SRK goes house-hunting

Shooting for Billoo Barber in Pollachi was not easy for Lara Dutta. The actress, who has returned from Delhi after receiving the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial award, says it was one of the most difficult schedules of her life.

We actors are quite spoilt as far as basic comforts go. Forget luxury hotels, there were no decent accommodations in Pollachi, Tamil Nadu. It was just very basic."

Billoo producer Shah Rukh Khan is obliged to Lara for stepping in for the project when every leading lady from Bipasha to Ameesha turned him down. The actress reveals that he took charge of Lara's accommodation.

"When Shah Rukh got to know there were no proper hotels in Pollachi, he personally made inquiries about where I could stay. He found out about this super old plantation-styled South Indian home where we'd be comfortable. SRK himself scouted around personally for this place. He then went to the house and checked it out before we moved there. It was really sweet. No producer would do this. They'd make you stay in whatever was available. SRK was fabulous."

To add to her woes, Lara also found a huge poisonous snake in her room one day. "I'm not really scared of snakes. I've come across some in my time. But the whole surprise and excitement of finding one was quite something."

The worst was yet to come. Says Lara, "We couldn't travel by car or bus. We had to travel on a tractor. The locals had a field day watching me and Shah Rukh swish by, in a tractor. It was quite an experience for me to travel in a tractor in a sari, an entertainment beyond the screen," Lara laughs heartily.

All this roughing out was just what Lara's role required. "These things keep you on your toes as an actor." Billoo Barber was a first for Lara on many counts, "I had never worked with Shah Rukh or Irrfan Khan. It's essentially Irrfan's film. He's such a subtle actor, I had to change my acting style completely."

No clash between BILLOO BARBER and DOSTANA!

Off late there has been a lot of speculation about Shah Rukh Khan's home production, the Priyadarshan directed BILLOO BARBAR, releasing alongside Karan Johar's Tarun Mansukhani directed DOSTANA. However, as per our reliable trade and distribution sources, there is not even an ounce of truth in that.
Those who have been following our regular release updates will know that DOSTANA, starring Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham and Priyanka Chopra, is releasing on November 14th, Children's Day, while BILLOO BARBER (featuring Irfaan Khan in the title role) is coming on Diwali (24th October). And that is precisely how things stand as of this moment. So, there is no question of a clash between good friends, Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan's projects.

While on the Diwali week releases, the line up (BILLOO BARBER, HEROES and ROADSIDE ROMEO) no longer has the GOLMAAL sequel, GOLMAAL RETURNS, as it will now hit the screens on 29th/31st October.

SRK's back at it again

Shah Rukh Khan has been busy shooting for Rab Ne Bana De Jodi in Mumbai for the past week. But the King Khan's back is troubling him again so he could not shoot today.

A source close to actor says, "His back pain is giving him trouble again. He has been continuously shooting for Rab Ne… in Mumbai from 11th of this month. Today, we had a morning shift and he informed us that he could not shoot as he is suffering from a severe back pain."

Adds the source, "Last month he was hurt by a wrestler during the Billo Barber shoot down south. That time too he had to stop the shoot and took a massage treatment. He was advised to have rest after last month's incident. Next month we have to go to Amritsar for the next schedule of this film and then to US for Karan Johar's film for two months. So let's see what happens."

Shah Rukh landed in Mumbai a week back after finishing shooting for his home production Billo Barber. A two-day schedule of the film is still pending which is expected to take place on Aug 28 and 29.

In 2003, SRK was operated for a spinal injury in London and his disk was replaced. His back problem started in 2001 during an action sequence which he did for Shakti, where he did a cameo. He had taken many therapies in meantime which did not prove beneficial for him, so finally doctors advised him to go through this surgery. SRK recovered quickly and was back in action.

Both Rab Ne… and Billo Barber are expected to release at the end of the year.

The reason behind SRK's dignified silence

Much has been written about the Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan fight on the night of Katrina Kaif’s birthday party. While Salman has gone about town talking about their differences, SRK has strangely maintained a silence on the issue.

It was said that SRK chose to remain quiet because he was deeply hurt by Salman’s outbursts. However, the truth is that he has been nursing a back injury that he suffered during the shooting of his home production Billoo Barber.

A few years back (2003), SRK had suffered from major back problems and had to go through a life threatening operation for the same. Reportedly, had he not undergone the surgery, there would have been chances of his left hand getting paralysed. During the surgery there was also a possibility of irreparable nerve damage. Thankfully, the operation was successful. But he was asked not to indulge in any kind of exercise.

So when Farah Khan wanted him to do a topless item song for Main Hoon Na, SRK had to turn her down as he was not in the best of shape. But later, he made up for it by flaunting his six-packs in the song, Dard-e-Disco in their next film Om Shanti Om. SRK says, “Yes, I have a bit of an injury in the back.”

About his recent misunderstanding with Salman, he says, “I’ve nothing much to say on the issue than what has already been written. I have too much work to finish—Billoo Barber and Yash Raj Films’ Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.”

Shubha Shetty Saha, DNA India

King Khan in White House

Karan Johar, the producer-director of My Name is Khan was recently in the US location hunting. And also to apply for permission to shoot at the White House, the residence of US president George Bush; and other presidents before him.

If KJo pulls it off, it will be the first time an Indian movie will be shot on what's easily the only location in the world with the tightest security.

An industry source reveals, "Bollywood producers want to offer something new to the audiences. Snoop Dogg was seen in Singh Is Kinng, Sajid Nadiadwala has roped in Holly star Sylvester Stallone for his next, and Ajay Devgan brought in an action director from the US for Toonpur Ka Superhero. The makers want to bring the two cultures and cinematic sensibilities together for the better. However, in My Name Is Khan, the White House is not merely a decoration but an integral part of the script. The film is based on the problems faced by a Muslim man (played by Shah Rukh Khan) living in America."

Karan has applied for permission to shoot in and around the area. Even big Hollywood makers don't really get this level of permission easily. And if Johar pulls this off for this shoot, it will be quite an achievement.

The director, who just returned from the US a couple of days back, admits, "I'm currently working on pre- production. The story of my film takes the lead actors from San Francisco to LA and eventually to Washington DC. I am trying to figure out permissions including locations in and around Washington. I still have a lot of time till I achieve these permissions as I only start the shoot of the movie from February next year."

The spokesperson for the Nation Security Unit in the US says, "It's next to impossible to shoot anything in the White House. Especially if you are not a US citizen. One cannot shoot on the grounds. But various people have shot their movies outside the grounds (outside the gates of the White House) to which we have no control over."

Amul Sharma, Mid-Day