. You see, we went to the same school... together. He was this shy, quiet, innocent...

Ahh!!! How I wish I could boast like that. But the truth is, I too noticed him for the first time when I started watching JJKN.

Btw, have you seen Gaurav and Mona's latest stint as Nandu and Jassi? Check this out -

Gaurav & Mona revive JJKN days as Shopkeeper & Chutki

There's this  one scene in JJKN which is very close to my heart. Even today I tear up whenever I watch it:

I remember thinking, when I first saw this scene - Jassi is so damn lucky to have Nandu. I wish I had a friend like him...

Sometimes wishes do come true...

Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin ended in 2006. So did Gaurav's role as Nandu.

I heard of him again in 2009.  Making another splash. This time it was not on TV. But on facebook. His were the statuses that got 1000s of likes and 100s of comments. Seriously??? I turned up my nose as I read them. No way was I going to comment on THAT!

Two days later I was commenting on every single status. Not once, but several times. Such is the Gera pull.

Here's a taster of what some of his statuses used to be like -

Gaurav Gera's Gems

Couple of years later, another wave. It was a music video this time. When I told him after ten minutes of its release that the video had already got hundreds of views, he humbly replied - "Nah, that can't be mine. Must be that other video which was released recently." And he went back to his shooting. Half an hour later the video had tens and thousands of views. The rest is history.

He did it again this year. But this time it wasn't a splash or a wave. It was a flood. Nay, it was a bloody tsunami.

Let me start at the very beginning. Early this year, owing to some deadlines, I went off social media for 3 months. When I logged back in, I was gobsmacked. There was an avalanche of Gaurav's videos everywhere. His name as well as the characters he had created - Chutki and Shopkeeper, were splashed all over the social media, radio, television. Hundreds of comments, thousands of likes, zillions of views. Interviews in umpteen newspapers and magazines like India Today and Times of India. Dubsmash videos by the likes of Akshay Kumar, Vivek Oberoi, Jacqueline Fernandez. People the world over, who didn't understand a word of Hindi were shouting - Hanji Benji!

Hein??? I rubbed my eyes. Had I been away for just 3 months or had I woken up after 20 years like Rip Van Winkle?

Suyyash, Chutki aur Hansa

Most actors will agree that it is more difficult to make people laugh than cry. I remember watching a short film as a kid. There's this monkey trying desperately to make his audience laugh. He does all sorts of antics, clowns around, hangs upside down. Nothing. Just a vapid expression on all the faces. Then he starts hurting himself. The more he bleeds, the more hysterical the laughter.

That's how difficult it is to make your viewers laugh.

And to make them laugh globally like Gaurav has done, is no mean feat. The comic timing, the expressions, the nuances, have got to be bang on. Top that with sweat, blood and guts. Yes, guts - loads of it. After all, how many men are there who have the confidence to play the role of a woman like Chutki? Or to play it so convincingly and effortlessly that people forget that the actor is actually a guy?

That's not all. Chutki is just one of a range of characters in Gaurav's videos. There's the famous shopkeeper who seems to have the biggest shop in the world as it sells everything under the sun, then there's his son, his green assistant, Chutki's brother Chutku, her mom and her boyfriend Suyyash. Not only does Gaurav play all the other characters as well, but also writes the scripts of all the videos himself.

VERSATILITY, thy name is GAURAV!

If there's one thing that's more amazing than his acting calibre, videos and unique characters, it is his ability to connect with people the world over. His fans are everywhere - in Dubai, in East Africa, even in Jhumri Talaiya.  For some his videos are stress-busting elixir; others claim his humour touches their soul. But they all agree, he has a very happy vibe about him and hope his humour will continue to linger on for years to come.

So guys, if you haven't already, check out the following link and you'll understand what I'm talking about -

Gaurav Gera YouTube Channel

And as this king of madness, creativity and originality celebrates his birthday this week, here's wishing him a very Happy Birthday.

Thank you Gaurav, for coming into our lives. Thank you for all the LOL and ROFL moments. Thank you for being you. Keep rocking. Keep creating storms. Above all,  stay grounded always. Coz that's your most endearing quality :)

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Jassi Jaisi koi Nahin - 12 Years on

Keep smiling friends. Keep ROFLing. Life is Beautiful :)