Bollywood’s shining little star, who many claim is too grown up for his own good (especially since he asked to be nominated as a Best Actor and not Best Child Actor at awards ceremonies) Darsheel Safary does not always appear to be the spoilt child in real life.

Now that he’s something of a celebrity, the 10 year-old was in town as a chief guest for a drawing competition. And even amidst all the adulation, cameras reaching out to him for a byte, lensmen asking him for a picture-perfect pose, there were shades of the cheerful tween resurfacing from his designer-garb clad self.

And Darsheel, even sat down to draw with participants, as fans — young and old — crowded to get a closer look at the twinkling star. Well, he’s a true performer, adjusting his cap, smiling at the camera and giving those rehearsed answers, “I am really enjoying it here.” And off he goes to tell the kids who have gathered at the event to draw whatever they would like to.

For this South Mumbai Gujarati Jain boy, life hasn’t been the same since Aamir Khan handpicked him from Shiamak Davar’s dancing classes. “I had to follow a three-day workshop with Aamir for the movie,” he says. But how was it really learning to act from one of the most accomplished actors of India?

“I was explained the scenes every time and I performed accordingly. All these expressions you saw me doing in the film are typically me. But it was fun rehearsing them with my co-actors in the movie,” Darsheel explains.

And you see those expressions come alive and light his face as he continues to fill colours on the canvas and her mother prodding in between to finish his glass of chocolate milk. But stardom can be unnerving too. The young actor is now tired of getting mobbed. “I don’t like girls and boys everyday trying to touch me during the recess in school,” he says.

Given a choice Darsheel and his parents would like to stay away from the glam world as far as possible. But the Safarys can never escape that one controversial question of why he wanted to be nominated for the best actor award when he received the best child actor award recently? Was he prompted to say this? Darsheel’s mom Sheetal clears the air, “This is entirely Darsheel’s feelings on the issue as he felt he was important for the film.”

And in true superstar style, Darsheel doesn’t want to talk anymore and would rather like to tuck into a customised order for a chilly cheese dosa and jump on the stage, as children his age watch him with wide-eyed fascination and yes, hero worship. For now Darsheel, seems to revel in his just acquired celebdom. Not every 10 year-old can have the world at his feet!