King Khan Decides to Quit Smoking

Health minister Anbumani Ramdadoss might have failed to inspire Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan to quit smoking, but his children have certainly done that.

Talking to the Malayalam daily from his latest location in Pollachi in Tamil Nadu, where he is shooting for a new film directed by Priyadarshan, the Bollywood superstar has said, that he is all set to completely quit smoking in the next two-months for the sake of his children.

“I am going to quit smoking for the sake of my children,” a Malayalam daily quoted him as saying.

He added, “They hate me smoking. I find that as a blessing in disguise. If they had no problems, I would have continued smoking.”

Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss had earlier appealed to Shah Rukh Khan and other actors to quit smoking onscreen.

However, King Khan chose creative liberty to 'no smoking'.

“I agree with what Mr Ramadoss said. Having said that as filmmakers we should have creative liberties because cinema is all about make believe,” Shah Rukh Khan said.

Ramadoss had also said, that Shah Rukh should not have smoked in the stands while watching a cricket match in Mumbai.

“I think minister Anbumani Ramadoss will also be happy to hear that I am going to quit smoking. Nothing gives me more pleasure than to see one more person happy because of my actions,” Shah Rukh said.

IBN Live

Shah Rukh Khan is the Best

Shah Rukh Khan wasn't joking when he sang 'I am the best'. Take the recent case which happened on the sets of his home production, Billoo Barber.

A source present on the sets said, "The film's director Priyadarshan was chatting with SRK when he casually mentioned about the dedication and discipline of some lead actors like Akshay Kumar, Govinda and Salman Khan.

Priyan also cited some examples about their professionalism and how they always report early to the sets. That's when SRK took up the challenge to follow suit."

When contacted, Priyadarshan, who is currently shooting in Pollachi, laughed and said, "I was casually telling SRK that Akshay, Govinda and Salman always come earlier than the scheduled reporting time to the sets.

At times they are on the sets even before me. That's when SRK took up the challenge of reaching the sets earlier than me."

And guess what! The very next morning, SRK who used to generally report to the sets by 9 am, was there at 7 am. Priyadarshan added, "I was on my way to the location when I saw Shah Rukh's car speed past mine. He reported to the sets even before 7 am."

Billoo Barber also stars Lara Dutta, Om Puri and Irrfan Khan.

Sallu reacts to his spat with SRK

The new concept of connecting to the audience through blog is becoming extremely popular amongst our Bollywood celebrities.

And the latest star to join the Bollywood bloggers is none other than Salman Khan. He started with writing about his show Dus Ka Dum and now he has once again resorted to blogging to express his feelings on his fallout with Baadshah Khan.

Post the fight, Salman had clearly told his fans not to believe in reports that will keep flowing in about him. Salman is one candid actor and so is his girl friend Katrina who is no more part of Shah Rukh’s Temptation Reloaded Tour. Needless to say, the decision to opt out of the show comes after the Khan war on her 24th birthday bash.

Apparently, Salman’s new blog explains that these things don’t matter to him. He laughs, “Ha ha ha... I told you...didn’t I? Ki Farak Painda Hai (How does it matter)...You keep whacking a stick in water, what will happen to the water? Nothing. If the person doing this does not know that, then what does one do? Laugh because it’s funny or feel sad because it’s sad?” He signs off.

Needless to say that Salman, who is a King of entertainment by himself, doesn’t care about SRK’s King Khan Status and is not bothered about all that’s being said and written about him. That’s what we call Salman’s Just Chill attitude!

India Times Movies

Shah Rukh's new Mannat

A few months ago, all the Delhiites were only talking about the palatial bungalow which Shah Rukh was planning to build at No 1, Jor Bagh.

Once the construction began in earnest, and the Mannat board came up, crowds were constantly milling around the bungalow. But SRK's spokesperson denied that he was building the house and around two months back the Mannat board was taken off and replaced with a new nameplate that says 'Sarins'. Goes without saying that the crowds dissipated in no time.

But the Delhi grapevine insists Shah Rukh has not abandoned his plans for a dream home in the city. Apparently, SRK has bought a huge plot of land in Panscheel Park adjacent to the plot where his in-laws, the Chibbs reside. It's not on a main road, so Shah Rukh feels it should be easier to keep the crowds at bay unlike the scene at Mannat in Mumbai.

I can't help feeling SRK is being a wee bit optimistic. Wherever in the world he builds a home, people are going to gape at it. Guess, there is a huge price to be paid for fame. Right, SRK?

Buzz18

SRK is the Highest Tax Payer again

Shah Rukh Khan will be the highest income-tax payer from Bollywood for the second year in a row.

He has paid advance taxes of Rs 27 crore till December 15, 2007, said sources, putting his income for 2007-08 at over Rs 100 crore. It is a glittering jump from the money he made the previous fiscal when he paid a modest Rs 18 crore in tax.

2007 has been a particularly prosperous year for Shah Rukh Khan, who has often called himself “priceless’’. He has not only had two mega hits under his belt - Chak De, India and Om Shanti Om , which he also produced - but also earned Rs 1 crore for every episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati .

In the income-tax stakes, SRK is far ahead of the competition. Hrithik Roshan, who paid Rs 15 crore last year, had no releases in 2007 though his endorsement list has grown longer. Aamir Khan, who paid Rs 6 crore last year, released only one film, Taare Zameen Par , and is known to have taken the distribution rights as part of his remuneration. He has paid advance taxes worth Rs 3 crore.

While Amitabh Bachchan paid Rs 8 crore in income tax last year, his advance tax payment until December 15, 2007 was only Rs 1.8 crore. Bachchan, who is said to have upped his fee in 2008, is no more among the highest paid actors but his endorsement roster is still a blue-chip one.

Among those who have paid a high advance tax this fiscal are Akshay Kumar (Rs 7 crore, although there have been media reports in the recent about the actor paying tax of Rs 26 crore) and Himesh Reshammiya (Rs 2.5 crore). The singer charges Rs 5.5 crore as a composer and actor. Abhishek Bachchan has paid Rs 3.7 crore (much higher than his returns the previous year) while his wife Aishwarya Rai has paid Rs 1.6 crore. Close behind Rai is actor Kareena Kapoor with Rs 1 crore in advance tax.

On the corporate entertainment front, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Pvt Ltd paid advance taxes worth Rs 70 crore. They have done the maximum buying of films in 2007 including hits like Om Shanti Om and Taare Zameen Par . Hindustan Thompson was next (Rs 6 crore) followed by Balaji Telefilms (Rs 4.5 crore), Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies (Rs 3 crore) and Amitabh Bachchan’s company AB Corporation (Rs 2.4 crore).

Eros Entertainment, which bought the worldwide distribution rights of Om Shanti Om for a whopping Rs 70 crore from Shah Rukh Khan, had deducted Rs 7 crore in tax deducted at source in this transaction alone.

Times Of India

Shah Rukh takes KKR higher

Pakistan all-rounder Yasir Arafat has signed up with Shah Rukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders for the second edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to held in April next year.

Arafat, who plays for Kent in the English county, confirmed that he was approached by the Kolkata team and had accepted the offer after getting clearance from the Pakistan Cricket Board.

"They (Knight Riders) approached me and I was keen to join because it was owned by Shah Rukh Khan. The team has got many exciting players in it," said Arafat, who is having a successful season with Kent in Twenty20 form of the game.

Arafat hails from Rawalpindi, the same city from where pacers Shoaib Akhtar and Sohail Tanvir belong.

Hindustan Times