"I feel I am the most looked after person in the world," - King Khan

Of these 42 years, 18 have been spent maintaining a super successful career in Bollywood.

When he was young, Shah Rukh Khan thought life gets over in the 40s.

But now that he is there, he doesn’t feel it’s any big deal. “I feel more stronger and enthusiastic today. In fact, when I play with my kids’ friends, I don’t use age as a criteria to perform less. I still think I can beat kids half my age at half the things I do, physically I mean. Age has become a number for me now. It doesn’t matter that a few more grey strands have come. I always had grey hair which I have been dyeing for the last five years. I feel I am the most looked after person in the world,” said King Khan who turns 42 today.

Of these 42 years, 18 have been spent maintaining a super successful career in Bollywood.

At this stage in his life, does he feel he has seen and done it all? “I don’t look at age as a reason for making more intelligent and wiser decisions. I don’t think what I did earlier was wrong and what I do now is right. It’s the wrongest notion that older people are smarter and wiser, I feel they are just older. In the film industry, someday I read I am ruling more, some days less, someday a younger star has toppled me. I think I am beyond all this now. But yes, it’s been 18 years and people say I have been the King of Bollywood, and I like it. I am not pompous but I don’t know how it feels not to be successful. For me, there’s always been one way and that is success. So I don’t know how it’s not to be the King of Bollywood. I feel it’s my birthright now,” admitted SRK.

What was his take on Akshay Kumar, whose box office position was being compared to his own? “Akshay is the most viable star in the country now,” admitted Shah Rukh.

“He’s doing more prolific work, giving more hits, he’s not just good looking and focussed, but really hard working too. I am very fond of him. I have known him for years now. Today, the concept of a single star ruling seems to be slowly phasing out. It’s like a league of movie stars, all very secure, happy, singing, dancing. It’s beautiful. Aamir, Salman, Akshay and I, we are all big stars today. It’s like tennis ranking. One Grand Slam, and there you go. But the commercial success of others never makes me feel any lesser or more successful. God isn’t there only to give Shah Rukh Khan everything, in fact he shouldn’t be giving only me.”

Is he upset that Chak De! India did not make it to the Oscars? “I am happy with the Filmfare award. The Oscar is not something that I will cry about. If I get it, good, if not — it’s ok,” said SRK. At 42, he has made six pack abs a trend. Of this, the Bollywood Badshah said, “I know people have been saying that I got it through special effects, surgery, and steroids, but I know how much hard work I put into this. When I was working out, I thought, I can’t have bigger biceps than Salman, a stronger chest than John or even wider shoulders than Hrithik, so I said why not concentrate on my abs. See, I have a very oriental kind of physique, like Bruce Lee, so I guess it’s standing out.”

Afsana Ahmed, TNN