King Khan, All about the one and only Shahrukh Options

[Sharmila-Sweet]

By Taran Adarsh, December 12, 2008 - 16:56 IST


One often cribs about Yash Raj repeatedly casting SRK in similar roles, in film after film. However, this allegation is far from true. Right from DARR to CHAK DE INDIA, the combination has collaborated on varied subjects. With RAB NE BANA DI JODI, they take this association to another level altogether.

To start with, RAB NE BANA DI JODI brings back the golden team of DILWALE DULHANIYA LE JAYENGE and MOHABBATEIN after a hiatus and the only parallel you can draw with the earlier achievements is the fact that each of them is a love story. Otherwise, RAB NE BANA DI JODI is truly different. It's not set in London or Switzerland, there's no sarso ke khet, it's not about a good looking couple sporting designer outfits and accessories, there's no parental opposition either.

Write your own movie review of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
Set your eyes anywhere and you see countless unknown faces. In markets, malls, streets, airports, stations, just about everywhere. And everyone who walks this planet has a story to tell. With RAB NE BANA DI JODI, Aditya Chopra talks of one such ordinary person. Living in one of those crowded bylanes of Amritsar, his life undergoes a 360 degree change the moment he sets his eyes on a beautiful girl.




Like SRK does a 360 degree turn in the movie, Aditya Chopra too does a complete turn as far as the story is concerned. Seeped in Indian emotions and traditional values and very desi at heart, RAB NE BANA DI JODI is a complete departure from the good-looking, picture perfect YRF movies that sport glam bodies parading designer outfits.

For the present-day generation, a story like RAB NE BANA DI JODI may come across as an original piece of work, but if you've been a keen observer of films of yore, you can't help overlook the similarities with Dr. V. Shantaram's NAVRANG and more precisely, Raj Kapoor's SATYAM SHIVAM SUNDARAM. In fact, RAB NE BANA DI JODI also brings back memories of the low-cost MAIN MERI PATNI AUR WOH [Rajpal Yadav, Rituparna Sengupta], not in terms of story, but in terms of characters.

The problem is, RAB NE BANA DI JODI works in patches. The first 30 minutes and the penultimate 30 minutes are the highpoint of the enterprise, but the screenplay in between doesn't hold your attention. That's the truth!

In a nutshell, RAB NE BANA DI JODI is no DILWALE DULHANIYA LE JAYENGE. It's not MOHABBATEIN either. At best, it's an average fare that may generate some curiosity initially, that's it. You expect much, much more, but… alas!

Surinder [Shah Rukh Khan], a simple, clean hearted, honest man working for Punjab Power, leads a humdrum life, but the moment he sets his eyes on Taani [Anushka Sharma], his life undergoes a change. She's flamboyant, fun-loving, vivacious, unlike Surinder. But unforeseen circumstances bring them together.

Director Aditya Chopra chooses a desi plot and weaves a story around an ordinary, middle class couple. The story begins with gusto and the initial scenes between Shah Rukh and Anushka are thoroughly interesting. But the screenplay falters the moment Shah Rukh's character Surinder transforms into Raj and his personality undergoes a sea-change. The first question that strikes you is, why didn't Anushka realize it's him, her husband, not someone else? Sure, he has undergone a complete makeover, but how can you not recognise your husband's voice or appearance? That's a glaring flaw, it's like taking the viewer for granted!

The sequences thereafter are equally uneven. A few sequences are well executed, but the problem is that Shah Rukh keeps playing the game till the very end. If he had to win her heart, he could've done so by making her realize that it's a mirage, making her realize that the person she loves and the person she's married are the same.

There's a twist in the tale only towards the pre-climax, when Anushka is ready to elope with Raj, her dance partner. The climax, the drama that ensues during the finale of the dance competition, is excellent. Even the end [the honeymoon in Japan] brings a smile on your face.

Director Aditya Chopra is letdown by his own writing. The story is not convincing, the screenplay is not water-tight and therefore, RAB NE BANA DI JODI does not create the impact it ought to make. Also, the film is quite lengthy. With a running time of approx. 2.45 hours, RAB NE BANA DI JODI could've easily done with some trimming. The unwanted flab could've been trimmed for a better impact.

Salim-Sulaiman's music is of a mixed variety. 'Haule Haule' is a superb composition and 'Dance Pe Chance' is foot-tapping, but the remaining tracks, though well shot, are plain average. Ravi Chandran's cinematography is top notch.

Shah Rukh is superb as the simpleton and your heart goes out to him every time he appears on screen. You want the underdog to win and here too, the way SRK tackles this part, you're all the more convinced. As Raj, SRK goes overboard at times. Anushka looks the character and surprises you with a confident performance. It's no small achievement to share screen space with an actor of the calibre of SRK and Anushka manages it very well from start to end. Vinay Pathak is incredible. He contributes enormously in making the proceedings lively.

On the whole, RAB NE BANA DI JODI is vey desi at heart with a strong start and an equally strong emotional end. Having said that, you cannot deny the fact that you expect much, much more from Aditya Chopra. RAB NE BANA DI JODI is no DILWALE DULHANIYA LE JAYENGE, it's not MOHABBATEIN either. It's lower than that! At the box-office, the business will be better at some multiplexes, while the single screens will be below average. The business in Overseas, however, should be better, but the business in India will totter, tremble and fumble after the initial weekend.

[Sharmila-Sweet]

SRK makes heads turn at the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards

By Bollywood Hungama News Network, January 13, 2009 - 17:25 IST




By now its common knowledge that Danny Boyle's internationally acclaimed film Slumdog Millionaire was the main attraction at the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards, sweeping as many as 4 major awards. Among others, A.R. Rahman became the first ever Indian to win a Golden Globe award. The music maestro bagged the trophy for his catchy original score in the film. It was indeed heartening to see our very own Anil Kapoor along with A.R.Rahman seated among the Who's Who of Hollywood.

Apart from the duo, yet another Indian managed to make heads turn at the event. The man in question is none other than the Baadshah of Bollywood - Shah Rukh Khan. The actor, looking dapper in a black suit was present at the Gala event with wife Gauri Khan and good friend Karan Johar. It was a proud moment for Indians world over when Shah Rukh walked on stage along with Freida Pinto to announce one of the nominees of Best Motion Picture (Drama) - Slumdog Millionaire. King Khan in his trademark charismatic style thanked Danny and his team for shooting the film in Mumbai. In fact, Danny Boyle and Dev Patel (who plays young Jamal Malik in the film) were all excited when King Khan walked on stage.

One thing's for certain, Indian film fraternity made its presence felt at the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards in a really big way.

[Sharmila-Sweet]

Coming back to KKR, what is your take on cheerleaders, especially after what happened last year with their dress code?

A profession should not be looked down upon. When I look at these young girls who want to be cheerleaders, I think of my daughter. Eight years from now, she could be one and I will be happy. I am a family man. I have a lot of respect for girls. If you think less of women, you will look down on their job. I really can’t do that. When I work with these really young girls in my movies, I really think of my daughter, who could be the same eight years from now. There’s a lot of innocence in all of them. Cheerleading is a profession rather than nangi ladkiyan naach rahi hai. Yeh kya baat hui yaar? Yeh toh wahiyaat baat ho gayi. It’s a very conservative, old-fashioned thought. We understand that but we don’t do much about it... phir koi aake bottle phenkega ghar ke baahar. Their clothes are not cheap. We are not cheap people. My wife, Karan (Johar), Manish (Malhotra)... they design the clothes. When we make people wear bikinis in films, it’s meant to make them look attractive and not vulgar.

Did you watch Dada’s last match?

Of course, I did. I wanted to go but I couldn’t. We sent him a watch. Also it didn’t strike me then but I later thought we should have bought 10,000 tickets and should have had people in Kolkata Knight Riders jerseys cheering for him. For us, Dada has not retired.

Are you as pumped up this time as you were the last time?

I am much more charged after the loss last year (laughs). Everything will be good from now. I felt that when we got (Mashrafe) Mortaza. Before the auction, I told my team that the only team who will go for Mortaza will be Mohali. See we are all friends and when I learnt that Nita bhabhi (Ambani) wanted Dominic (Thornely) I asked my guys to let go. But I instinctively felt that Mohali would try and increase the price of Mortaza. They didn’t tell me even though I meet Preity very often. So I messaged my team at the Goa auction, ‘make sure we get Mortaza’. Whatever it takes... even if it’s for the sake of friendship. We also have to show Bengali spirit at some point of time. We want to win the IPL and we will have it. This year should be played like that.

The car reaches the Yash Raj Studio where Shah Rukh has to crown the six official cheerleaders aka Angels for the Kolkata Knight Riders. He opens the car door with his right hand and stalks out. Like a Royal Bengal tiger, wounded and hungry.

Later in the shoot at Yash Raj Studio: Shah Rukh’s friends at his TV production unit Red Chillies Idiot Box, which is producing the cheerleader show Knights & Angels, wanted the King to give a jharokha darshan during the final episode and crown the winning girls. But Shah Rukh being Shah Rukh stayed for three whole segments and actually danced at the end of it all. Gauri wouldn’t have approved if she was around. But it sure made a certain Sourav Ganguly break his promise of never dancing again (after his terrible footwork in the Hero Honda ad nine years ago). Seeing SRK’s infectious energy, even with the sling just about holding the broken shoulder in place, Dada joined Shah Rukh and did an impromptu jig to Korbo lorbo jeetbo re. All those who thought that the owner and the captain were not on the same page should have seen them on stage. Wanted: An action replay of King and Dada after winning IPL 2.

[Sharmila-Sweet]

A BMW DATE WITH SRK
He is in a lot of pain but talk about Calcutta and the Kolkata Knight Riders and the famous dimpled smile is back on Shah Rukh Khan’s face. He kept Pratim D. Gupta of t2 waiting for a while on Thursday morning at his palatial Bandra bungalow Mannat but once he stepped out, the King made the wait worth every second and more. Sitting next to him in his silver BMW (555, if you please), t2 spent one hour with the man who has evolved from “Mike Tyson to Muhammad Ali”. He doesn’t mind getting beaten these days — the sling makes him look even more tough — but the raging bull says “You can’t take me down”. He talks about KKR being a team of the future but signs off with the line “we will win this time”. Let’s just say, you can keep Shah Rukh Khan out of Calcutta but you cannot keep Calcutta out of Shah Rukh Khan. He is wearing a white T-shirt and a brown leather jacket. Before starting the interview, he quickly scans the inbox of his Nokia Communicator. He ignores most of the messages and chooses to reply to a couple of them. The car has meandered out of the Mannat backgate, through the narrow lane next to his bungalow, out near the Bandra Bandstand and sets off for Andheri to the Yash Raj Studio. It will be Shah Rukh’s first shoot — for Knights & Angels — after his shoulder operation two weeks back. Here are excerpts from the Kingsized chat, from shoulder tendon to terrorism, KKR to My Name is Khan, Aamir to Amitabh. A t2 special, from SRK’s silver BMW

You promised to come to Calcutta in January. Was it the shoulder operation that got in the way?

Yes this (shows the sling)! If I am a little better I will come during the next camp (for KKR) which gets underway on March 16. I am not shooting so I can come. I can’t shoot. It pains all the time. It’s also a problem sleeping with this, yaar. A lot of things have happened to this shoulder.

How did you manage to hurt it in the first place?

I must have hurt it before, which I don’t remember. But it was not too major... just a little tear to the muscle. A muscle-muscle attachment is called a ligament and a muscle-bone attachment is called a tendon. So this ball and socket joint in the shoulder has three muscles. One to move the arm to the front, one to move it to the back and the third to move it to the side. The middle one, the one needed to move the arm to the side, has torn from the bone. I was shooting for this film called Dulha Mil Gaya... aaahhh... I did it for a few friends, Sushmita Sen was there. And there was just a couple of days of shooting. So I went and for the last couple of shots I had to jump over and my shoulder hit against the ground. I didn’t realise it then. In fact I shot My Name is Khan in the US with this shoulder, without realising. Then I was in a lot of pain. I couldn’t sleep. I went to the doctor... luckily I had the world’s two best shoulder specialists in the US. Both saw it and said the shoulder muscle was completely torn. A few strands were left and I had to get it operated immediately. If those strands came off, the shoulder would never heal. So I came back and got operated on. What they did was take the muscle and put it back on the back and nailed it, in layman’s term. Two nails have gone into the bone. So they pain. The muscle pains. The shoulder pains. I can’t move it for eight weeks. If I move it, the muscle will move away from the bone again and I can’t do the whole thing again! So it requires a lot of careful rehab. The external stitches have just been taken off and I am allowed to travel a bit. But that’s about it.

Are you disappointed with Ponting missing out on the IPL this season?

Ponting was only available for three matches. In fact he had a match a day after he landed, something John (Buchanan) never allows. Even Matthew (Mott) the field coach doesn’t like it. So Ponting sent us a request to be released this season. He said he would have been here if he had played all the 10 matches. Just to get used to the game here, he said, he would take two matches. “I will be doing more harm to the team than help it,” he wrote. He asked us very sweetly if it would be ok if he was excused this season. It was a very logical thing to do and just shows the good thinking on Ponting’s part. In the spirit of both the teams — Australia and Kolkata Knight Riders — it was the right thing to do to release him.

Where does that leave the KKR team in Season Two?

See, we have had sporadic camps... they have not been the best, but not the worst either. We have chosen some really good young players. The whole idea is to prepare the team for tomorrow. The August-September camp last year failed completely. Then we went to Australia, which was okay. The second camp sort of failed because we didn’t get all the people because of Ranji and other tournaments. We wondered whether we will ever get them together. But then the third camp turned out really well. We got these five-six young boys who are great. Some of them are even being considered prodigies. We have signed them on for the future. I have come to one realisation — trying to get a result overnight is not going to happen. You need to build a team. Basically in the last one year we have achieved 20 to 30 per cent of what we set out to achieve and that will tell in the championship.

What about the international players?

(Chris) Gayle will be here till May 3. He will play at least eight to nine matches. David Hussey is there... we hope he is not selected for the Aussie Test team. I know that’s a bad thing to say (laughs). Then there’s (Brendon) McCullum who will be there fully... We have seen the kind of form he is in right now. Ajantha (Mendis) is there throughout. Dada (Sourav Ganguly, of course) will get to practise from the 16th. You know, more than the game, in Twenty20, it is about the team spirit. John is very realistic about our chances. He says that we should aim to be in the last four and then see what happens.

Any regrets of buying the Calcutta team because you had the option of Rajasthan and Delhi...

You know what, I had this chat with Lalit (Modi) even before the IPL and I told him that two cities in the country represent sports to me and they are Calcutta and Goa. I don’t know whether it is because of the colonisation under the British and the Portuguese, but the sporty feel is there in these two places. From carrom to cricket. Like if I have to do films, I will do it in Mumbai. The facilities may be there in Calcutta but I would rather do it in Mumbai. These places just happen to represent certain aspects. Like if you want IT, go down south, man. You know when it comes to Calcutta, mujhe culture maloom hai, history maloom hai, Bengali zeal bhi maloom hai, par mujhe Calcutta sports hi lagta hai. I am very happy that the city has embraced me. I haven’t learnt the language yet. I have a problem with languages. That’s what I tell Mani (Ratnam) Sir... I can’t do Tamil yaar. But yes I have to learn the culture more. We now have a permanent office there. My wife’s relatives are there. Coming back to the team, inshallah we will reach there. Even Manchester United comes third. It’s a long-term plan. I want to do a stadium there. There are too many issues and sometimes I get tired but my two life ambitions are to build a world-class studio in Mumbai and a world-class stadium in Calcutta.

Shah Rukh reaches up to the ceiling of the car with his right hand to turn the ventilator on and starts smoking. The ventilator is overworked as he goes seamlessly from one cigarette to another. In no time the ashtray hole on the door of his car is filled to the brim. The car is the Smoking Khan’s hideout, as he is not allowed to light up in front of the kids — Aryan and Suhana — on the fifth and sixth floors of Mannat.

First 26/11 and now the attack on Lankan cricketers in Pakistan... Do you feel scared when you go out today?

No. I believe I am Allah’s good man. I am not affected by any of this. Like everybody worries about my shoulder injury. I have no iota of doubt in the goodness of life. I have no iota of doubt in the positivity of life. If you doubt it even for a bit, you are no longer positive. I also have no doubt that this hand will be all right in six months and I will be jumping and screaming again. I will go and hang from the 10th floor just to prove to myself that my hand is fit and also to prove to others and my kids. See, you can’t do much. You pray everyday. I have no issues about security. During Billu’s release, somebody came and threw something at my house. The commissioner of police came and asked me if I needed more security. I said I have enough. I have bullet-proof cars. If needed I can send one to Calcutta. But you know what, I have this strange feeling and I don’t know whether I should say this but I will never be attacked. I am too good a person and I give too much entertainment to everyone. Even the bad guy will say, ‘picture bhi toh dekhna hai uska’.

How did the My Name is Khan shoot go in the US?

We shot the second half. The first half is left. It’s come out well... main khud ke baare mein badhaa chadhaake nahin bolna chahta. I am playing an autistic person, so it’s very different for me. It’s not a very serious film. It’s a Forrest Gump kind of a film. You feel bad for this guy but there’s a lot of positivity in the film. Like a person who is not well can look at life so positively. Why can’t everyone do the same? It’s not about a disabled man’s fight against disability. It’s a disabled man’s fight against the disability that exists in the world — terrorism, hatred, fighting. I only do films with a subtext... I know normally my films don’t look and feel what I think about them. Because I am very clear that films should entertain. My Name is Khan is also about Islam and the way the world looks at Islam but we are not taking any sides. We are only trying to say that there are only good people and bad people. There are no good Hindus, bad Hindus, good Christians, bad Christians. Either you are a good person or a bad person. Religion is not the criterion, humanity is. The tagline we have put in the film is: “The first superhero with only one superpower — humanity”.

Like Rab Ne’s ordinariness was extraordinary...

And people liked him. I just learnt about this poll that 80 per cent of the audience liked the character of Suri. And to think of it, I made it on a real guy (a Paanchvi Pass contestant). Also the fact that you never question that a 40-year-old man is romancing a 18-year-old girl. That’s interesting. Here is a completely played down version of a movie star who is supposedly known as a superstar. A superstar is a rockstar. Here is a rundown version. If I wasn’t in the movies, I might have looked like Suri. Because I have to change my look everyday as an actor. We do exaggerate in cinema. Art is always larger than life. But here was a simple man with simple wants.

SRK’s driver’s mobile starts ringing even though the owner’s phone is in silent mode. But SRK doesn’t mind. After all, the driver’s ringtone is the Haule haule song from Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. He doesn’t ask him to switch it off and continues the conversation.

Is there a lot of creative satisfaction in your work these days?

Yes, the last few films were very satisfying. I also really liked Billu. It’s a great thought — friends that you don’t forget. I loved Irrfan in it. I liked Chak De! India. I also really enjoyed Don. And now playing an autistic person in My Name is Khan is so supremely satisfying that I don’t want to work on any other movie for the rest of the year. Arre yeh bahut hai! I am so happy doing it. I did a lot of studies, a lot of research.

Is that something you are doing in the last few movies? Or did you always research your characters?

I have always done it. See, I have usually played the hero type and even then I have done studies. Like Don is taken from this man I knew who is really tough but walks like a girl. Obviously that man is not so famous that you will instantly recognise him. Like Darr is based on a Parsi friend of mine who used to stammer on specific words. So I made my character stammer only on Kiran... Kkkkkiran. As an actor my job is to observe, absorb and then take it out when called on to do so.

So how did you research for My Name is Khan?

I had done a play about autism with Barry John where I worked with an autistic kid. So when my writer and director in My Name is Khan sat with me, I gave them 25 more pages of research. I gave them more references... four different physical manifestations of autism. The eyes are very difficult to do. When you see me in the film, you will be shocked. To me it’s very difficult. With 100 people around you, to get those unfocussed, dead eyes is very difficult. Then I am saying dialogues with those eyes without expressing. I had to practise those eyes in my bathroom for 10 days before I got it right. Now I am teaching my children... pushing the eyeballs up, they stay there, then I go cock-eyed and then they go blank. Very difficult, very fulfilling.

The car is waiting at a traffic signal. A boy comes banging at the window. He shouts: “Aye Shah Rukh, aap ka photo aila hai, aap ka photo aila hai.” The star shouts back: “Thank you yaar, kahaan photo aila hai?” The kid smiles and runs away. It’s impossible to see inside the BMW through those dark window glasses. How does the boy at the traffic signal know who is inside? SRK smiles and says: “I think he knows the car.”

While the new heroes in Bollywood are being welcomed with open arms, do you feel that everyone’s being deliberately unkind to your recent films?

To me it doesn’t matter what the critics say. I have passed that stage. God bless them yaar! Hope they are happy. I have a very clear concept about all this. If you know why you are doing something, other people cannot waiver you off with their opinion. So if I know that I have worn white pants with a reason, and people keep telling me that it’s not in fashion, I am happy with my reason.

There have been a lot of ugly remarks from your colleagues in the industry...

I know those people. If I don’t like something, I call them and tell them so. Mostly they are misquoted. Like, if you say that Chidambaram has cancelled the IPL. Now he didn’t say that but that’s how people interpret things. Exactly like that. But we meet each other every evening and trust me there are people who you think don’t even like me or I don’t like them. Like Amitji was the first guy to come and meet me after the shoulder operation. He was in fact going to the hospital. I was like, where are you going sir? He said hospital. I said, main ghar aa gaya hoon. He said, main thak gaya hoon, kal aata hoon. Next evening he was there for four-five hours. People assume I hate him and he hates me. Earlier we used to talk about this — Amitji aisa kyun likh rahe hain?. Now, we don’t even do that. We are now sure that it’s a different world where people think Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan are like this. They have no clue of this real world. We have tried to explain 10-12 times but they don’t want to understand. They don’t like it like that. God bless them. Who they are talking about are the images of Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan that people have in their minds. We are different.

But what about Aamir Khan? Why did he go after you?

Aamir... he is my age. I have known him from the day I landed in Mumbai. Me, Ashutosh (Gowariker), Aamir, Makrand Deshpande, Neeraj Vohra... we were friends. If he says something I can call him and say what I feel. And he would be “Arre Shah, aisa nahin bola maine yaar!” Also I prefer talking to people directly rather than through the media. I say something to a journalist, he says something to another journalist... baat ghoomta rehta hai. The other day, in fact, we were sitting and chatting about this. I called him ullu ka pattha. I talk to him like this. People will never understand. That’s okay. Otherwise you are feeding more and more and more to the media. At that time pictures release pe thi, tab theek tha. Dono pictures (Rab Ne and Ghajini) ko publicity mil raha tha (laughs). Sometimes even the media should realise that maybe actors are using you. I don’t. I have a huge relationship with the media. It’s a need-based relationship and I think I am part of the media. Till the day I am an actor. And there’s nothing like a bad journalist. As I said you are a bad person or a good person. Your profession doesn’t make you bad. If you are okay being used, be used. You never know which actor is having the last laugh.

Coming back to KKR, what is your take on cheerleaders, especially after what happened last year with their dress code?

A profession should not be looked down upon. When I look at these young girls who want to be cheerleaders, I think of my daughter. Eight years from now, she could be one and I will be happy. I am a family man. I have a lot of respect for girls. If you think less of women, you will look down on their job. I really can’t do that. When I work with these really young girls in my movies, I really think of my daughter, who could be the same eight years from now. There’s a lot of innocence in all of them. Cheerleading is a profession rather than nangi ladkiyan naach rahi hai. Yeh kya baat hui yaar? Yeh toh wahiyaat baat ho gayi. It’s a very conservative, old-fashioned thought. We understand that but we don’t do much about it... phir koi aake bottle phenkega ghar ke baahar. Their clothes are not cheap. We are not cheap people. My wife, Karan (Johar), Manish (Malhotra)... they design the clothes. When we make people wear bikinis in films, it’s meant to make them look attractive and not vulgar.

Did you watch Dada’s last match?

Of course, I did. I wanted to go but I couldn’t. We sent him a watch. Also it didn’t strike me then but I later thought we should have bought 10,000 tickets and should have had people in Kolkata Knight Riders jerseys cheering for him. For us, Dada has not retired.

Are you as pumped up this time as you were the last time?

I am much more charged after the loss last year (laughs). Everything will be good from now. I felt that when we got (Mashrafe) Mortaza. Before the auction, I told my team that the only team who will go for Mortaza will be Mohali. See we are all friends and when I learnt that Nita bhabhi (Ambani) wanted Dominic (Thornely) I asked my guys to let go. But I instinctively felt that Mohali would try and increase the price of Mortaza. They didn’t tell me even though I meet Preity very often. So I messaged my team at the Goa auction, ‘make sure we get Mortaza’. Whatever it takes... even if it’s for the sake of friendship. We also have to show Bengali spirit at some point of time. We want to win the IPL and we will have it. This year should be played like that.

The car reaches the Yash Raj Studio where Shah Rukh has to crown the six official cheerleaders aka Angels for the Kolkata Knight Riders. He opens the car door with his right hand and stalks out. Like a Royal Bengal tiger, wounded and hungry.

Later in the shoot at Yash Raj Studio: Shah Rukh’s friends at his TV production unit Red Chillies Idiot Box, which is producing the cheerleader show Knights & Angels, wanted the King to give a jharokha darshan during the final episode and crown the winning girls. But Shah Rukh being Shah Rukh stayed for three whole segments and actually danced at the end of it all. Gauri wouldn’t have approved if she was around. But it sure made a certain Sourav Ganguly break his promise of never dancing again (after his terrible footwork in the Hero Honda ad nine years ago). Seeing SRK’s infectious energy, even with the sling just about holding the broken shoulder in place, Dada joined Shah Rukh and did an impromptu jig to Korbo lorbo jeetbo re. All those who thought that the owner and the captain were not on the same page should have seen them on stage. Wanted: An action replay of King and Dada after winning IPL 2.

[Sharmila-Sweet]

THE PAGE 3 POWERLISTERS



... Mukesh Ambani and SRK discuss cricket and politics at Nana Chudasama’s dinner


AFSANA AHMED Times News Network



Yup, they are among the top 50 Indians in anybody’s power list and also owners of cricket teams for the forthcoming IPL that’s shifted bat, ball and pitch to South Africa. But on Tuesday night at Nana Chudasama’s dinner at home, Mukesh Ambani and Shah Rukh Khan were not discussing the Twenty20 tournament only. There was politics, also — how could there not be, with the elections here and the IPL kicked out because of them — with young Varun Gandhi being a subject of hot debate! And joining these two powerful men in conversation were Shaina NC, Gautam and Nawaz Singhania, Patang Rao Kadam, Shobhaa and Dilip De, and Rashmi Thackeray among several others. Glasses clinked and cigars were puffed. SRK recalled his intrigue over Nana’s Marine Drive banners when he first came to Mumbai. “He called to say he loved them,” said the former Sheriff of Mumbai. And Nana also recalled the young Ambani who came to visit him with Papa Dhirubhai. “It’s wonderful to see these guys leading India in their unique ways,” said Nana. And nobody knew whether he meant business, cricket, power, or what!

With the elections and the IPL around the corner, there’s lots happening in the city. But all the action was at former sheriff of Mumbai, Nana Chudasama’s bungalow on Tuesday night as a swarm of the city’s most Mumbai’s powerful people came together for a dinner hosted by the octogenarian and his daughter Shaina NC. It was touching to see the goodwill earned by the former sheriff over the years. “There wasn’t any specific reason for the dinner, but dad and I thought let’s all meet before all the action begins. With elections and the IPL, people will get busy,” Shaina smiled.
One section of the guests was busy discussing the elections while the other was heavily into IPL. Shah Rukh Khan and Mukesh Ambani, even though part of the IPL, were seen eagerly participating in election talks, later joined by Gautam Singhania. If the men were busy, the power women too had their share to talk about. So you had Gauri Khan, Nita Ambani, Nawaz Modi-Singhania, Rashmi Thackeray, Raveena Tandon and Sonali Bendre bond, not just over food and homely talks, but they were equally passionate about the two hot topics of discussion.
Others present at the dinner were Y P Singh and Abha, Alvira and Atul Agnihotri, Minister Patang Rao Kadam and Vishwajeet Kadam, Shobhaa and Dilip De and Rashmi Thackeray’s son Aditya Thackeray. SRK praised Shaina for representing the younger lot of politicians saying today’s politics need more young blood, who are also rational in their thinking. Good thought SRK. Should we expect to see you there too someday?

[Sharmila-Sweet]

Shah Rukh Khan to walk the ramp for Manish Malhotra
Story By: CHUMAN DAS updated on: 27/03/09


MUMBAI: Shah Rukh Khan will be the show stopper for Manish Malhotra at the Lakme Fashion Week, which is being held in Mumbai, currently. Khan confirmed to Businessofcinema.com, “Yes, I will be walking the ramp for Manish as he is going to be showcasing yet another collection inspired by the uniform and styling of Kolkata Knight Riders. He did a collection for the Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week in Delhi last week, but this one is different, but expanding on the original idea of using the KKR colours.”

Malhotra is over the moon with his latest catch. The designer has had the cream of Bollywood walk the ramp for his outfits, be it Kareena Kapoor, Kajol or Urmila Matondkar, but SRK being SRK, Manish is really excited. Revealing the inside story of his latest collection, the designer said, “SRK and I were shooting in Los Angeles for My Name is Khan and SRK came up with the idea of expanding the KKR collection into a line for women as that has always been my claim to fame. So using the theme of black and gold and the additional use of colours like grey and white, which is part of the new KKR uniform, we have styled the new clothing line.”

So if you are a Shah Rukh Khan fan and want to watch him strut on the ramp, make sure you have front row seats for this show which will be held in Mumbai on 30 March

[Sharmila-Sweet]

Shah Rukhs speech:

(starboxoffice.com)


SRK: We want fans to see our films!

Filmmaker-actor Shah Rukh Khan shares his views on the multiplex owners versus producers and distributors standoff. Speaking at a press conference, Khan said he agreed with Aamir Khan and why he felt equality is the best solution to the problem.




FIRST of all, I would like to say that none of us, whether Aamir, Karan, Rakeshji (Rakesh Roshan), Ratanji (Ratan Jain), me or Yashji (Yash Chopra) or our seniors is the leader of this forum. We are here to share our collective thoughts for a clear perspective.

On calling for a gathering
We are not here to prevent our fans, supporters and well wishers from seeing films. We don’t want to do that at all. I speak very honestly for everyone here. We love films and making them. Our biggest wish is to die making films. The entire fraternity is here because we love to make films and show it to an audience. We are not here to stop showing the films to the audience. Filmmaking is what we do as we know how to do it. Films are being made as we speak.

The problem is, we know how to make films but we don’t know how to take it to the audience. That is why we have partners. There are distributors, theatres and the media for that. This partnership, bond, pipeline or marriage is now suffering. So we are here to repair the problem.

This is not a strike at all. It is a halt due to repairs that we are working towards and we apologise for this halt. This is not a strike and we need to repair the pipeline.


On why the profit sharing ratio must change
We are not doing for this greed or profits or for an extra one or two per cent. None of us are here for that. Some of us are very senior and legendary filmmakers. We are not here to loot anyone. The basic fight is for equality to create a platform for all sorts of films whether big or small, whether good or bad, whether made by an independent producer or by a studio. This fight is more for small films because somewhere along the line, they get left behind in negotiations. They don’t know anything about profit sharing so they just plead to the multiplexes to release the film. In the long run, the rightful path or our slogan, Fair Rights for Friday Nights, will benefit small films more than the big films.

On his take on the multiplexes
We are not here for a power show; (to show) that powerful people have come together on a platform. We will not use our ‘power’ to shake multiplexes. There is nothing like that at all. This is a marriage where we all are partners. The film federation has directors, producers, technicians, actors, studios, distributors, exhibitors and multiplexes as partners. We work together to show films to an audience. This is a show of coming together and of uniting.

A certain part of our family is not on the right path and we want to bring this issue to the forefront. We want a fair dialogue.

This is not a deadlock. We are not saying, “This is it. Take this or leave this. It is our way or the highway”. Not at all!

We have had discussions in good spirit with the multiplex owners for months, but we have not reached a final solution. That is why we have united to present our opinions and thoughts to them. We want to sit across with the multiplex and talk about getting fair rights for Friday nights for everyone.

I am saying this with a lot of humility. As Aamir rightly said, reasons such as bad films or bad content are cited for films not being played at multiplexes. I don’t think that is an issue multiplexes can discuss. No one tries to make a bad film. No matter how the film, it has the right to be seen by the audience that decides the verdict. By the second show on Friday, we know in very clear terms (whether) the film is good or not. I think all these little issues about creativity should be left to the creative people and the audience. The connecting pipeline should not have much say in it.

I would like to say that this issue is not confined to the studios, producers and distributors. It is going to impact everyone. For some time, we will see fewer films. Sadly, we are coming to a halt to repair the pipeline. The media and the audience need to unite.





On wanting fair rights for Friday nights
We are here to repair the problem. We stand by all films and we want equality for all films. We want Fair Rights for Friday Nights. This is not a deadlock; it is a panel that is available for discussion to the multiplex owners over coffee 24 x 7 throughout the year.

We don’t think the multiplex is the mafia. We aren’t badmouthing the multiplex owners at all. This is a temporary problem in our family and at the end of it, we will all be united. No one is a leader here and we are followers of what the audience wants and what they dictate.

We are living because the audience tells us what they want. Unfortunately, we are not listening or succumbing to the demands of the multiplexes. We are employees of the audience. We need to understand that this is a partnership and the issue needs to be sorted out quickly so we go back to making good or bad films that get released for audiences to see and judge.

[Sharmila-Sweet]

Shah Rukh To Fly Down With His Team From South Africa To Vote
April 28th, 2009 - 12:16 pm ICT by sampurn Tell a Friend -

Shah Rukh To Fly Down With His Team From South Africa To Vote By Subhash K Jha


The Elections never seemed more special, what with the whole Bollywood fraternity pitching their vote bank with abundant accountability.

While many of the A-Listers like Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan will make sure they’re in Mumbai on April 30 to cast their vote, Shah Rukh Khan is going to go a step further.

He will be flying down from South Africa with his Knight Riders team just for a day on April 30 to cast their vote before flying back for their next match.

According to sources King Khan has requested Vijay Mallya who hosts a rival IPL team to lend him a private jet to make the whirlwind visit back a home possible.

Says a source close to the iconic actor, “Shah Rukh is very particular about exercizing his voting rights. There was no way he’d miss the chance to cast his vote, or let his team members skip this important day in the Indian calendar. He’s very clear on the matter and would’ve insisted on heading home on April 30 even if a match was scheduled that day.”

Shah Rukh has even inspired rival team-leader Preity Zinta to not slip up on her democratic rights.

Preity too will head back home on voting day with her team. However Shilpa Shetty and her team would have to skip the vote as they have a match on April 30. -Sampurn Media

[Sharmila-Sweet]

Shah Rukh Khan signs 3 year deal to host IIPM quiz

June 8, 2009 - 16:50 IST

That's what SRK says to all B-School students as IIPM signs up SRK for a three year deal to host IIPM's B-School Quiz!

Be it placements at IIPM or its global initiatives, IIPM clearly seems to have remained untouched by the economic recession. At a time when even Bollywood has put its projects on hold, in a first of its kind trend setting move, the institution has now roped in the Badshah of Bollywood, SRK to host their annual business and marketing quiz, for three years. To be held in association with Planman Media's magazine, 4Ps Business and Marketing it promises to become India's premiere B-School quiz event!

When Bollywood Hungama contacted Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri, the Dean of IIPM said, "IIPM is all about bringing World-Class in terms of education as well as campus life experience for the students. The IIPM B-School festival, Amaze, is in any case the largest B-School festival in India with huge participation from International B-Schools as well. This B-School Quiz also promises to be a big international event." When quizzed about bringing King Khan to host the event, he said, "Everything we do at IIPM is grand, distinct, pioneering and above all else global. Who else in India can make an event big just by his global popularity than SRK? And to top it all he is perceived as the intelligent face of bollywood because of his economics education background, his suave marketing skills and sharp intelligence. He obviously was the natural choice. IIPM is honoured and proud that he accepted our request!" The show will be held at the IIPM campus in Satbari, Delhi.

While the King Khan of Bollywood says, "I am coming to IIPM and it will be nice to be there!"

[ragam-tanam-pallavi]

Shah Rukh Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan

me an ardent and die hard fan of his !!


the characteristics of SRK which endear me to him :

a. spontaneity
b. sense of humour
c. ability to take the mick out on himself
c. made it big despite his non Bollywood background
d. frank and not pretentious


East or west SRK is BEST

only he could carry away the SURI role in Rb ne....................

would love to meet him one day

[Sharmila-Sweet]

Shah Rukh Khan gets ridiculed on US television?
26 Aug, 2009 12:00 am ISTlRenuka Vyavahare /INDIATIMES MOVIES




The American press seems to be high on crisis management after Shah Rukh raised the issue of his detention in front of the Indian media. They are thus ridiculing SRK as their defence mechanism!

American political satirist cum tv host Jon Stewart on his show ‘The Daily Show’ mocked SRK by showing clips of American news channels which claimed that the custom officials at the New Jersey airport didn’t recognize the actor!

Jon further mocked SRK by saying the actor may have denied that it was not a publicity stunt for his forthcoming film ‘My Name is Khan’ but then the way he went on talking about it could make for a good emotional picture in itself.

Echoing Jon was Indian American journalist Aasif who sarcastically said, “Shah Rukh is the Hugh Jackman of Jaipur, Bruce Willis of Pondicherry, Tom Cruise of Mumbai and Brad Pitt of Bollywood, and have you seen his Om Shanti Om?

Omar Qureshi, Editor-in-Chief, Zoom tv channel strongly criticized Jon’s statements by saying, “Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Shah Rukh Khan were in Dubai for Planet Hollywood’s launch and Shah Rukh gathered more fans than the Hollywood superstars. Americans are used to laughing at others and making money out of it, they laugh at themselves too, and this is just one of those instances.”

Trade expert Taran Adarsh reacted to Jon’s statement by saying, “If you poke fun at SRK, it only shows how dumb you are! It’s like Americans asking you if Taj Mahal is in China or Italy! Most of the American press is dumb and the way they have been reacting to SRK’s episode is shocking as we give them so much importance when they come to India inspite of the fact that most of the Indians don’t know how Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise looks like.”

Mumbai Mirror’s Entertainment head Indu Mirani said, “Everybody should just move on as this issue has been blown out of proportion by both the parties. Bollywood has always looked up to Hollywood with a holier-than-thou attitude so it’s not their mistake that they don’t do the same. Everyone should just move on.”

All said and done we’d suggest one thing to Jon, he should actually see SRK’s films to know that he doesn’t deserve to be compared with any Tom, Dick and Harry of Hollywood.

[Sharmila-Sweet]

The music grows to a crescendo. The girls dance with more vigor.The mom looks behind her back, with a knowing look in her eyes. And then, the jet black helicopter, starting from its whirling blades, slowly comes into full view. Shahrukh Khan, by then the son every middle aged woman in the movie hall wishes for, sprints to his eager mom. A teardrop doesn't fail to roll off her eyes.Behold. Her son has arrived.

Or if this is not classy enough, picture this. Lush green lawns in the foregrounds of a huge academy. A white, marble, dome shaped structure somewhere . Chilly winter. And on one single black chair inside that marble dome, Sharukh Khan romanticizes the world with his violin. Love is in the air. Why just the three students, the whole world suddenly falls in love.

Just another shot from K3G or Mohabbatein, but one which is typical of Shahrukh Khan. Grand entry, larger and full of life attitude, and captivating the viewers to such an extent, that it instills hope and excitement about themselves when they watch him. And I have not even started mentioning DDLJ.

You know how those statements are, about how the world is divided into two parts..blah blah. Well, in this case, the world is actually divided into 3 parts. Ones who like SRK, ones who do not, and the ones who do, but cannot show that they like him ,for some reason. We do not know where Karan Johar lies, but that apart, the third category is interesting, and surprisingly pretty big. Guys often hate SRK because its not a guy thing to like his mushy movies, or some engineers often hate him because its not a engineer's thing to be sentimental. Why don't people accept it ? Probably some disturbed childhood trauma makes them run away from sentimental and emotional stuff. But I have had a guy confess, that he actually does like him, but "log majak udate hai, isliye main batata nahi hoon". While I was writing this blog, I came across another one, about our typical (read "desi") characteristics. A totally sarcastic and hilarious take on our habits, I cannot but help mention this specific article from it - "I hate SRK".

I have myself often thought, why do I like him? The arguments people make against him are not entirely baseless, then why does he have a ridiculous fan following ? Well, I think,may be because we all secretly do like him. "Har kisi ke dil mein, kahi na kahi, ek SRK chupa hota hai". A Delhi guy. Rose to fame with his own efforts. Started with television initially, so lets accept he knows a thing or a two about acting. His first love ,Gauri ,pulled him to Mumbai for the first time. But then , there was no looking back. Since then, he has been romanticizing every heroine, and giving one movie per young generation, for them to dream with, to dance with, to get nostalgic with, and to carry the "Rahul" in them forever.

"Kabhi Haa Kabhi Na", was one of my first movies ever ,seen in the theatres. And may be, that is the reason SRK is my favorite. But apart from his on screen presence, I think I am probably a fan of his persona in general.It might seem ironic, but I think SRK is one of the most honest guys around, as far as his role as an actor is concerned. He has accepted that he is a peoples' man. And he gives it back to them, the way they want it. Being an actor, he realises that media is what helped make him, and media is what he can connect to the masses with. He never shuns the media. Nor does he shun any award functions. He has willingly accepted the commercialness of his profession. And he uses it to his benefit , instead of cribbing about it, and trying to be intelligent about it, and complaining about things such as absence of personal life. He has willingly accepted that he would have very little personal life, and that is the price he would have to pay for his stardom.Never into politics, and never into controversies relating personal relationships. Nevertheless, I think he has been pretty successful family man too. He is intelligent and smart when he talks. Listen to any of his interviews.They are exciting and one would appreciate his ready wit, sharpness and body language. Technically savvy himself, he is constantly endeavouring to bring technical skills to the Hindi film industry, and is constantly taking his production house,"Red Chillies" to the next level. No wonder, he is known as the most powerful person in the industry, and the only one to be adored by Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachhan both and envied by all the newcomers alike. Everyone wants to debut with him. Everyone wants a clip with him.

One interviewer described his meeting with SRK pretty dramatically. He mentioned , that when SRK gives an interview, albeit only for 5 minutes, he makes sure that the interviewer is the only person in the world that matters to him. He treats the interviewer like a king. But when the 5 minutes are over, all that is left is smoke from his cigarette, and you can see SRK fade away in that smoke back to his world. Do not get me wrong, I do like Amir Khan movies. He is an excellent actor in his own realm. But given a choice, to meet any one , just for 5 minutes, I would choose SRK.

I recently commented to a friend, that it is difficult for me to completely hate a movie. I am a hardcore movie buff. The director would have to try really hard to make such a film that I would totally not approve of. Which essentially means I watch any movie that is being made, or comes my way. But still, the anticipation of a Shahrukh Khan movie, is something different. The anticipation is not of 3 hours of entertainment, but a ride into the world, where you might play a character. May be , you dare to play him.

We can see the transition from Rahul to the character roles that he plays these days. I think he has proved beyond doubt, to the people who even doubted, that he can act. He has been a actor who is capable of delivering "hangover" movies. Meaning, movies,which leave you thinking about them long after they are over. Movies , which leave you dreaming long after they are over. Well, as I write this, I am craving for a similar movie from him again. And I really wish , like a true fan, that there is enough reason, for everything that happened at the Newark airport recently. And that it was not a cheap publicity stunt. Because SRK has a lot at stake to resort to this cheap stunt. Because it took a real long time and hard work to reach where he has. Because he is far too intelligent to use the minority card. And because I have not seen Chidambaram and Sashi Tharoor speak up for anyone so directly and immediately. I do not know what has been not told, but , unless proved otherwise, I believe SRK.

Is it only his movies that we enjoy, or is it also talking about him that we fans enjoy more? Oh, we love to hail him, and oh, we love so much to argue for him. I could have become a millionaire by now, if SRK gave me 1c each time I spoke for him. We love to hear the ignorant Amir fans. We love to see how close we are to the truth, but we are also disappointed to see that the world needs awakening. We are appalled to see the fruitless pursuits of the thinking masses. We ache to see that the rightful king, has to condescend to the likes of "others" to claim his throne. He is the Tendulkar of the entertainment industry. Amir is like Dravid. Probably better techniqued. But SRK is whom I would pay to watch. Because somehow, I get a feeling ,that when Dravid plays, its his mind which is involved, but when SRT plays, or when SRK performs, its a matter of the heart. And I would always like to put my money on the heart, rather than on the mind.

On a serious note, I do not care if SRK hams. I do not care if he seems repetitive in his roles. I do not care if he seems pompous.I do not care if he passes of as vain. I do not care if he got a bag full of cash to get a Filmfare. He gives me what I want from a movie, rather than give me what I think I want from a movie. He is a sure shot ticket to the world of entertainment and fantasy. And that is all that I want. I am aam junta, or "mango people", as Saif puts it in Love Aaj Kal. I do not want to be intelligent about my movies,about whom I like as an actor. I do not want this choice of mine to reflect my thinking in any way.And also because it is hardly of any consequence to anyone else, apart from me. It is not a matter of any big concern, like for e.g our views on abortion, or are we pro choice or not? That is something which would probably shape the future society.Debate on that, think about that. Have a side to choose from on that. But SRK vs Amir? Seriously,whats there to think about ? Why is there even a question?Why is Amir even an option?

Nachiket Mehta

[Sharmila-Sweet]

The music grows to a crescendo. The girls dance with more vigor.The mom looks behind her back, with a knowing look in her eyes. And then, the jet black helicopter, starting from its whirling blades, slowly comes into full view. Shahrukh Khan, by then the son every middle aged woman in the movie hall wishes for, sprints to his eager mom. A teardrop doesn't fail to roll off her eyes.Behold. Her son has arrived.

Or if this is not classy enough, picture this. Lush green lawns in the foregrounds of a huge academy. A white, marble, dome shaped structure somewhere . Chilly winter. And on one single black chair inside that marble dome, Sharukh Khan romanticizes the world with his violin. Love is in the air. Why just the three students, the whole world suddenly falls in love.

Just another shot from K3G or Mohabbatein, but one which is typical of Shahrukh Khan. Grand entry, larger and full of life attitude, and captivating the viewers to such an extent, that it instills hope and excitement about themselves when they watch him. And I have not even started mentioning DDLJ.

You know how those statements are, about how the world is divided into two parts..blah blah. Well, in this case, the world is actually divided into 3 parts. Ones who like SRK, ones who do not, and the ones who do, but cannot show that they like him ,for some reason. We do not know where Karan Johar lies, but that apart, the third category is interesting, and surprisingly pretty big. Guys often hate SRK because its not a guy thing to like his mushy movies, or some engineers often hate him because its not a engineer's thing to be sentimental. Why don't people accept it ? Probably some disturbed childhood trauma makes them run away from sentimental and emotional stuff. But I have had a guy confess, that he actually does like him, but "log majak udate hai, isliye main batata nahi hoon". While I was writing this blog, I came across another one, about our typical (read "desi") characteristics. A totally sarcastic and hilarious take on our habits, I cannot but help mention this specific article from it - "I hate SRK".

I have myself often thought, why do I like him? The arguments people make against him are not entirely baseless, then why does he have a ridiculous fan following ? Well, I think,may be because we all secretly do like him. "Har kisi ke dil mein, kahi na kahi, ek SRK chupa hota hai". A Delhi guy. Rose to fame with his own efforts. Started with television initially, so lets accept he knows a thing or a two about acting. His first love ,Gauri ,pulled him to Mumbai for the first time. But then , there was no looking back. Since then, he has been romanticizing every heroine, and giving one movie per young generation, for them to dream with, to dance with, to get nostalgic with, and to carry the "Rahul" in them forever.

"Kabhi Haa Kabhi Na", was one of my first movies ever ,seen in the theatres. And may be, that is the reason SRK is my favorite. But apart from his on screen presence, I think I am probably a fan of his persona in general.It might seem ironic, but I think SRK is one of the most honest guys around, as far as his role as an actor is concerned. He has accepted that he is a peoples' man. And he gives it back to them, the way they want it. Being an actor, he realises that media is what helped make him, and media is what he can connect to the masses with. He never shuns the media. Nor does he shun any award functions. He has willingly accepted the commercialness of his profession. And he uses it to his benefit , instead of cribbing about it, and trying to be intelligent about it, and complaining about things such as absence of personal life. He has willingly accepted that he would have very little personal life, and that is the price he would have to pay for his stardom.Never into politics, and never into controversies relating personal relationships. Nevertheless, I think he has been pretty successful family man too. He is intelligent and smart when he talks. Listen to any of his interviews.They are exciting and one would appreciate his ready wit, sharpness and body language. Technically savvy himself, he is constantly endeavouring to bring technical skills to the Hindi film industry, and is constantly taking his production house,"Red Chillies" to the next level. No wonder, he is known as the most powerful person in the industry, and the only one to be adored by Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachhan both and envied by all the newcomers alike. Everyone wants to debut with him. Everyone wants a clip with him.

One interviewer described his meeting with SRK pretty dramatically. He mentioned , that when SRK gives an interview, albeit only for 5 minutes, he makes sure that the interviewer is the only person in the world that matters to him. He treats the interviewer like a king. But when the 5 minutes are over, all that is left is smoke from his cigarette, and you can see SRK fade away in that smoke back to his world. Do not get me wrong, I do like Amir Khan movies. He is an excellent actor in his own realm. But given a choice, to meet any one , just for 5 minutes, I would choose SRK.

I recently commented to a friend, that it is difficult for me to completely hate a movie. I am a hardcore movie buff. The director would have to try really hard to make such a film that I would totally not approve of. Which essentially means I watch any movie that is being made, or comes my way. But still, the anticipation of a Shahrukh Khan movie, is something different. The anticipation is not of 3 hours of entertainment, but a ride into the world, where you might play a character. May be , you dare to play him.

We can see the transition from Rahul to the character roles that he plays these days. I think he has proved beyond doubt, to the people who even doubted, that he can act. He has been a actor who is capable of delivering "hangover" movies. Meaning, movies,which leave you thinking about them long after they are over. Movies , which leave you dreaming long after they are over. Well, as I write this, I am craving for a similar movie from him again. And I really wish , like a true fan, that there is enough reason, for everything that happened at the Newark airport recently. And that it was not a cheap publicity stunt. Because SRK has a lot at stake to resort to this cheap stunt. Because it took a real long time and hard work to reach where he has. Because he is far too intelligent to use the minority card. And because I have not seen Chidambaram and Sashi Tharoor speak up for anyone so directly and immediately. I do not know what has been not told, but , unless proved otherwise, I believe SRK.

Is it only his movies that we enjoy, or is it also talking about him that we fans enjoy more? Oh, we love to hail him, and oh, we love so much to argue for him. I could have become a millionaire by now, if SRK gave me 1c each time I spoke for him. We love to hear the ignorant Amir fans. We love to see how close we are to the truth, but we are also disappointed to see that the world needs awakening. We are appalled to see the fruitless pursuits of the thinking masses. We ache to see that the rightful king, has to condescend to the likes of "others" to claim his throne. He is the Tendulkar of the entertainment industry. Amir is like Dravid. Probably better techniqued. But SRK is whom I would pay to watch. Because somehow, I get a feeling ,that when Dravid plays, its his mind which is involved, but when SRT plays, or when SRK performs, its a matter of the heart. And I would always like to put my money on the heart, rather than on the mind.

On a serious note, I do not care if SRK hams. I do not care if he seems repetitive in his roles. I do not care if he seems pompous.I do not care if he passes of as vain. I do not care if he got a bag full of cash to get a Filmfare. He gives me what I want from a movie, rather than give me what I think I want from a movie. He is a sure shot ticket to the world of entertainment and fantasy. And that is all that I want. I am aam junta, or "mango people", as Saif puts it in Love Aaj Kal. I do not want to be intelligent about my movies,about whom I like as an actor. I do not want this choice of mine to reflect my thinking in any way.And also because it is hardly of any consequence to anyone else, apart from me. It is not a matter of any big concern, like for e.g our views on abortion, or are we pro choice or not? That is something which would probably shape the future society.Debate on that, think about that. Have a side to choose from on that. But SRK vs Amir? Seriously,whats there to think about ? Why is there even a question?Why is Amir even an option?

Nachiket Mehta

[Sharmila-Sweet]

On the patch-up trail


Subhash Ghai ended the 16-year-long cold war between Shah Rukh Khan and Sunny Deol on Saturday

By Kunal M Shah
Posted On Monday, October 26, 2009 at 02:37:31 AM




Lately, Shah Rukh Khan might have had serious issues with several people from the film industry but the first actor who he had an ego clash with was Sunny Deol way back in 1993. Now, the two actors have patched up 16 years after they had a huge fight during the making of Yash Chopra’s Darr. They finally buried the hatchet during a party on Saturday night and the man responsible for the patch up was host Subhash Ghai.

A source present at the party said, “Shah Rukh had come in earlier in the evening and he was sitting in one of the private sections at the party venue with Karan Johar and his other friends. Sunny Deol was accompanied by director Neeraj Pathak, who he was chatting with, when Ghai suddenly went up to the reticent actor and took him to the private section. Ghai headed straight to Shah Rukh and reintroduced the two warring actors.

SRK and Sunny shook hands and gradually warmed up to each other and were later seen chatting animatedly with lyricist Prasoon Joshi.”



Commenting on the SRK-Sunny animosity, the source added, “Sunny was probably the first one among the long list of people that Shah Rukh has had a problem with over the years. Sunny had such a big issue that after Darr he completely stopped speaking to Shah Rukh and Yash Chopra. The two actors have buried the hatchet after so many years.”

According to the source, Sunny left the party early and when the clock struck midnight, SRK’s friends gathered around him to celebrate his and Gauri’s wedding anniversary, which was yesterday.

[Sharmila-Sweet]

Top honchos get ready for the other marathon of their lives

30 Oct 2009, 0446 hrs IST, Meenakshi Verma Ambwani, ET Bureau




NEW DELHI: They may have been racing against each other to the top of the rich list but some business heads are taking time out from their
normal legwork to chase a passion. The latest edition of the Delhi Half Marathon on November 1 will see a rainbow mix of businessmen, cine stars, mediapersons and other luminaries heading for the tape. The long list includes multiplex leader PVR’s CMD Ajay Bijli, IT company SAP Labs India MD VR Ferose, FMCG firm Dabur’s Amit Burman and BBC’s Preet Dhupar. Others like super star Shahrukh Khan will provide the glamour quotient for the event (though he won’t be running). Khan is brand ambassador of Airtel, the title sponsor for the event.

“I am participating in the Delhi Half Marathon for our CSR initiative PVR Nest and my wasteline,” said PVR CMD Ajay Bijli. He will be running for the cause of the disadvantaged children and deteriorating urban environment. Super cop Kiran Bedi too is slated to be there. Others distinguished guests which will be coming for the event, but not running include Sunil Bharti Mittal, Shahrukh Khan, Naveen Jindal, Vijender Singh, Rahul Bose, Tarun Tahiliani, Simi Garewal and Nikhil Chinnappa.

Mr Bijli and Mr Ferose have been running in this marathon since its inception and have also become the ‘dream teamers’ for the marathon. Dream teamers is a concept where well-known runners raise a minimum Rs 1 lakh for a specific charitable cause. The fact that Mr Ferose has a flight to catch on Sunday night for a business meeting has not deterred him from taking out time to follow his passion. He plans to run in the Gurgaon and Mumbai marathons too.

“I am running the 21 kms marathon category, so it is just not running for a charity but also about being fit and I am training for this. I completed it last year and hope to finish it this year,” he said, adding that he is one of the dream teamers and is running to promote the cause of children and education.

For BBC World director (finance and operations) Preet Dhupar, it’s about charity and running for ‘Childline’ — a helpline that works for distressed children and raising money. “I am not an athlete. But I have been running in the marathon for the past three years and I believe even if I can’t run it I can always walk it,” she added.

Economic Times