SRK is Entertainment Business Leader of the year

CNBC-TV18's India Business Leader Awards salute the spirit of showbiz by announcing for the first time, the Entertainment Business Leader of the year award.

His latest film is one of the film industry's biggest grosser ever. He is known as a marketer par excellence and he is one of India's best-known global brands!

Super star Shah Rukh Khan this year pulled out all stops to ensure the success of his film - Om Shanti Om. The film in its first week grossed Rs 75 crore. His company Red Chillies Entertainment, that has produced films like Paheli and Main Hoon Na has ambitious plans of being an independent production company with a special focus on special effects.

According to Shah Rukh Khan, Actor & Producer, They may have big budgets, big banners but I have Shah Rukh Khan! And I will ensure that Red Chillies never has to give way to any production - whether it's Sony or Columbia.

A first generation film star and producer, Shah Rukh Khan has carved out his success single-handedly. The young man from Delhi came to the Hindi film industry, fifteen years ago armed with just his unflagging energy, grit, talent and charm. Today, he has managed to blaze a trail right to the top of the competitive family oriented industry. The people's star Shah Rukh Khan is one of the most popular brand ambassadors today and as the host of KBC earlier this year; his career came full circle to television where it all started. So what is the secret to his success?

Hunger, you need to do have the hunger to succeed, I always tell. he said.

Join us on December 7th to salute the man who embodies the spirit of entertainment

CNBC-TV18

After hockey, SRK may now promote squash too

Chennai (PTI): In an attempt to revive squash from the dungeons, Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan is willing to promote the game during the 21st World men's Team Championship starting here on Thursday.

India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan tomorrow and Khan is expected to be present during the match.

'King Khan' has expressed his desire to watch the India-Pakistan match, N Ramachandran, Chairman, organising committee and President of the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) today said.

However, the Bollywood star is yet to confirm his appearance at the event.

"It (confirmation) is expected anytime," he said at a press conference here.

After playing the role of a hockey coach in 'Chak De India', Shahrukh Khan's presence at some of the Indo-Pak cricket matches had created a controversy following an allegation by BCCI saying that the star maybe using the occasion to promote his films.

India has Kenya and debutant Bermuda besides Pakistan in their group-G.

Six-time champions Pakistan and the hosts India, who had finished 11th in the last edition of the championship in Islamabad in 2005, are likely to sail through the main draw easily.

The top two teams in each group will make it through to the final 16.

Though Pakistan is seeded seventh as compared to India's 10th seeding, the former's standard has taken a dip on the international scene.

The Hindu

Attention and tension ?

Recently, Amitabh Bachchan stayed away from an AIDS awareness function. Did it have to do with Shah Rukh Khan being the chief guest at the occasion ?

Amitabh Bachchan said that he was unable to attend a function organised by Smita Thakeray’ Mukti Foundation because of the shooting schedule of Aladdin. Later, we found out, that the shooting actually got over by 5 pm. The event was supposed to begin only after 8 pm. What reached in place of Big B was a recorded message that flashed on the screens explaining his absence from the venue. Says Allwyn Roderick from Mukti Foundation, “Mr. Bachchan could not attend the function as he was busy shooting for his film. In fact, through an audio-visual he conveyed that he wouldn’t be able to make it to the event as he was busy shooting for Aladdin and also conveyed his best wishes to the foundation for working for this noble cause.”

Our ever-alert sources report, “Bachchan wound up his shooting much before the event started. A source from the production unit of Aladdin, says, “Mr. Bachchan left the sets by 5 pm.”

The fact that SRK was chief guest at the venue may have had something to do with it. “Maybe Bachchan felt that SRK would get all the attention at the event. Given that, it would be somewhat demeaning for an actor of Big B’s stature to play second fiddle.”

Smita Thackeray started the ‘Mukti’ Foundation in 1997, which works towards the welfare of HIV-AIDS affected patients, organized a star-studded evening last Saturday in Mumbai to celebrate the 10th anniversary of her organisation.