Shahrukh has learnt his lessons in media relations well

The weekend was a somber one - Laaga Chunari Mein Daag and Bhool Bhulaiyaa are no comic capers, so entertainment came from unexpected quarters - Shah Rukh Khan's witticism at HT's leadership summit.

There was no dearth of quotable quotes, politically correct or otherwise, from SRK. Ruling out a move to politics, he said, “I'm too materialistic, too selfish, and too capitalistic. Besides, I'm too good looking.”

He also enlisted for the media's support by playing patriotic “I use the media when I have a film coming up-like now. Om Shanti Om will be competing against a Sony Columbia - Tri-star film, so I have told the media that I don't have 30 or 40 crores to spend on the publicity like Sony and I have asked them, “Will you help me?”

The timing is significant-the two films Om Shanti Om and Saawariya are slated for Diwali release and SRK, always ahead of the pack, has learnt his lessons in media relations well. It could be that playing Kabir Khan in Chak De! India reiterated the advantage of playing the underdog or it could be that he learnt from the outrage that follows a skirmish with the media. Either ways, the actor / producer is not taking a chance.

Becoming accessible to friends and favorites in the media around the time of a film's release is de rigueur- even the most elusive, reluctant star, to borrow a phrase from Dickens, “is willing,” Nothing new about that except the clever bit making appear as though requesting their support. And then pitching himself - a passionate actor / film maker - against the invaders. It works like a charm.

True to his word, Khan has gone to town using every available platform to wax eloquent about his six - pack, why and how he acquired them, the brand new heroine of his film Deepika Padukone and all else related to his forthcoming film. Reality show round have been done by both the OSO and Saawariya teams and there was recently even a fashion show devoted to the former.

Whether it is the war of words between Bhansali and Farah Khan and Deepaika Padukone's liaison with Ranbir Kapoor, all news related to these two films has been chronicled in great detail. So far, the media footage for both the films has almost been equal but as the release date draws close, the blitzkrieg is likely to get even more intense.

At present the scales certainly tilt in favor of OSO, what with SRK's witty rejoinders and director Farah Khan's humorous asides and behind-the-scenes anecdotes. And of course, the six-pack abs. Unfortunately, the how-Sanjay sir-tutored-and-trained-me lines don't appear to be working quite as well, Neither do Sonam's drastic weight- loss saga (though she could well turn out to be the scene-stealer) or that bit about Ranbir dropping the towel. Maybe they need to give their publicity campaign a new spin-the suggestion of a romance between the actors is ruled out since they have already declared themselves childhood friends. Perhaps a story about a fictitious rivalry or some such would help? Or they could take a cue from the keep-them-guessing couples John-Bipasha and Kareena-Shahid.

As till the time the films are released, my vote for the most entertaining publicity campaign could certainly go to OSO.

Screen India

Shah Rukh Khan : The One Man Revolution

Can you be hot at 40?

Definitely, and Shah Rukh Khan has just proved it.

The actor who until now was famous for his Raj and Rahul roles, has done a U-turn and now flaunts a fabulous lean physique and an enviable six-pack. And this has not just increased his fan following, but has also motivated people slipping into mid-life to pump iron and acquire hot bods of their own.

After Shah Rukh's six-pack, I've enrolled 30 clients who're in their 40s and want to look like SRK. And because of the demand, I've developed a new fitness regimen for people in this age bracket called the lean mean machine workout, says fitness expert Naren K. The workout is aimed at developing a lean, well-toned body without much strain.

At 40, you need to follow a stricter diet and exercise. So without causing much stress or strain to the body, I put my clients on a high protein and low carb diet. The workouts are structured in a way that you don't build muscles, but sport a lean look,” it's very in right now, says Naren.

Fitness and aerobics trainer Santosh Kumar has also seen an increase in his client base following SRK's latest avatar. Theres always been a demand for flat abs, but a six-pack has always been a dream for most men. But after King Khan developed a six-pack, many of them have become confident and have ventured out to get a six-pack,says Santosh.

So can anyone acquire a six-pack?
Of course, but there are certain criteria. Firstly, some people are genetically pre-disposed for one, while others are not. So these people need to take in additional sports supplements to build their core muscle mass, he says. And secondly, always consult a physician before going in for vigorous training . ” Its preferable because at 40, your body isn't as receptive as 20, says Santosh.

And what about the side effects? There will be no side effects as long as you've consulted the doctor, work under a trained instructor, workout regularly and stay away from stimulants,cautions Santosh.

But, according to fitness programmer Wanitha Ashok. SRK adopted a fast-track approach. I'd advise people to be realistic, set practical goals and follow the instructions of their trainer. You also need to balance your diet and workout according to your body type. If there's sincerity and hard work, you could have a six-pack in a year,? she says.

TimesofIndia

Om Shanti Om ties up with Lycra MTV style awards

Lycra MTV style awards announced a tie up with the most eagerly awaited movie of the year- Om Shanti Om. King Khan, director Farah Khan, gorgeous Deepika Padukone, versatile Shreyas Talpade and the debonair Arjun Rampal will show their distinctive style statements on the October 25 at LYCRA, MTV Style Awards 2007. Designer Manish Malhotra will be showcasing his retro theme, inspired by his Om Shanti Om.

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"If Shah Rukh wants me to promote OSO, I will." - Salman

"Shah Rukh is promoting Om Shanti Om in a big way — so why not? After all, he is the producer of the film.

I also feature in Om Shanti Om in a song, if Shah Rukh wants me to promote OSO, I will (laughs). I am pretty cool about all this, I have no qualms doing it and talking about the other project which also releases on the same day. I hope it does well too."

Mid-DayMumbai

Shah Rukh Khan - An Australian Perspective

n November 2003 I picked up a program for Australia’s first Indian Film Festival and was astonished to find that every second film described in the booklet starred Shah Rukh Khan.

My nephew and I joked about the prospect of there being only one actor in India. At that stage I didn’t know that the demand for films in India exceeds the number of stars available.

I didn’t know that Khan, one of India’s biggest stars - was affiliated with Yashraj Productions who had linked up with a local distributor. I also had no idea how much I would enjoy Bollywood cinema. At the time I needed something uplifting so I chose to see Dil ToPagal Hai because it was described as being a light film with “great song and dance numbers and a good looking cast”. I recognized Khan immediately as the actor who advertised shampoo on Indonesian TV. Dil To Pagal Hai was only the second Bollywood film I had seen; the first had been Raja Hindustani which I’d watched on TV. Both films left me with the same impression - that of insignificant story-lines but top-notch acting. I remember thinking that Khan was an odd choice for a romantic lead because Akshay Kumar was more conventionally good-looking but as the film progressed I became caught up in Khan’s performance and his appearance became strangely beguiling.

Since that first festival I have watched many Bollywood films, passing my favourite DVDs on to a friend who has watched them with her 13 year old son. After a while I saw a pattern emerging – her son would ask if the DVDs I’d bring had Shah Rukh Khan in them. They were obviously his favourites. When asked why he thought Khan was a good actor Arthur thought for a bit then said “he plays diverse characters like the hero, the bad guy, the stupid guy…” The last type mentioned probably refers to Khan’s portrayal of naïve characters such as Babloo (Duplicate) and Vijay (Don).

I’d have to agree though, Khan is a versatile actor with an impressive range. From slapstick to tragedy, from commercial films to arthouse ventures; from the mannered to the more natural and understated, he has crossed genres, styles and garnered a large fan-base from beyond the diaspora.

In her book King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema, film critic Anupama Chopra includes a comment made by Ashutosh Gowariker about Khan’s early approach to acting - “If there was an emotion given to him he would multiply it twenty times.” The skill of overacting is often denigrated and considered to be cheesy or rather low-brow. Yet not all actors can overact well. To express the operatic highs and lows – the emotional excesses of masala films and melodramas is an underrated art. Large displays of emotion and gesture whether in villainous or heroic mode, sit comfortably within Khan’s repertoire. So comfortably that he was able to draw public sympathy for his portrayal of a villain in Baazigar (1993). As Chopra puts it “even as Shah Rukh slaughtered innocents, the audience was firmly on his side. As he murdered, they clapped.” A similar show of public support occurred for his portrayal of a self-mutilating stalker in Darr (1993).

Tears, blood, anguish, bravado and running – lots of running, were common features of his earlier films among them – Deewana (1992), Karan-Arjun (1995), Chaahat (1996) and Koyla (1997). Apart from acting in these unsophisticated melodramas, there were also "clown-roles" where Khan amplified his characters to create cartoon-like caricatures in films like Chatmatkar (1992), Oh Darling Yeh Hai India (1995) and Duplicate (1998).

An emphasis on external show was almost a prerequisite for the types of commercial films Khan was doing earlier in his career. A good actor accommodates himself to the director’s vision of the film. Director Shimit Amin (Chak De!) has recently likened working with Khan to “driving a luxury car” while Gowariker (Swades) has referred to him as an obedient actor.

Quite early in his career – in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1995), Khan showed that he could play a more complex character responding to situations arising from the story itself rather than being driven by stereotype.

However these were not the films the Indian public was choosing to see. The failure of Dil Se (1998) at the box-office in India testifies to the fact that audiences wanted escapist fare. And so the directors of these popular but none-too-subtle extravaganzas set the boundaries for many of Khan’s early performances.

Anupama Chopra makes many illuminating connections between Khan’s work and social and economic changes taking place in India in the 90s. Rapid modernization, a growing middle class and an urban focus made Bollywood reconsider the types of images it was projecting and a more “youthful” cinema was born. Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar were in their 20s when they directed the films that made Khan a superstar. The Raj-Rahul roles which have defined him have also created interest in Bollywood across the globe.

In Australia - Bollywood has three faces. There’s Aamir Khan in Lagaan – a popular film with cricketers and filmbuffs. Aishwarya Rai is recognised for Bride and Prejudice which many Australians erroneously believe to be a Bollywood film.

And there’s Shah Rukh Khan as Raj-Rahul or Devdas because he is the Bollywood actor that we most often see on our TV and cinema screens.

Khan’s roles in the Yashraj and Dharma romantic melodramas play out like one extended performance. Although Khan is a successful, well adjusted yuppy in all of them, the films themselves are more relationship focussed than a lot of his earlier work so that interactions between characters appear more complex and natural.

I refer to scenes like the one in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1996) when Raj questions Simran about her views on marriage crossing the line between comfortable curiosity and vested interest as he presses her to admit that her arranged marriage could be a loveless misery.

Or the scene in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) when Rahul and Anjali are reunited years after a rift in their adolescent friendship.The emotional complexity of that reunion is beautifully communicated by Khan and Kajol as the characters move from awkwardness to familiarity; from shyness to an awareness of deeper feelings within a matter of minutes! In these scenes there are some challenging transitions which could have collapsed in lesser hands.

Khan is older and times are changing. It’s not so much that he has grown as an actor but more to do with audiences seeing different facets of his talent as bought out in the current wave of issues films. The sorts of roles that are being written for him now seem to be moulding him into a champion of good causes – Indo-Pak relations, women’s issues and patriotism to mention a few.

His acting style has changed in keeping with the more naturalistic feel of these films. It was not surprising that Khan could channel a sustained sense of despair in the operatic tragedies of Asoka (2001) and Devdas (2002).

Earlier films such as Dil Se and Mohabbatein clearly demonstrated that he could project a deep sense of melancholy. The real surprises have come more recently in Swades (2004) and Chak de India (2007) - in Khan’s restrained portrayals of men who feel deeply but are more guarded in the way they express themselves. Swades is the story of an NRI who comes home. In it there is a wonderful progression of scenes that shows Khan internalizing the character’s feelings. It begins with the playful dhoti tying scene where his lighter comedic talents are fully utilized in a suggestive manner – with inflections and slight changes in body language. This is followed by at scene which centres upon a panchayat meeting where the village elders quiz Mohan (Khan) about life in America. He begins in an articulate controlled way then slowly loses it as he recalls suffering witnessed in the darkness of a farmer’s hut. A subtle personal journey takes place and a refined performance makes it possible.

Anupama Chopra quotes Khan as saying "There is not going to be some new revelation, another layer when this layer is over." When asked whether she believed Khan’s statement Chopra said “No, Chak De just proves that it’s not true. Shah Rukh’s always been very self-deprecating and the first one to say “I have only 5 expressions” and that kind of thing…I think there is a lot more to come.”

From where I sit in "far flung" Australia – I hope this is true.

PlanetBollywood