Cut back to reality. Currently, devoted to building a sprawling 1,000-acre theme park depicting the history and culture of seven cities by the banks of the Yamuna in Agra, Sanjay Khan’s grandiose project stands thwarted for the time being. Reportedly, the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation has posted a notice of Rs 608 crore for not conforming to the contractual terms for the park estimated to cost Rs 10,000 crore.

Indeed, trouble has dogged him periodically. That he emerged alive from the holocaustic fire which broke out in 1989 on the Mysore sets of his ambitious TV series The Sword of Tipu Sultan, is a miracle by itself.

Over time he has thrown in his lot with politicians, be it his valued friend Ghulam Nabi Azad and assorted heads of states here and abroad. He has articulated his regard for the Gandhi family, flashed back to Atal Bihari Vajpayee who dozed off during a meeting with him, and packs in glowing words about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Clearly, here’s a movie actor who knows how to be political correct, but to what consequence?

Of his professional peers, he lavishes praise on Raj Kapoor, Dharmendra and chum Bob Christo. And there’s an unintentionally funny bit about how once on looking at himself naked in a mirror, he saw a handsome man. Narcissism is a common factor to Bollywood stars, so let’s grant him that privilege.

Also his journey is sprinkled with anecdotes about his mega-popularity, what with 100 films being offered to him simultaneously. And what do you know? A mess-up by his secretary led to his exclusion from the Yash Chopra-helmed whodunit Ittefaq in which he was replaced by Rajesh Khanna. Oddly, there’s no braggadacio about the fact that Amitabh Bachchan during his lean days was dropped from the Rekha starrer Duniya ka Mela, and was replaced by ahem you-know-who.