King Khan to direct Chak De India sequel

For a change Shah Rukh will be following Aamir's footsteps. Aamir has already turned a director, and now Shah Rukh will be directing the sequel to Chak De India. It is rumoured SRK's directorial debut will not be produced by the Yashraj banner, but by SRK's company Red Chillies Entertainment. Apart from playing producer and director, SRK will also act in the film.

A source from the industry who's reputed to be close to SRK, mentioned, "The idea of making a sequel came to SRK after seeing the success of Chak De India at the box office. SRK will be meeting Yash Chopra to obtain the necessary consent. The sequel begins with SRK marrying one of the girls from the team. The film will also revolve around women's hockey. The shooting is to begin from the middle of the next year".

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I'm A National Obsession : Shah Rukh Khan

Last week, a company sent its private jet for Shahrukh Khan, so he could grace its function. In the unlikely event of Khan needing confirmation of his regal status in the Indian Mindspace, the jet provides it at his doorstep. The upgradation in the mode of transport is a happy fallout of the success of his latest movie, Om Shanti Om. A success which made SRK exclaim to the world, "I'm priceless." The trouble is, though his recent statements make Khan sound like a case of acute megalomania, they are true.

It's doubtful if there is any other Indian actor who is so obsessed with pleasuring his viewers into submission—a unique relationship for a male star to cultivate with his audiences and not very unlike the one a prostitute with a reputation might have with her select clientele. Khan, more than any other male star in India, sees himself as an object, an image.

He was recently quoted saying, "I see myself as an employee of an image that's being created on screen. Shahrukh the celebrity is my boss. I would say that I am Shahrukh Khan's agent, secretary, celebrity manager. I work very hard to ensure he stays at the top." Clearly, Khan's is a world that begins and ends with himself. A hermetically sealed universe of one. As he said recently, "Love me or leave me." Why is no other kind of relationship possible with him? Because he is successful. So love him if you are smart. There are many who do in Bollywood and profit by it.

Khan himself is a smart cookie. It's not just the kind of the movies he masterminds, which are in themselves sentimental exercises in affected goodness and melodramatic self-sacrifice at the altar of friendship, love or hockey. They are meant to milk the tear glands and bring out the saint in the average upwardly mobile Indian, who in actual life, in all probability, does not care a hoot about such emotions, so long as he finishes first.

Khan is smart outside the studio floor as well. He is by far the most savvy media strategist in Bollywood. For the kind of omnipotent success Khan aims at, he knows that it's not enough that he sell his products. He needs to dominate the mindspace of the audience. It's a bit like wanting to be, well, God. Khan's efforts have paid off. As he observed last week, "I am a national obsession."

Bollywood is a fantasy factory. Its products do not seek to explain the world around you. Even in this age of high jinks and disintegrating distractions, art is still generally associated the world over with the need for the human being to have his life explained to him. Bollywood has gaily abdicated that function. The result is a freedom of sorts. Khan is aware of it: "Intellect and logic," he says in an interview, "should be left at the doorstep of filmmaking". And no movie in recent times has done it with more chutzpah than Om Shanti Om, which is a catch bag of all formulaic Bollywood themes, romance, revenge, jaw-dropping item numbers, dowry death, rebirth and happy ending.

Much of the movie's magic flies out like butterflies from the great floral eyes of the debutant heroine Deepika Padukone, whose incandescent retro-looks are a challenge to the forced, sexed-up mask that, say, a Sushmita Sen wears to pitch herself into the audience's libidinous affections.

Yet in scale and conception, the film is all Khan. His overreaching ambition, though, is disproportionate to his severe limitations as an actor. In a rare moment of humility, he once said he had only "three to five emotions" in his repertoire—and these rely entirely on the muscles around his mouth. The eyes express nearly nothing. This is a man who loves to talk, talk, talk. And he is ready to back it with his abs. The incredible thing is that whether curling his lips or crunching his abs, Khan has pulled it off.And so we keep talking about him. And so does he.

C.P.Surendran, outlookindia.com

SRK's Wedding Affair to Remember

SRK is in huge demand for anything and everything in the world - be it films, brand endorsements, product launches, events or performances at weddings.

And while audiences have accepted him in possibly every medium, his performances in weddings has found strange reactions from many. While some feel it’s too cheap for someone of the caliber of the King Khan to dance at anybody’s wedding, others are of the opinion that Shah Rukh will stoop to any levels for a good price.

But the Badshah has his own theory when it comes to performing at weddings. Also he blames media for their half knowledge in reporting since the general masses are of the opinion that Shah Rukh Khan starts dancing in the marriage mandap or on the way, which is far from the truth. The King breaks his silence and speaks at length about his views on the issue.

SRK has a lot of people coming up to him who want him to dance at their son or daughter’s wedding. But there is huge money attached to his performances since Shah Rukh has a huge dignity for labour. And the unbelievably steep price that he quotes has these very people returning with sad and disappointed faces.

But then again Shah Rukh never refuses an offer which he can’t resist. Just like anyone and everyone he puts his mouth where the moolah is. He believes that marriage is the most joyous occasion for a family and isn’t ashamed of being a part of such an occasion provided the monetary gain involved for him is worth it.

And the actor makes his point when he opines that he does not charge for his presence at a wedding but only if he is asked to perform at the venue.

Most don’t find his remuneration feasible but there are exceptions everywhere and industrialist Laxmi Mittal was one amongst them. Shah Rukh goes on to detail about his much talked-about performance at Laxmi Mittal’s daughter’s wedding ceremony. He agreed to it only due to his friendship with the Mittals and the fact that Mr. Mittal had everything arranged in Paris beforehand.

Khan didn’t perform at the wedding, as might be the usual perception, but at a venue close to the wedding. Arrangements were made for an auditorium that could house an audience of 3000 people. SRK even asked Mittal to bear the costs of a troop of dancers (around 100 of them) in addition to a production team and others for the performance. According to Shah Rukh his performance at Laxmi Mittal’s daughter’s wedding resembled the shooting of a song sequence for any big banner film.

Shah Rukh Khan also makes no bones of the fact that he has a list of do’s and don’ts when he agrees to perform at a wedding. As per his rulebook, the show should begin as per the schedule and none are allowed to enter the hall after the show starts. He does not wait for anyone except for the bride and the bridegroom. Moreover once the show has begun Shah Rukh expects everyone to be seated and does not like drinks and food being served during his performances.

Now this wouldn’t sound much different from a performance at an award function night or during a world tour, which is more than acceptable for his fans across the globe.

So then why should anyone have problems with him performing at weddings? Does it still sound that cheap?

IndiaTimesMovies

It was SRK all the way at IFFI opening

The Superstar takes a dig at the BCCI in his inaugural speech grin

Shah Rukh Khan was the cynosure of all eyes at the International Film Festival of India which kicked off in Goa on Friday.

The star was in his elements while taking a dig at his latest detractors, the BCCI. "I want to welcome everyone here," he started off, naming all the dignitaries on the stage and added, "I also want to make a special mention here of all those who play cricket. You see, when I go to watch cricket matches, they think I am promoting my films, so now that I am on a film platform, let me promote cricket," he said to spontaneous laughter from the audience.

SRK was clearly the big draw at what would otherwise have been a staid opening ceremony. "There are so many good filmmakers in the audience, and I wish they would cast me in their films. Of course I am a commercial actor who has sold his soul to flippant story-telling. Also this morning, they have declared me as the sexiest man in Asia, so there goes my last chance of doing serious cinema," he quipped.

Hours before the ceremony got underway, the locals had lined the streets, hoping to catch a glimpse of Shah Rukh. I&B Minister Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, in his speech, was quick to remind the actor that it was "these ordinary people are the ones who make icons, and this festival owes allegiance to them".

The minister also said the government would soon convene a plenary session in Mumbai to form a draft policy on piracy.

The 10-day festival has over 200 films from 20 different countries. It kicked off with Romanian film Four Months, Three Weeks and Two Days. The fest will also have a Pakistani film — Khuda Ke Liye — for the first time.

Shilpa Jamkhandikar, dnaindia.com

Shah Rukh Khan inaugurates the 38th IFFI

The 38th International Film Festival of India (IFFI-07) got off to a flying start today at Goa. Noted film actor Shahrukh Khan inaugurated the Festival in the presence of Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri P. R. Dasmunsi and Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Digambar Kamat. The inaugural lamp was lit with the assistance of Priyamani, the rising star of south.

In his remarks, Shahrukh Khan said, “this premier event is a pride of the nation.” Recognizing the contribution of the ordinary man in raising the popularity of cinema, he said “let’s dedicate 38th IFFI to ordinary people.” Shah Rukh further said, “Cinema provides people independence from loneliness and a perceived bond with the celluloid characters. This enlivens the dreams and a course to look up to. Through the medium of cinema we try to reach out to others crossing cultural barriers.”

India Times Movies

Berlin Film Festival invites 'Om Shanti Om'

CNN-IBN's Entertainment Editor, Rajeev Masand, caught up with King Khan at the International Film Festival of India and quizzed him about everything from Om Shanti Om to being voted the sexiest man in Asia.

Rajeev Masand: You've been a cine freak all your life, so did you attend a lot of film festivals when you were in Delhi and when you were training to be an actor, during your growing up days?

Shah Rukh Khan: Yes, earlier in Delhi, there used to be a lot of international festivals and they used to be competitive. But I never attended as an invited guest. I used to be one of the ushers. The theatre groups used to give us between Rs 50 and Rs 100 for ushering people inside. This is the first time I have been invited to a film festival.

Rajeev Masand: Very few people know that your latest film, Om Shanti Om has been invited by the Berlin Film Festival. Are you going there in February?

Shah Rukh Khan: I don't have the details but yes, that is what our international film distributor said, that we have been invited.

Rajeev Masand: It's really interesting that a film festival like Berlin, which is meant to be a serious film festival, has invited a film that really celebrates the glory of mainstream masala film making. So is that sort of an indication that Bollywood is becoming immensely popular?

Shah Rukh Khan: Well, I think Om Shanti Om is a seriously funny film so there is a part seriousness there and so I think its okay to go to the Berlin Film Festival and showcase a film like it.

Rajeev Masand: The UK paper, The Eastern Eye, has voted you the sexiest Asian alive. Give me a final word on this.

Shah Rukh Khan: As hard as I am trying to be the chief guest of an international film festival and be serious, you declare me the sexiest Asian and make me look rather flippant again. Just when I thought I could be an actor, you've taken my chance of roles in serious cinema away again. I don't think it's amusing. I get very shy and embarrassed when someone calls me sexy.

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