King Khan, All about the one and only Shahrukh Options

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The Shah Rukh Khan Phenomenon
“Shah Rukh Khan is Shah Rukh Khan.” “There’s no one like Shah Rukh Khan.” “Nobody can match Shah Rukh Khan’s Popularity.” These and similar statements are commonly heard. And not just in the film trade but also among the general public. What is it that makes Shah Rukh Khan so different from the others of his ilk? Why in the last 15 years have we never had any actor who has had the same fan following and who could clearly step into his shoes?


What is it that really has made Shah Rukh Khan stand above all the other stars who’ve come after the superstar first made an appearance on the screen in 1992 in Deewana?


Quite simply, Shah Rukh Khan’s string of box-office hits! One after the other, the actor’s films hit the jackpot with such alarming regularity that in the nineties and 2000’s, Shah Rukh Khan became the safest bet for producers, distributors and exhibitors alike. I use the world alike to differentiate the scene that existed when Shah Rukh Khan is the numero uno and the one that exists now.

For instance, a Salman Khan today may guarantee mega-bucks for the producers of his films but there’s no like guarantee that distributors and exhibitors of his starrers will also make money. As in the case of most of his releases before his latest, Tere Naam. While producers of Salman-starrers made table profits, distributors of his films burnt their fingers rather badly when those films flopped. It was after almost two-three years that everybody associated with a Salman-starrer made money in Tere Naam.


Ditto in the case of films of other topline stars like Aamir Khan or others like Ajay Devgan, Akshay Kumar, Sunny Deol or, for that matter, anybody else. Why, even current heartthrob Hrithik Roshan’s films such as Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage and Na Tum Jaano Na Hum entailed heavy losses to its distributors. That is not the case with Shah Rukh Khan Flicks.


Secondly, merely the superstar’s name is enough to draw in the crowds into cinemas in any given day. Today, no hero can boast of such charisma as to lure the audiences to theatres on the sheer strength of their names. Salman Khan’s home production, Auzaar and Hello Brother, could not even manage decent houses on the opening day, leave alone full houses. Aamir Khan has never really drawn initial crowds; his starrers usually pick up by word of mouth publicity if they are good. Even action heroes like Ajay Devgan and Akshay Kumar had had to remain content with dismal opening of their flicks on more occasions then one. But the Shah Rukh Khan magic is one of a kind. Whether it was Aziz Mirza’s Raju Ban Gaya Gentlemen in 1992 or Yash Chopra’s evergreen Darr in 1993, Rakesh Roshan’s multi-star cast Karan Arjun in 1995 or Aditya Chopra’s All Time Blockbuster Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge in 1995, Shah Rukh Khan’s first film with Aishwarya Rai - Josh - in 2000 or Farah Khan’s biggest entertainer, Main Hoon Naa in 2004, the two common features in all these hits were Shah Rukh Khan’s towering presence in them and a bumper box-office initial draw. Yes Boss, Pardes and Dil To Pagal Hai made 1997 a memorable year for the King Khan. The following year may not have been as good but Shah Rukh Khan, nevertheless, did deliver massive hit Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998. The next decade was equally exciting for the superstar. Josh, Mohabbatein, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam, Devdas, Chalte Chalte, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Main Hoon Naa, Veer – Zaara, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and Don - The Chase Begins Again is some of the actor’s great hits of the first and second half of the 2000’s.


Of course, when Shah Rukh Khan has reigned supreme, films did have to face the opposition of video and cable piracy. Cinema going was the expensive form of entertainment for the masses that identified with the Lover Boy image of Shah Rukh Khan. Still Shah Rukh Khan delivered Hit after Hit.



Yet another factor that went in Shah Rukh Khan’s favour in making him the darling of all sections of society was his unbelievable versatility. It is not for nothing that the King Khan became a superstar. Although he was adored in Lover Boy roles, Shah Rukh Khan never let down his fans in Action films like Karan Arjun, Ram Jaane, Josh and Main Hoon Naa. Yes Boss and Baadshah come to mind instantly when one thinks of Shah Rukh Khan’s flair for comedy. With equal ease, Shah Rukh Khan also played the intense lover as in Darr and Anjaam. For Art Lovers there was Asoka, Swades and Paheli.

The range which Shah Rukh Khan portrayed in his performances remains unmatched. Today, films do businesses of Rs 10 and 15 crores it is considered good, but Shah Rukh Khan Movie’s continuously do business of 30 Corer’s+.



Shah Rukh Khan is also the last star to have had a universal appeal that cut across geographical boundaries. Whether it was the man on the street in Ludhiana in the North or Latur down South, whether it was a company executive in Porbandar in Western India or a college student studying in Patna in East India, the fondness for Shah Rukh Khan is the same. Today, a Sunny Deol runs more in Northern Indian because of his action image; a Akshay Kumar is a hot favourite of U.P. and Bihar whereas an Aamir Khan flick generally records dull collections in Bihar. That is to say, Shah Rukh Khan’s charm affected the audiences in the North, South, East and West with equal intensity. Not just in India, but across the seven seas too, Shah Rukh Khan reigned supreme. His super-hit stage shows bore testimony to his immense popularity the world over.


Today when jubilees are difficult to get, Shah Rukh Khan’s films celebrated genuine silver, golden, diamond and platinum jubilees. Mohabbatein in 2000 celebrated silver jubilee in as many as 9 cinemas of Mumbai, a record unparalleled! From 2000 onwards Shah Rukh Khan has 19 releases out of which 5 of his Movies completed Silver Jubilees, 2 Golden Jubilees, 1 Diamond Jubilee, 1 Platinum Jubilee and 3 100 Days. Whereas Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge turned out to be the highest running movie of Indian cinema 600 weeks+ (12 Years).


It is not that only Shah Rukh Khan good movies were successful. Even the actor managed to make successes out of ordinary films like Anjaam, Ram Jaane, Army and Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam. Shah Rukh Khan star power can be seen from Super Hit Don – The Chase Begins Again. It was the most worst reviewed movie of 2006, still it collected 51 corers in India and 110 corers Worldwide. Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Swades and Paheli which are termed failures by media for producers, distributors and exhibitors it was successful ventures.

Did you know?
1. Shah Rukh Khan is the only actor who gave at least one successful every year since his debut in 1992 Deewana till 2006 Don - The Chase Begins Again.

2. Shah Rukh Khan has acted in 4 films directed by Aziz Mirza (Raju Ban Gaya Gentlemen, Yes Boss, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani & Chalte Chalte). Rakesh Roshan (King Uncle, Karan Arjun & Koyla), Yash Chopra (Darr, Dil To Pagal Hai and Veer – Zaara) and Karan Johar (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham & Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna) directed Shah Rukh Khan in 3 films each respectively. Abbas – Mustan (Baazigar & Baadshah), Aditya Chopra (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge & Mohabbatein), Ketan Mehta (Maya Memsaab & Oh Darling Yeh Hai India) and Rajiv Mehra (Chamtkar & Ram Jaane) directed Super Star Shah Rukh Khan in 2 films each respectively.

3. Shah Rukh Khan has won 13 Filmfare Awards, Out of which 6 has been Best Actor Baazigar, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Dil To Pagal Hai, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Devdas and Swades, 2 Critic’s Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (Performance) and Mohabbatein (Best Actor), 2 Power Awards, 1 Villain Anjaam, 1 Debut Deewana and 1 Special Award Swiss Consulate Trophy.

4. Shah Rukh Khan was the 1st actor to win all popular awards for Devdas (Filmfare, Screen, Zee, Sansui, Bollywood Awards & IFFA), which was next year matched by Hrithik Roshan for Koi Mil Gayaa.


5. Shah Rukh Khan is the only actor who has given maximum hits with debut directors. Raj Kanwar (Deewana), Aziz Mirza (Raju Ban Gaya Gentlemen), Aditya Chopra (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge), Karan Johar (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai), K.S.Adhiyaman (Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam), Nikhil Advani (Kal Ho Naa Ho) & Farah Khan (Main Hoon Naa).



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Shah Rukh Khan is shooting a dreamy number for his home production Om Shanti Om at Yashraj Studios and you wonder whether he can switch into Chak De India mode. He does, telling you all about how he played hockey with his father and how his son can beat him at soccer.

Does your role in Chak De India mirror your real feelings on hockey?

This film is my take on sports in general, hockey, cricket or football, plus the role that women should play in society. See, every year I do a film like that. I love women and make no bones about it. I have an immense amount of respect for them. I think I'm brought up like that because being with my mom early, then my sister, then my wife. Even my best friends are girls, whether it's Farah or Juhi. I like girls more than guys.

Did your father teach you hockey?

Yeah, we used to play together. Like I play hockey with my son. Whatever sport I'm at, my rule is that I teach him for a year and then he should overtake me. In soccer, he's much better than what I was at his age. Of course, he's smaller so I can push him around. Even my daughter — I want her to be a runner and swimmer. Because she's good at that, not because I'm pushing her. I think she runs like a gazelle (laughs). I run with her every evening or whenever we get time. I would like to encourage them and hope they start beating me. My dad did the same. Even in chess.

In your school magazine, you were the star sportsman in hockey, cricket and soccer.

Yeah, I was (grins) but now I don't play as well.

Which was your favourite?

I think I played hockey the best. Then I was a very good wicketkeeper and soccer came next. I wasn't very good at soccer, but I had stamina. You know midfield, running around, giving my life for the game.

Apparently you hated the beard in Chak De...

Yeah yeah, I don't like it. I've never grown a beard. You take a bath, but it doesn't make you look clean in the morning. My daughter wouldn't kiss me.

Yes, during Paheli they hated the moustache…

Yeah, I think my kids hate me with moustaches and beards. Next movie, I'm just going to wear an underwear over tights and be a superhero. They don't like me with all this stuff. I think they have an image of a father in the house who's easygoing and soft, clean-shaven. My daughter gets very disturbed. My son is very conscious of how I dress up. He doesn't like me wearing churidars and achkans. My daughter is very opinionated with my hair, beard, moustache. She'd say, 'I don't like it papa, I won't kiss you.' Even I don't like it. I like my cotton clothes and hair all ruffled.

What do they think of your long hair now?

My daughter is ok with it because she looks a lot more like me now. They don't mind my long hair. See once I bathe, it just flops in front. They like it.

How do youngsters treat sport today as opposed to when you were playing?

I would like my children to be sportspeople above actors, actresses or producers — if they chose to. I would be really proud. I feel proud when I see kids wearing studs on a soccer field. I go every Sunday now to play soccer. I take my son. I have this group that's very good — Dino and all — they allow me to play. I think I must be the oldest there so they are kind to me. I play with my kids — I'm now clearing up a place in my house and asking my wife if we can make a soccer field there. I play any game. I play pittoo with my children, breaking those stones.
You have to sweat in a day. I remember when I initially started doing movies, when I did Dilwale, I didn't think that I had done a good film because I hadn't sweated. It was a love story and I had never done one before that. You have to sweat everyday.

I make it a point to play an hour every day, even if it's Playstation in the night. In my house, we play dog and the bone, langdi, chor sipahi, soccer, badminton, everything. Except swimming, I'm not good at that. My kids are always sweating, always dirty — I love it. I believe kids till the age of 15 should be disheveled, dirty, sweaty, rolling in the mud and have marks all over them. And their shoes should always stink.

[Sharmila-Sweet]

SRK shoots for Zor Ka Jhatka, briefly
Rachana Dubey, Hindustan Times

Mumbai, January 03, 2011First Published: 12:23 IST(3/1/2011)
Last Updated: 12:48 IST(3/1/2011)

All those who thought that Shah Rukh Khan would be away from Mumbai, shooting for his new reality show Zor Ka Jhatka on Imagine, the desi adaptation of Wipeout, in Argentina, for most part of the month, will be in for a surprise.

The actor will be shooting
very short duration at the actual action location, where all the other Wipeout shows so far have been shot. Khan, apparently, will watch the feed sent from the shoot to him in the city and he will shoot most of his portions sitting at a local studio in the city.

When asked, Nikhil Madhok of Imagine, confirms the news and says, “Shah Rukh will travel for a very short span there and shoot some portions of the show. As of now, we’ve not frozen his schedule because he has just shot a promo for us and he’s busy with his home production and it is really taxing on him. But he will definitely shoot a small portion of the show in Argentina.�

It’s said that the actual package or capsule that comes on air in the first week of February might make it seem as if Khan had been on the sets all the time, watching the 30 celebrity contestants perform their stunts, because his reactions and instructions to co-host Saumya Tandon will appear as if they were ‘spot on’.
Bring this up and Madhok says that the format of the show is such that he will have to travel to the Latin American location, but not for the entire spell of the shoot. “There are some portions, which will be shot live and some will be produced here. A bit of everything will be clubbed for every capsule. This is something that you’ll understand when you watch the show,� he adds, stating that Khan will be the connecting point between the viewer and the actual contest.

It is rumoured that the show will be run twice a week. Madhok denies this, saying, “It’s a Monday to Friday, prime time show. I can’t disclose the number of episodes, but it will be one of our biggest prime time properties this year.�

[Sharmila-Sweet]

Shah Rukh Khan-Vishal Bhardwaj film on Chetan Bhagat's novel put on hold
Published: Tuesday, Jan 4, 2011, 10:34 IST
By Soumyadipta Banerjee | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

Filmwallahs in Bollywood called it a classic case of passing the buck, when it comes to the latest development around the big screen adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s novel 2 States. The film, which created a buzz right from its announcement as it had actor Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj teaming up together for the first time, has apparently come to a halt even before anything concrete could take off around it.

“After the rights were bought over from the writer (Chetan), the initial crew finalised for it was Sajid Nadiadwala as the producer, Siddharth Anand as a director,and actors Priyanka Chopra and Saif Ali Khan in the lead roles. Things changed thereafter,� says a source.

Saif Ali Khan and Siddharth Anand were replaced in the film. The new director Vishal Bhardwaj flew to Berlin to meet Shah Rukh and Priyanka Chopra for the film.

“Both were confirmed for the project. When Vishal started the process to take the film to the floors, there was a change in it again. This time, Shah Rukh wanted a fresh face instead of Priyanka,� reveals the source.

“We don’t know the details but Shah Rukh apparently wanted a fresh face. Though this may not be the case, but Priyanka was eventually replaced,� adds the source.

Now, it is learned that apparently Shah Rukh has developed cold feet about the project. “Shah Rukh is keen to make a film with Vishal, but the project has got delayed. He (Shah Rukh) is too busy with Ra.One and doesn’t have time to devote to any other movie right now. The project as of now is not taking off with Shah Rukh,� the source ends.

[Sharmila-Sweet]

Shah Rukh Khan to do Dhoom 5?
TNN | Mar 25, 2011, 12.00am IST

If King Khan ever has to work in the Dhoom franchise, it has to be Dhoom 5. And there is reason behind it...

Apparently there is a joke that goes amongst Shah Rukh Khan's close friend circle that if Shah Rukh Khan is ever approached to do Dhoom he will be game for it. But not so soon! Yash Raj will have to make another two installments to be able to reach him for taking forward their Dhoom franchise. If it ever has to happen, Shah Rukh Khan will act in Dhoom 5 .

Does that sound weird? But SRK has logic behind it. With every part, the makers of Dhoom have raised the bar and introduced a new villain who was a bigger star that the earlier part. It started with John Abraham. Then they got Hrithik Roshan in Dhoom 2 and now they have Aamir Khan in Dhoom 3 . So by the time they reach the fifth part and employ all the so-called superstars in their franchise, they would need the biggest superstar of them all to play the negative lead in Dhoom 5 . And that's when Shah Rukh Khan comes into picture!

No prizes for guessing who could be the villain in Dhoom 4 then!

[Sharmila-Sweet]

A Star As A Businessman
What value does Shah Rukh bring to his businesses?
Srikanth Srinivas

Steve Jobs has been called a ‘rock star’ CEO. So when we undertook this survey we looked around to see if there was a celebrity CEO who would not belong to the statistical sample, but to whom the term could be applied. We looked for someone who had the requisite skills for his business, the qualities that met the job specifications for being a CEO, possessed inspirational leadership capabilities, and had helped successfully launch new products and brands in a relatively untested market, besides having the hunger and passion for that work. After debating several names, we settled on one for this year: Shah Rukh Khan.

Khan tells a funny story about why he became an entrepreneur. He was visiting his aunt in London after the box office successes of two of his films in 1993, Baazigar and Darr, in both of which he played the bad guy. “My aunt spoke to me in Hyderabadi, telling me how proud she was of my fame,� Khan reminisces. “It was all very good, she said, but what she wanted to know was: when I was going to get a job?�


Today he has several: producer, brand ambassador, television personality and content producer, sports franchise owner and, of course, actor. Apart from the software side of the entertainment industry, he also is building a state-of-the-art post production facility — the hardware — that includes studios, sound stages and other equipment that his world, the entertainment industry, uses. In effect, he runs a conglomerate encompassing almost the full spread of the entertainment business, besides advertising films.

An Unusual CEO
Many entrepreneurs who became business tycoons were considered mad when they first started out. Besides, for a number of years now, Khan has been building a series of business ventures as a CEO/entrepreneur: from Dreamz Unlimited, his first less-than successful venture, to Red Chillies and Knight Rider Sports, which owns Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

The stockmarket, which features heavily in the compilation of BW ’s survey, is a discounting mechanism. It looks at the future value and earnings that any business creates. In that spirit, it can be argued that the businesses Khan is running could create considerable value in what is now a relatively unstructured industry, where instinct, rather than economics, still drives most decisions. So, what kind of a CEO does that make Shah Rukh Khan?

Here’s what people look for in a CEO: a good understanding of the business, great people connect, and the ability to create a sustainable business and organisation, make quick decisions and take corrective action when appropriate. “My wife will tell you I am a terrible businessman,� says Khan. “She always complains I have no head for using money, and questions my business expenditure decisions.�

Karan Johar, well-known film-maker and Khan’s friend, has a different view. “Khan does not reflect the quintessential CEO in the sense that we understand modern business to have,� he says. “He has no organised calendar, nor does he run his meetings according to one. But three things set him apart: extraordinary connectivity to people, striking clarity of vision and great ambition. What he dreams of, he executes.�

Despite all that, Johar says, there is method to his madness. Khan is an information junkie. He does a tremendous amount of research, and puts everything down; the tables in his third-floor lounge-cum-office in Bandra overflow with papers he has written on the various business ideas he is thinking about, reflecting his eye for detail. Johar calls him “brilliantly sporadic�, adding that Khan probably could answer more questions about the IPL than its chief Lalit Modi could.

“I always wanted to be a professional sportsman. I told my mother that when I was 16. ‘What’s that?’ she wanted to know,� Khan says. “I want my kids to be in sports. I love that they have so many sporting interests, they look thin, wiry and underfed.� Before he bought KKR, Khan did dally with the idea of a professional soccer league (“I love soccer!� he says).

The Sport Of A King
It has also been said that one of the characteristics of a CEO/entrepreneur is he has to be both a coach and a player. There were just 50 days between buying KKR and the first match of the IPL, and Khan threw himself into the midst of it all frenetically. He knew who he wanted in his team, how they should look, and the colour of their uniforms.

“He came up with the team’s clarion call of Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo Re (will do, will fight, will win),� says Karuna Badwal, one of the members of his core team — the others are Sanjiv Chawla, who looks after the movie production business, and Blesson Oommen. “He even scripted the KKR music video, and the television commercials. The clarity on the look, feel and message was all his.�


“He knew where the business would make money, and focused on that,� says a former executive with one of Khan’s partners on KKR. “He was very clear, for instance, that money would come from gate receipts and fans, and focused on making it work for them, enriching fans’ experience.� But Khan, while acknowledging that his team is making some money, is more than a little saddened by KKR’s performance, particularly in the second IPL outing.

His choices of KKR’s partner brands were made with great care, despite the short time frame available. He chose those which fit in with the symbolism of being knights and the tenets of the KKR brand itself. “It is amazing that we accomplished all that in just 50 days,� says Badwal. “And we did it in a commercially viable way. In all that time, other teams were still signing up sponsors until the day before the first match began.� KKR’s success in that area, she says were testimony to her boss’s organisation skills and clarity about what he wanted. And, the idea of a soccer league? That’s just not dead yet.

Paying The Piper
A good sustainable business also needs to be scalable, and that needs money. Khan insists he will not borrow or raise debt. He does, however, have one resource that can always help him raise money when he needs it: the Khan brand. Both global and local brands swear by him, and many of them have associations that go back several years. He has been Tag Heuer’s brand ambassador for over seven years, and was also Pepsi’ s brand ambassador for several years.


“I am a multiple personality. When Khan the businessman needs money, he tells Khan the entertainer to go make some. It is that easy, really.� (BW Pic By Subhabrata Das)When asked about how he separated being a brand from being a businessman, he offers his own quirky model of financing. “I am actually a multiple personality,� he says. “When Khan the businessman needs money, he tells Khan the entertainer to go make some money, dancing at a wedding if need be. Or he asks the television personality to go host a show. It is that easy, really.�

Some say Khan cannot say no to his people, but he does not always agree. “It takes a long time before I get something started,� he says. “But I do not have any compunction in shutting it down if the losses go too far.� But not at the expense of people. Apparently, he finds it hard to cut salaries or workforce if his business is going through a bad patch. Even here, he has his own take on finances: “My mother told me never to cut my expenses, just increase my income.�

Investment bankers may not consider his to be the most efficient of models. “It is hard to separate Khan from his businesses,� says an investment banker. “I would invest in Shah Rukh Khan at a premium, but I would look at future earnings just as I would in any other company.� By that reckoning, could Khan’s value addition as CEO be minimal?

This year, when US investment weekly Barron’s identified Apple’s Steve Jobs as the most valuable CEO in the US (maybe the world), they also speculated about the change that Jobs’s departure would make to the company’s market capitalisation: a reduction of nearly 50 per cent, or roughly $20 billion. Khan’s appeal could be similar, but many remain sceptical.

[Sharmila-Sweet]

Schumacher to promote SRK's RA.One at Formula 1

New Delhi, September 07, 2011First Published: 14:44 IST(7/9/2011)
Last Updated: 15:46 IST(7/9/2011)Share more...4 Comments Email print


Shah Rukh Khan has become the king of promotions with his out of the box ideas. If the industry sources are to be believed, Michael Schumacher will drive a car carrying RA.One logo on it at the Formula 1 Airtel Grand Prix of India.


He has even invited pop icon Lady Gaga for the film's premiere and is trying to convince her to do a song for the film as well. SRK's production house Red Chillies Entertainment had tweeted, "Breaking News: Lady Gaga may attend RA.One premiere!"

Not to forget International pop singer Akon has recorded song Chammak Challo for the superhero flick which has already become a rage online.

He has also roped in technicians and special effects artists from Hollywood.

RA.One is SRK's most ambitious project and is being directed by Anubhav Sinha. The film also features Kareena Kapoor as the female lead and Arjun Rampal in a negative avatar. The film is scheduled for a Diwali release.

This post has been edited by Sharmila-Sweet: Sep 8 2011, 02:47 PM

[Sharmila-Sweet]

I am tired of comparisons: Shah Rukh Khan
SOUMITRA DASSOUMITRA DAS, TNN | Oct 4, 2011, 12.00AM IST

Shah Rukh Khan does not like being compared with either Bollywood legends or B-town rookies

FILM TALK "I've seen a lot of ups and downs and have not forgotten my early days in the industry, when a few of my films didn't do well. I used to travel in a bus in those days and the people who recognized me would criticize those films. I have come a long way and tasted success as an actor, but my kids would keep saying that I don't make films for them. So I decided to do something different for cinema itself and that's how Ra.One happened. After 20 years in the industry, the numbers game doesn't bother me. My passion for doing good cinema remains the same as before and I want everyone to do well. There's no rivalry with anyone."

SUPERHERO'S BUMPY RIDE "Five years ago, when we thought of Ra.One, there were genuine apprehensions about the huge expenses and many felt it would be difficult to recover the costs. But everyone was very supportive and I am glad that we went ahead with it. And let me clarify that the poster of the film hasn't been copied from anywhere."

PROMOTIONAL SPREE "Today, with so many platforms being available, it's important to promote a movie ahead of its release. Earlier, films would be released elsewhere the week after it was released in Mumbai. But today, it's about maximizing the profits in the first weekend and the era of films completing silver jubilees and golden jubilees is over. I will never shy away from promotional activities because I believe in letting my audience know what to expect from my films. Besides, promotions also draw a certain percentage of non-regular movie-goers to theatres."

NO COMPARISONS, PLEASE "I am sick and tired of being compared all the time! Just like it's not fair to compare me to a legend like Amitabh Bachchan, however flattering it may be, it's equally unfair to compare me to every second newcomer. Without sounding rude, I just want to say that in the last 20 years, I have done enough quality work to carve out my own identity."

ME, THE WORKAHOLIC "I've been so busy for the past one month that I have been sleeping at around 11 every morning after working non-stop in the night. Shooting for Don 2 has been physically exhausting. However, as an entertainer, all these things seem like a cakewalk when a film of yours does well. And once a film of mine is completed, my wife is among the first to watch it and give me her feedback."

MY KIDS, MY WORLD "I'm blessed to have such lovely children. I'll be happy if they study well and are happy in whatever they choose to do. Fame and money are secondary."

[Sharmila-Sweet]

Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra- What's cooking?
Published: Saturday, Oct 1, 2011, 10:03 IST
By Soumyadipta Banerjee | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA


http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/repo...cooking_1593641


Alot has been said about how actors Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra are increasingly getting closer to each other.

There’s buzz now that the two stars have apparently become wary of talking to each other in public as the curiosity around them is growing by the day. But on Friday evening, pictures started going viral on Twitterand other online sites, which show their comfortable body language at a reality show on which they were slated to make an appearance.



Shah Rukh and Priyanka sat side-by-side and whispered into each other’s ears, as the paparazzi had a field day. Sources say, it was during this time that a couple of people surreptously switched on their mobile phone cameras and recorded the two share some laughs together.

Apparently, Shah Rukh and Priyanka were not even supposed to meet each other on these sets if sources are to be believed.

According to sources, the time given to Shah Rukh was 4 to 6pm, while Priyanka was to come in between 6 and 7pm. The way the schedules were planned out, sources say, Priyanka’s slot was supposed to start at least half an hour after SRK. Under normal circumstances, the two actors might not have met because they were on two different time slots. But that didn’t happen.

“Shah Rukh got late and informed through his staff that he wouldn’t be able to arrive before 7pm. When Priyanka learnt about it, she decided to wait till Shah Rukh came. The shoot also didn’t start as PC waited for Shah Rukh,� says a source.

Shah Rukh, who was in a hurry to go for an awards function later, decided to quickly wrap up the shoot,but apparently was not surprised to see Priyanka waiting, say sources.

“They shot their segments separately, but in-between spent some time together. Shah Rukh even asked the crew members to wait for sometime as he wanted to catch up with Priyanka before he left,� the source adds.

This post has been edited by Sharmila-Sweet: Oct 5 2011, 03:18 PM

[Sharmila-Sweet]

November 4, 2011 |


You might not expect an Indian actor to get much attention strolling past the high-end stores on Rodeo Drive. Yet as the Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan turns the corner to walk into a Beverly Hills hotel on a recent Friday afternoon, Indian nationals materialize out of nowhere to point and stare. Eager onlookers pull out cameras and take photos with him. Even gaggles of white teenage girls gawk — they don't know Khan, but there are few men who could pull off a mod jacket and jet-black ponytail so convincingly.

Brad Pitt and Will Smith may have millions of fans around the world, but Khan — or SRK to the faithful — quantifies his groupies with a few added zeros. He is the biggest movie star you’ve never heard of. And perhaps the world’s biggest movie star, period. In a country of 1.2 billion where movies are a way of life, Khan delights fans with romance, comedy and action, sometimes all in the same movie. (This is Bollywood, after all.)

The actor had come to Los Angeles on a rare publicity trip to promote one of the most important releases of his career, “Ra.One,� which opened around the world and in a number of Southland theaters last week. With a budget estimated at $30 million, the film, directed by the veteran Anubhav Sinha, is touted as the most expensive project in Bollywood history.

“Ra.One� brackets a sweet father-son story around a splashy, effects-driven action tale about a video-game designer who finds the real and virtual worlds melding. Amid the latex and the lasers, there is also, needless to say, singing and dancing — think of it as a sort of Indian “Tron.�

“We're trying to Bollywoodize the superhero,� Khan, half-smiling, said of “Ra.One.� (The title is short for Random Access 1.0; if pronounced a certain way, it is also a pun on the Hindu demon Ravan.)

The results thus far have justified the investment. Reviews have been mixed, but “Ra.One’s� distributor estimates that the picture already had grossed more than it cost to make, taking in $35 million around the world in its first five days of release. It rang up $1.65 million in ticket sales the U.S., the distributor said; the film is currently playing in about 135 U.S. theaters.

Although Bollywood movies remain barely a niche in the West, they’re a billion-dollar business in Asia. It's a business propelled in part by sheer volume, with movies cranked out in the manner of the classic Hollywood-studio model. Khan himself has starred in more than 70 films.

Born to Muslim parents in modest circumstances in New Delhi, the actor arrived in Mumbai in 1991, and it didn't take him long to attract a following. Just one year later he costarred in a romantic drama titled “Deewana.� It became a hit, and he was off to the races.

“I was driving down a small lane in India recently, and I remembered that 20 years ago I was driving down the same lane, and I had maybe 10 or 20 dollars in my pocket,� said Khan, who is not above a little self-mythologizing. “I couldn't believe all that had happened to me. I feel lucky and even guilty to have this much.�

Although the actor, who is married with two children and who turned 46 earlier this week, cuts a figure that could appear next to any encyclopedia's entry for “movie star,� he maintains that the key to his fame is his accessibility. “I don't like the trappings of stardom,� he said. “I wear the shoes and the Dolce & Gabbana,� he said, pulling on his jacket, “because I’m told to. But I'm not trapped by it.�

Those who know him say Khan is right in at least a certain regard. Despite the fame and the wealth (his estimated net worth is more than half a billion dollars), he is willing to mingle with fans in a way that might be surprising to American A-listers, who are cosseted by handlers and bodyguards.

Khan seems to possess the Clintonian skill of making every person he addresses feel as if they're the most important person in his life at that moment, which is not easy to do when 1.2 billion people are involved.

“Shah Rukh has this ability to be the perfect combination of who he is and who the public wants him to be,� said Sinha. “And he can turn it on without even thinking about it, in a second.� Sinha recalls that during the production of “Ra.One� he had asked Khan to record a birthday video for Sinha’s son, who would celebrate without his father while the director worked on the film. The filmmaker expected the star to record a quick video greeting; instead Khan sang and danced for him for nearly four minutes.

Khan could have been a lot better known in the U.S.; he says he turned down the game show host part in “Slumdog Millionaire� that went to Anil Kapoor. “It's a very nice movie, but it's not an Indian movie,� Khan said of director Danny Boyle’s best picture Oscar winner. “We need a ‘Life Is Beautiful.’�

To ensure that happens, Khan has over the last few years struck up relationships with Hollywood film executives including 20th Century Fox’s Jim Gianopulos and Sony Pictures’ Amy Pascal, in the hope that they he could collaborate with them in a way that would bring together Indian talent and Hollywood know-how.

Khan said he has no desire to become a star in the U.S., although he is developing an East-meets-West-themed movie with “Taxi Driver� writer Paul Schrader.

Even after a grueling global press tour, Khan continues to work — he says he will relax on the flight back to India and then dive back in to several new projects. “Some people say ,‘Shah Rukh, you work so hard. Why don’t you sit back with a glass of red wine or go out on the terrace for a smoke?’ But that’s not me.�

And on cue, he gets up from the interview to catch a car to the airport, pausing to take a few pictures with fans as he leaves.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movi...bollywood.html

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[Sharmila-Sweet]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KiS4io142c...mp;noredirect=1

MAKING OF MATRIX AD WITH SRK & JUHI