By: Vikram Seth
Two years ago, she was a non-entity apart from famous parents Zarine and Sanjay Khan... Today the youngest Khan daughter, has become hot property. So hot, that women of all ages can't help but long to be in her pretty shoes...
Yes, she is exotic looking... Yes, she comes from a pedigreed background... Yes, she is a successful businesswoman... But what make Suzanne Khan the most envied girl, is not just these qualifications. It's the fact that she is current heartthrob, Hrithik's girlfriend of four years. And that makes her not just envied but a positive threat! For those scores of gushing girls who consider Hrithik their own private fantasy, the presence of Suzanne Khan in his life, is an issue they have a major problem dealing with!
But who is Suzanne Khan and what makes her tick with Hrithik? So far, she has been somewhat of an anonymous person. Preferring to remain in the background rather than hog the limelight along with her boyfriend. But the curiosity factor about her was rising to fever pitch. There were a hundred questions being asked about the girl. In fact, Suzanne Khan had become something of a national debate.
In his very first interview, Hrithik had told us that he saw Suzanne Khan across a traffic light and fell in love with her. Suzanne's side of the story is a little different. Apparently, Hrithik and she knew each other since they were kids, since they lived in the same locality. But LOVE didn't happen until she came back from the US, armed with an Associate Art Degree course in Interior Designing. Los Angeles and the US of A had done shy, reticent Suzanne, a great deal of good. America taught her to be herself and not be scared of doing something she believed in. She admits, "From an introvert, I was transformed into an independent girl!"
And that's the one quality Hrithik instantly liked and admired. He was still a raw actor, taking acting lessons and he hadn't started working. So the fact that young Suzanne was making something of herself impressed him.
Once Suzanne returned to India, she began to bump into Hrithik more and more often. But though there was a mutual admiration society happening, neither Hrithik nor Suzanne voiced their feelings, since both fight shy of declaring their emotions, generally. But the two became best friends and started to talk to and meet each other every day. And then, WHAM! It happened. Suddenly, the two realised that they were in love. Suzanne maintains, that neither of them verbally made a commitment but they knew that what they had, was RIGHT!
People who know Suzanne and Hrithik say that she calls him her Bholunath, because she thinks he is too naive and sweet for this world. Ask her if Hrithik has changed in any way after success hit him headlong and she says, "He is still my sweet little boy I fell in love with. He hasn't changed a bit."
What Suzanne apparently regrets, is the fact that Hrithik and she have lost all privacy and don't get too much time together. But she has willingly accepted the situation as being part and parcel of the game.
Very few people know that Suzanne was heavily involved in the making of Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai. For three months her own business took a backseat, as she tried to concentrate on the pre-release work. Suzanne even took on the onus of outfitting Hrithik in Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai.
CINÉ BLITZ spoke to several people regarding Suzanne's role in the relationship and every one of those people observed that Suzanne is the strength of the relationship. Amisha Patel, Hrithik's co-star and a very close friend of Suzanne had revealed that, "Suzanne is perfect for Hrithik. She is a strong, sensible force in his life." Some of the other adjectives people use for Suzanne is that she is selfless and adjusting.
A close friend on condition of anonymity, revealed that Suzanne is "Always there for everyone she cares for. It's an inherent trait of hers to care and think of others before she thinks of herself. If ever she has a misunderstanding or a fight with anyone, she is the first to make up. She is an extremely sweet-tempered girl, though she does have her bouts of temper but these rarely last long.
"If you ask me, Suzanne is not crazy about material things. She puts a lot of importance by feelings and emotions. She may be running short of time but if one is in trouble and in need of counseling she will leave everything to be with you. She is a good friend to have."
Is she a possessive girlfriend?
"Well, she is as possessive as a girlfriend can be. But I have noticed that her possessiveness arises out of concern for Hrithik. She is aware of the opportunists around and she is also aware that Hrithik is an easy target, so she is protective of him. But she is not unnecessarily possessive."
Apparently, the only fear that was plaguing Suzanne before Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai released, was that the film had to do well. She had seen Hrithik working his bones off for his debut and she was worried about the fate of the film. Being a spiritual person, Suzanne even went to Shirdi with Hrithik to pray for the film.
Suzanne is an integral part of the Roshan family, say family friends of the Khans and the Roshans. There is no family event where Suzanne is not present. Hrithik's mother, Pinky Roshan and Suzanne, share a very close bond. In fact, when the Roshan family went on a long overdue holiday after the release of their film, it was Suzanne who accompanied them.
Suzanne loves to dress in bright colours preferring animal prints in her outfits because she knows she carries those off well. Gucci is her favourite brand for handbags and Louis Vuitton another favourite brand. In Mumbai, she normally shops at KBN. Says a close friend of Suzanne, "She prefers casual clothes to dressy ones, and jeans and T-shirt are her favourite attire. I have also noticed that she has a particular liking for tan make-up and she has even passed it down to Hrithik, who seems to sport that kind of make-up for his shoots. Suzanne loves eye-make and that is a regular item on her shopping list."
It may come as a surprise to many but slim and trim Suzanne, has an extremely healthy appetite. She sometimes tends to eat about four meals a day and is not a diet person at all.
Open hearted, sensitive and innocent is the verdict passed about Suzanne. Most people, who know her, know her as a sunny-natured girl whose little world revolves around the people she loves. Hrithik, of course, happens to be the center of her universe!
As Vikram Seth would put it, this really is one of the most suitable matches!