Are these signs of stardom going to a young head or of a child being pushed too far, too fast? When t2 had met the same kid last December, a week before the film released to rave reviews, it was a decidedly different Darsheel. Accompanied by his businessman father Mitesh and homemaker mother Sheetal, he was waiting in the audience for his turn to perform on stage with his on-screen-teacher Aamir Khan at the Pogo Amazing Kids Awards. A student of Class V, he was then happy to talk about his favourite animation shows Mr Bean, Astro Boy and Jackie Chan Adventures, and how he liked the “studies ke between times” more than studying.

But then, he had not yet become the first child to win the Best Actor title at a high-profile film awards night; he had not walked the ramp at Lakme Fashion Week; he had not done solo interviews on primetime television; he had not received a message from his dream star Hrithik Roshan that he was a Darsheel fan too; he had not launched a plethora of products from a comics line to books; he had not become brand ambassador material. Then, he had just been Darsheel Safary, age 11.

BALANCING ACT

Now Darsheel is at the top of the list of kids who are becoming familiar faces even before they step out of junior school.

“Children are being increasingly pushed to the limelight. They are not allowed to behave in an age-appropriate manner and are controlled by others. They miss the freedom and lose spontaneity. As it is, children have little patience. If they are pushed, they will only get irritated,” says child psychologist Jolly Raha, who was not surprised on hearing of the boy’s revolt.

(Top) Shriya (second from left) with SRK on the sets of Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hain?; (below) Ayesha Kapur with Amitabh Bachchan in Black

But stumped at the newsarma, father of Shriya Sharma, the Rasna girl who will be seen with Shah Rukh Khan was Vikas Shan from next Friday on Star Plus’s Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hain? “If a kid has a talent, it should be allowed to come out. Others excel in badminton or cricket; my daughter can act. But if I put her in two-three serials that will overexpose her. In the past five-six months Shriya has done only the Whirlpool ad. I have refused a Ram Gopal Varma film as it clashed with her exams. I never allow her to miss school,” he says defensively.

Zain Khan, who is seen in the Yeh aram ka mamla hain vest ads with Sunny Deol, with Sachin Tendulkar in a Boost ad as well as with Amitabh Bachchan in an earlier LG ad, will start shooting for an unnamed film with Shahid Kapoor from Wednesday. “I know it’s his board exam year. But I couldn’t say no to Ken (Ghosh, the director). He has promised to shoot during the vacation and on weekends,” says Zain’s father Zaki Khan, who owns a car service station.

But Khan also believes in keeping a leash on his son’s moves, on and off screen. “There is a big hand of parents in how children react to fame. I have seen parents teaching children not to call a spotboy or a chaiwallah uncle. But Zain has been told not to complain about any facilities on the sets and to call everyone elder to him uncle. This way, bachche ka balance rehta hain.”

Zain, too, he recalls, faced a media onslaught during the release of Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii, in which he starred with Rahul Bose. “A child can get tired but the admission can come out respectfully. Instead of saying ‘I hate you. Leave me alone,’ one can always say ‘Please, main thak gaya hoon, mujhe jane dijiye’,” feels Khan.

Both parents though covet the kind of role that Darsheel got in Taare Zameen Par for their children.

Two people who see children being used as money- and fame-vending machines from up close are singer Suresh Wadkar and quizmaster Derek ’Brien. “You can’t blame the kid if such things happen. Blame the vultures instead,” says ’Brien, who has long been the face of the Cadbury Bournvita Quiz Contest, featuring schoolchildren. He also feels that many guardians try to live their unfulfilled dreams through their children. ’Brien has an instance to offer of a visually-challenged child who was spotted on Cadbury Bournvita Confidence Academy as a singer. The boy went on to be signed for a reality show that bound him in a contract with the TV channel for stage shows. “His studies went for a toss, yet the principal of his school confided that he doesn’t mind the boy dragging on there for another 10 years.” Everyone, clearly, has his own agenda.

Wadkar, who judged the recently-concluded Li’ Champs on Zee TV, throws his hands up on being asked about the fate of the participants. “So much exposure goes straight to their heads. Once the show ends, they start missing the limelight and sink into depression. Even more than children, the parents start basking in reflected glory. Once they miss the stardom they become desperate.”

’Brien points to model parents in the case of Ayesha Kapur, the girl who played Amitabh Bachchan’s blind-deaf-mute charge in Black. “Do you see her giving interviews on TV or going for product launches? Where is she? Back to being a child.”

PRICE OF FAME

Fame also does damage that is painstakingly perceptible to only the parents. Aritro Dutta Banik, the chubby child-anchor of Dance Bangla Dance, is tired of his cheeks being squeezed by strangers. “It happened all the time on the Metro or on public buses. Aritro used to get very upset. It’s alright to shake hands but not this,” says his mother Anuradha who has now switched to taxis for their Tollygunge trips. The boy, now in Class V, is joining a new school in Sodepur and the anxious mother has put in a request to the principal that her son be treated like any other student. “While standing in the queue to deposit his fees, I heard other guardians discussing how their sons insisted on enrolling here as they had heard Aritro would be here. Of course, I did not introduce myself.”

Zain has been less lucky. “Leave alone classmates, he is discriminated against by some teachers too. They punish him even if it is a boy next to him who did the wrong, while taunting him with barbs like ‘You are not a hero here’,” says his father.

As for the Safarys, the entire family is paying the price for Darsheel’s stardom. “We can’t hang out or go for a movie or eat somewhere any more. It feels good to be recognised but sometimes people can be so pushy,” mother Sheetal sighs.

Even Darsheel’s vacations seem to have lost their meaning. “Puri duniya dekh liya (I have seen the whole world),” he says, rattling off names of foreign locales he has visited in the past few months — Dubai, South Africa, Switzerland… If he has one dream left, it is only to sleep. “Right now,” he adds vehemently, slamming the door on the barrage of questions, if only for the day.

A press conference is on at The Taj Central in Delhi. The occasion is to announce Darsheel Safary, the award-winning star of Taare Zameen Par, as the brand ambassador of Horlicks. The interaction is short as the child actor has mostly monosyllabic responses to offer. Then as the television channels close in for exclusive bytes, Darsheel sticks to the script for the first couple of interviews, saying and showing how Horlicks would give him big biceps. But, unperceived, the little one is also nearing the edge. This is what follows:

Journalist: What’s cool, Darsheel?

(A Horlicks official prompts: ‘Drinking Horlicks’. Darsheel turns sharply to her and shouts: ‘No’ and turns back to the camera.)

Darsheel: Spiking my hair and good games.

Journalist: What’s not cool?

Darsheel: The media. It’s bad and boring.

Journalist: You don’t like the media, Darsheel?

Darsheel: I hate it. Film ho gayi, phir bhi aap mera pichha nahin chhortey. (The film is over, yet you won’t leave me alone).

Journalist (flustered): So, you hate me, Darsheel?

Darsheel: (Looking eyeball to eyeball) Yes.

The press conference disintegrates soon after. As the organisers try to persuade their celebrity guest to do a few more interviews, Darsheel is seen stomping his foot and screaming: “No more interviews. I want to go to my room. I want to see Qutub Minar.”

Do you feel child stars are under too much pressure? Tell t2@abpmail.com