In Praise of ... Shah Rukh Khan

Shah Rukh Khan may be the most famous actor you have never heard of. He barely registers in Hollywood, but wherever Bollywood is big - the subcontinent and other places with a large south Asian community, from Slough to New Jersey - "King Khan" is huge. Om Shanti Om is his latest film and it has just had the biggest opening week in Indian history, with cinemas putting on showings as early as 7.45am. Khan is the most popular actor in Bollywood - and, since Hindi cinema's global audience is larger than Hollywood's, that must make him the biggest actor in the world. It is a tribute to the tolerance of the world's biggest Hindu population that it should crown a Muslim actor king.

India's Tom Cruise, he is called, although, since he hosts that country's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, Khan could also be the Hindustani Chris Tarrant; as if the world needed another. His success is all the more remarkable for being so unlikely. For all its talk of being cinema for the ordinary man, Bollywood is a dynastic business. SRK was not born into it, but worked his way there. His very ordinariness has won over his audience, who see him almost like them, as has his on-screen cheekiness. It often seems as if he is winking at film goers, admitting his latest vehicle is no masterwork. That is certainly true of Om Shanti Om. No ordinary romance, it can best be described as boy-meets-girl-both-die-only-to-be-reincarnated-decades-later-and-get-together. Phew!

By: Guardian Unlimited | Guardian Newspapers

SRK, Farah visit Manoj Kumar

By now its general knowledge that Manoj Kumar aka Mr. Bharat raised an objection stating that he was very deeply hurt with his portrayal in the latest blockbuster Om Shanti Om. And rumors had it that he had demanded the said scene to be deleted from the film.

Needless to say that one cannot expect anything but the unexpected from the King Khan. The current status is that SRK and Farah Khan had called press conference to publicly apologize to Manoj Kumar. Meanwhile Mr. Bharat, it seems that, wanted SRK to call on him personally and lend his apology, which was not happening, all thanks to the King Khan’s choc-a-bloc schedules.

That’s when Yash ‘Mr Romance’ Chopra, himself decided to play the mediator between the two by calling Manoj Kumar on Tuesday night amidst his dinner and said that he wanted to drop by, without divulging any further details. Manoj Kumar’s joys knew no bounds when he saw SRK along with his better half, Gauri and Farah accompanying Yash Chopra! SRK soon played the ‘real-life’ Raj of DDLJ and in no time all of them were happy with the outcome of the family re-union!

In the meanwhile, Farah has gone on record to say that Manoj Kumar’s scenes won't be chopped off from Om Shanti Om.

As the dialogue from the film goes “Aakhir mein sab kuch thik hi ho jata hai…”

IndiaFM

It’s home, shanti, home!

All’s well that ends well. And there is no more hurt in veteran actor Manoj Kumar’s heart for the spoof on him in Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om.

Kumar, who had objected to these scenes, was unrelenting when Farah and Shah Rukh Khan himself apologised to him publicly in a press conference.

He reportedly wanted SRK to call on him and bury the hatchet. This was not happening because of Shah Rukh’s hectic schedule and string of commitments. And a bitter Kumar expressed his disappointment over the entire issue in the press once again. But, peace was made.

Kumar tells the story: “Yash Chopra played the mediator. I got a call from Yash on Tuesday night at dinner time asking for my address. He said he was in the neighbourhood and wanted to drop by. He didn’t say who was with him. So when my wife opened the door, we were pleasantly surprised to to see Gauri and Shah Rukh Khan, and Farah Khan, with Yash. It felt like a family reunion. We didn’t discuss anything that was bygone. Everybody makes mistakes, but when you realise them, more than half your mistake is pardoned. I don’t hold any grudges against anyone.”

According to the actor who has waved the Indian tricolour more than any politician in the country, the conversation revolved around Shah Rukh’s parents and Kumar’s mother-in-law who were all freedom fighters.

“His father worked closely with my mother-in-law. Even Shah Rukh’s mother was known to us,” said Kumar. The Bollywood Badshah then reminded Mr Bharat (as Manoj Kumar was known) that years ago he wanted to take some pictures with him. “It never happened, though,” said Kumar. “But in the hour they spent with us, Shah Rukh and Gauri clicked pictures with us. It was nice meeting him. He touched my feet. He may be my son’s age but I have a brotherly feeling towards him.”

Some sections of the press have unkindly said that the ageing actor used the Om Shanti Om issue to gain unnecessary publicity for himself.

An aggrieved Kumar retorted, “At this age, publicity this doesn’t matter. What matters is respect from people. We have earned it. And I am glad Shah Rukh belongs to that generation which respects elders. God bless him.” He had one regret, however. “Gauri and Farah, who is pregnant, came to our house and we couldn’t give them any shagun. Never mind, just as our doors are open for Shah Rukh and Gauri, the doors of Mannat will be open to us. My wife and I can go there anytime. And we will not forget to carry the shagun .”

Afsana Ahmed, TNN