Priyanka: From SRK's fan to friend

Everyone knows Priyanka Chopra gets tongue-tied in front of Shah Rukh Khan. It is common knowledge that despite working with him in a few films, she doesn't even address him by his name.

The entire nation watched spellbound as she blushed and made her crush on SRK evident each time the host mentioned SRK's name on a TV show. But in the last few months, the actress seems to have graduated from being a fan to being a friend to SRK.

B-Town is abuzz with talk about their friendship. Whenever a top actor gets close to an actress, there is serious unrest amongst the top order of leading ladies. While PC has been flaunting her dosti with Khan, the other actresses are sharpening their claws. The closeness between Pranks (as her close friends call her) and her Don 2 co-star is evident to all. Whether she is in the stands cheering his IPL team, or at his home, entertaining his guests with her singing ability. The duo got along famously on the last schedule of Don 2 in Berlin last year. They have many common interests and were often seen chatting away about everything from books to poetry to philosophy and the latest gadgets. She's crazy about gizmos, and he recently gifted her an iPad 2 that she had been hankering after.

Priyanka was the only actress (apart from team co-owner Juhi Chawla) who was spotted at many of Shah Rukh's IPL matches, even travelling with him to cities outside Mumbai. She became the team's unofficial cheerleader. She has never been this interested in cricket before, but SRK's passion for the game is making her take a keen interest in it. Apart from the IPL matches she is also present at almost every party at Mannat, while his actresses like Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone haven't been so regular. Recently they arrived together in a chartered flight to Hyderabad for Mallika Reddy's wedding, and even returned together. All the leading ladies who have worked with SRK, adore him.

They all vouch for the fact that he is a total gentleman, charming, and protective about them. They feel comfortable enough to talk to him about their loves and lives. And Priyanka is no different. She has discussed her rocky relationship with the actor, and he has helped her sort her feelings for Shahid Kapoor. An insider says, "Priyanka always gushes about SRK and claims what a wonderful friend he is." The source reveals that ever since her break up with Shahid, she has found Shah Rukh's shoulder to cry on. She looks up to Shah Rukh as some kind of mentor and seeks his guidance on her career.