It was an idyllic Sunday afternoon. We had finished watching a Mohanlal flick on TV. We means me, my wife and my kiddo. I have always harnessed a secret desire to be a film star and consider myself fit enough to be star material in my own quixotic dream world. Anyway having nothing better to do, I probed and ask my kiddo “Don’t I look smarter than Mohanlal (those who are not familiar with mallu filmdom, Mohanlal is a senior actor and one of superstarts of Malayalam Cinema). Kiddo looked at me puzzled! Don’t really know if it was the look on my face or the fact that he really believed it, he said “Of course dad, u are smarter and more handsome than him”. I smiled and my day was made. Anyway, I decided to go further and asked “Who’s smarter? Me or Mammootty (mammotty is another mallu film superstar)” he quipped “u dad”.

I was pleased with my kiddo’s confidence in me decided to get bolder. I queried him on bollywood stars and competed with them. Kiddo nonchalantly and without a secong thought voted in my favour and conferred upon me the distinction of being smarter and more handsome than all bollywood heroes whose names I could remember. Even if it’s a small victory and only from the perspective of my kiddo for whom his dad is important, I was rather pleased and elated.

Having conquered bollywood, I decided to head for hollywood and ended up being voted in favour of Pierce Brosnon, Tom Cruise et all and my joy knew no bounds. Finally I decided to put an end to all competition and asked him, “Who is the smartest and most handsome man in the world?” He gave it a serious thought and said, “Dad I cant say u are the best in the world, but I can tell u, you are the second best”. Puzzled, curious and a lil deflated I wondered, who on earth could my kiddo think was smarter and more handsome than me in this world, especially after me having proved myself better than the Khans and the Tom Cruises!

Finally I thought its time to put an end to the mystery and asked him. “Ok tell me who’s the smartest and most handsome in the world”. Kiddo replied “Cmon dad, u should have known and guessed so much! Who else?? I am the smartest in the world”!! My wife burst out laughing and had a tough time controlling her laughter and as far as I am concerned I had to a tad reluctantly yet proudly hand over the credit of being the smartest man in the world to my kiddo at his age of 7!!