Shah Rukh Khan shares his dreams

Big screen heartbreaker, badshah of brands, doting dad and businessman - Shah Rukh Khan seems comfortable in most real life roles he has to play.

While most of his counterparts have been courting Hollywood, Shah Rukh has been adding finishing touches to his films (Shimit Amin’s Chak De! India and Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om), has just come home with a French honour (Officier dans l’ Ordre des Arts des Lettres - a first for an Indian actor), will have his statue installed at French Graven Museum in Paris very soon and might even get to meet Queen Elizabeth for the London premiere of a film.

The man who’s always in news, comes out of his self-imposed exile (he makes public appearances only when a movie is about to release or he has to promote a brand he’s endorsing) and in an interview with AT, he admits that after doing “a lot of work in the last decade because my heart said ‘yes’ and I’m no longer in the phase where I do a film because it has action or romance.

The script decides things for me.” In his newest flick, Shah Rukh even moves away from his larger-than-life image, and works with 16 newcomers. “Even after 18 years in the profession, I learnt a lot from the newcomers - their rawness, desire to work hard and passion to excel touches you.

And contrary to reports in the media, director Shimit (Amin) and I had no fallout - I’ve known him since our Asoka days, he’s very bright,” he says.

While most of B-town’s superstars have little business sense, SRK is reported to have sold the worldwide rights of OSO for a whopping Rs 75 crore, is in talks with Anuradha Prasad to co-produce TV shows and has mega plans for the Red Chillies VFX wing.

I wish I was getting that amount for OSO, though I admit that thanks to the many avenues, like satellite and music rights, producers get to earn more money from films. In 2004, Main Hoon Na opened to Rs 5 crore, today most films make more money than that in the first weekends. As for TV, Anu is an old friend and she wants me to produce a show for her TV channel. So I have asked my Red Chillies team to make a presentation in November about TV shows and we’ll take it from there.”

SRK who’d once planned a film studio in Mumbai sounds disheartened when he says “that’s not happening anymore. Land’s very expensive in Mumbai and I can’t afford it. I am very satisfied with the VFX and we at Red Chillies have been doing (Main Hoon Na, Paheli, Don, Honeymoon Travels, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, OSO, Chak De) -we are just about breaking even and aren’t in the profit mode yet.

I want to attract work for us from outside. The problem is that final VFX assimilation in India works out to be very expensive and needs visualisers. I am planning a film with Shankar and we’ll be looking at lots of VFX for that. I want to give back to the industry by improving the quality of special effects.”

SRK claims he owes his new trim avatar to “a regular workout regime to combat a nagging backpain and to please son Aryan. I can never look like a hunk, but being fit helps. I didn’t lose weight for a film, it just happened over a period of time.” As talk veers to his relationship with Amitabh Bachchan, SRK confesses that he’s no longer “upset with idle gossip anymore.

There never was any friction between us. Recently Mr Bachchan sent me a branded jacket after I won the French award and I sent him one too. We keep interacting with each other. There never has been any awkwardness between us.”

Once the greasepaint comes off, SRK likes to read, play football with friends, play games on his laptop, teach his children, attend their sports/annual day functions and plans his work schedule “according to their vacation.” On his wishlist are: “a happy, healthy life for my children, lots of good work for me, the latest i-phone, some land for my studio and more hours in a day.

Otherwise I am fairly content, reasonably well-paid and think God’s been partial to me. Amen to that.

Source: Timesofindia

Reading about my life would be very boring: Shah rukh khan

King Khan in Conversation with Princy Jain

Cut to Yashraj studio. On ground level, he's shooting for Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om and has already made trips to the lounge on the first floor. He smiles that deep smile of his, settles down with a cuppa, puts on his spectacles.. and yeah, so here's Shah Rukh Khan in a sporty conversation with Princy Jain

Sixteen new girls as your co-stars in Chak de India.. this must be a first.

After working for so many years, one becomes a little mechanical. The girls had never acted before. They would say their lines of dialogue in a completely unexpected manner.

It was strange for a while but then they sounded so very right. Often, I would say my lines, and asked them to react. It was all very unlikely and new.

Some of them must be your fans.. right?

Before the shoot, we had several reading sessions which made things casual between us. The girls must have been about five or six when they saw my films. They would seek my advice. During fun moments, they would kiss and hug me. We became co-actors.

Did you learn to play hockey? Or is that acting?

The game's not new for me, I used to play hockey in school. But when I played for the film, I sucked,I was really awful. I have no stamina left.. the technique of hockey has changed. Astro Turf itself is very tiring.

It's often said, "SRK decides his role and films.

That's incorrect. I am not one of those actors who goes to a filmmaker, gets myself cast and then become a ghost director.It's shameful to accept but this, I thought I would be able to beat these girls but they kicked my butt. While playing with them, I realised that it would be better if I use my status as a superstar and not practise at all.. (laughs) To be honest, I did Chak de because I wanted to play hockey. Since I lead a very protected life, it was very refreshing to be on the ground.. to feel the air brushing my and sweat trickling down my body. It was like getting a few days of freedom which I know of, but have not lived for many years.

Earlier, if I could run for 10 km, now I can't go on for even three or four km. But it's still so very important to have some sports in your life. I play soccer every Sunday now.

For years, you have been a conventional lover boy with crazy hair and moist eyes. Of late you have been experimenting with your looks and characters. Why?

I am just an actor. It's often said, "SRK decides his role and films." That's incorrect. I am not one of those actors who goes to a filmmaker, gets myself cast and then become a ghost director. I am an employee of my director and producers.

So if Amol Palekar asked me to grow a moustache, I did that. In Don, Farhan (Akhtar) wanted a stylish look, so I followed his instructions.

Here too, (director) Shimit Amin and Adi (producer Aditya Chopra) said, "You have never had beard." So I said, "Let's do it." But these are minor points. A look makes no difference. SRK will always remain the actor he is.

How did it go with the beard? You have always been clean-shaven.

Oh, a beard's very scratchy. When you wake up in the morning and take a bath, you still don't feel clean. I'm not used to a beard because I shave every day . You wash your face and water sticks to your beard. It's very stressful. Also, I have grey in my beard and I have to keep dyeing it. It sticks on your skin, so it's not a very good pleasant experience. I hope I don't have to grow a beard for another couple of years at least.

Have you read your biography by Anupama Chopra.. are you satisfied with it?

I haven't read it. Anu did offer me a peep into the manuscript but I refused. I guess reading about my life would be very boring. Also I told her that if I do read it, I will want to change it. So I'm fine with the way it is.

But certain chapters talk about your links with the underworld. Are you fine with that?

It would be unfair to hamper anyone's creativity I have read Anu's other books, I have full faith in her. The book is about me.. and Bollywood through my eyes.

It's not about the underworld. I have received feedback from all corners of the world, saying it makes for an interesting read. I guess that's more important than anything else.

Can the SRK brand value make a film succeed?

I don't know. Chak De India doesn't have anything that works conventionally in the Indian film industry It doesn't have a heroine, there's no romantic angle, no songs. It does have 16 new girls, which is kind of unique.

The SRK brand can't make a film good or bad. I have not created any brand for myself. Other brands have made SRK the brand he is. Every film I do takes away a part of my life.It does have Shah Rukh which is okay but even his films have failed. So even that can go wrong. A good film is a good film. The SRK brand can't make a film good or bad. I have not created any brand for myself. Other brands have made SRK the brand he is. Every film I do takes away a part of my life. The brand SRK might not be that significant but that part of my life is. For that, I would want the film to have some moments of good cinema.

So as in sport, cinema is all about winning..isn't it?

No, it's not all about winning.. or losing. It's more about team spirit for the nation. Patriotism is not about praying for India to win and Pakistan to lose. That's a wrong perception.. and it needs to be changed.

Source: HindustanTimes

Anubhav to sign Shah Rukh and Sunny Deol for his next films

The buzz is that SRK is quite kicked about working with Anubhav and although things have not been finalised there are chances of the King Khan giving the nod, especially since it is a story he likes.
He's already made a mark for himself with his stylish films, and it was only a matter of time before he signed up the A-grade lot. And director Anubhav Sinha has done just that.

He's now talking to none other than Shah Rukh and Sunny Deol for his next films.

Also, Sunny could be in the running for another film. Imagine what Sinha can do with the likes of these two awesome actors - now if you see Sunny and SRK stylishly bashing up the baddies, you'll know it's Anubhav running the show!

Source: Timesofindia

Shah rukh khan's Chak De India to premier on 09 Aug 2007 at Somerset Hall, London

Yashraj Films has invited Queen Elizabeth II to the premier of their film Chak De India on 09 Aug 2007 at Somerset Hall, London. The queen is yet to respond to the invitation.

The film starring Shah Rukh Khan, is loosely based on the story of the former Indian hockey goalkeeper Mir Ranjan Negi who, having faced opprobrium for having conceded goals in a crucial India – Pakistan match during Asiad 82, redeemed his lost honor as a coach of the country's women's hockey team

"We expressed our desire to have the Queen over for the premiere to the London Mayor Ken Livingstone. He has communicated our message to her and we have sent her a formal invitation. If all goes well she will be gracing the premiere," a reliable source from the production company told The Mumbai Mirror.

Shilpa Shetty's participation in the Big Brother reality show and her stoic handling of the racial barbs aimed at her by other house participants during the show has sparked new interest in India and things Indian, prompting the London Mayor and Indian tourism department to organize a three-month-long festival focused on Indian art, theatre, music, films, food, fashion and business.

Source: MumbaiMirror