It was ~15 years ago. I was in Kota, staying in a paying guest accommodation, cramming organic chemistry before a placement test at Bansal’s that would determine my batch assignment for the next few months.

I still remember the day clearly. I was hanging out with a couple of guys from the PG accommodation. We were talking about movies. I had never been a big movie enthusiast - not the kind of person who would go for first-day-first-show screenings. But like all teenagers, I had opinions. I remember one of them bringing up an Akshay Kumar movie. I mentioned casually that I thought the movie was bad and made a comment about Akshay Kumar.

Immediately, I saw the mood shift. One of them got upset, and things escalated from there. Coming from the east, where people don’t typically engage in hero worship, it was my first time seeing someone get so upset over something so external. I couldn’t understand why he got so agitated over an offhand remark about Akshay Kumar. He was apparently a big fan, and it wasn’t acceptable to say anything negative about his idol. He was defending his hero’s honor. Until the end, it seemed like satire. Surely, I thought, he must be joking. Why would someone get so upset? Our relationship never recovered. Over time, this incident, along with other issues, led to us avoiding each other. There was always tension between us.

I’ve been supporting Liverpool since 2002 and was a big Sachin Tendulkar fan. But I would never take offense if you said anything about Sachin or Mohamed Salah. After all, I don’t personally know Salah. He doesn’t even know I exist. This is why I find the culture of hero worship very strange, whether it’s actors, politicians, or political parties. I’ve never understood it.

At least Akshay Kumar doesn’t get paid from taxpayer money - you vote for him on Friday when his movie releases, with your wallet.