Kajol All Set To Join Shah Rukh Khan In The US!

It is by now well known that the shooting of Karan Johar's next awaited project, 'My Name Is Khan', has already commenced in Los Angeles, in the US on December 18. Lead actor Shah Rukh Khan has already shot for some important portions, but without his heroine Kajol!

However, fans of the most happening pair of the last decade and-a-half need not despair as Kajol is all set to fly down to US, early next year and join Shah Rukh Khan. Kajol is presently ready to welcome the New Year along with loving hubby Ajay Devgan and darling daighter Nyasa at their farm house in Karjat.

Farhan Akhtar’s financial consultant is Shah Rukh Khan!

Everything that Farhan Akhtar attempts is turning out to be a big success, and one more example of that is his latest foray into the world of television, the innovative and interesting show, Oye, It’s Friday. The show is notching up good TRP’s and getting praises from all who have seen it. But can you guess who was Farhan’s advisor about how things work in the world of television?

Well, it was none other than Farhan’s good friend, Shah Rukh Khan, who is a veteran in the matters pertaining to the small screen. The director, and now hit actor–cum–singer and additionally the successful host of a popular show had called up SRK to seek his advise on money matters (how much to charge for the show). The super–star not only spoke to him about money matters but also gave him make up tips for Oye, It’s Friday and in particular the small screen, which is very different from the way it is applied in films. Needless to add that Farhan was all ears and he paid heed to the advice given to him, and the result can be seen in the show.

Always knew that Shahrukh Khan was a good friend, just like the saying - A friend in need is a friend indeed!

Shah Rukh to feature on ‘Star Plus’ New Year Special

A special program to usher in the New Year on Star Plus titled ‘Mauja Hi Mauja’ will head line Bollywood crowd pullers like Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Salman Khan.

Conceived as a homage to Mumbai police officers who laid down their lives for the safety of Mumbaikers, the program will also feature other stars including Priyanka Chopra, Kangaana Ranaut, Govinda, Madhur Bhandarkar, Shreyas Talpade, Neetu Chandra,Neha Dhupia, Shaan, Himesh Reshammiya, Adnan Sami, Kim Sharma, Jonny Lever, Mona Singh, Hussain and Tina.

Besides performances the fun filled extravaganza will include gags and spoofs.

Tune in to Mauja Hi Mauja-Bollywood Ka Sabse Bada Tamasha on December 31 at 10 pm only on Star Plus.

Shahrukh Khan ventures into TV production

Shahrukh Khan is venturing into TV production with his company Red Chillies Entertainment making an investment in a number of programs for the small screen.

One such show will be hosted by Fashion designer duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla.

“Behind every successful man there is a woman,” goes the saying. And this talk show will prove that with an array of celebrity wives like Gauri Khan , Jaya Bachchan , Suzanne Roshan, Manyatta Dutt, Adhuna Akhtar, Anupama Chopra, Tanya Deol, Kiron Kher and others like Maharani Padmini Devi, Nita Ambani, Neerja Birla and steel tycoon Lakshmi Narayan Mittal’s wife Usha Mittal talking candidly about their lives and what it takes to be the wife of a highly successful man.

The show is named “The First Ladies with Abu Sandeep” and will be aired on channel NDTV Good Times from Jan 3. The first episode will feature Nita Ambani, wife of Mukesh Ambani.

The designer duo said in a press release: “This show is very close to our hearts. Not only are we anchoring it, but we have also designed the sets keeping the theme of the show in mind.”

And for Shahrukh, who is now more of an entrepreneur than an actor, exploring India's Rs.226 billion or Rs. 22,600 crores television industry, which is growing at a rate of 18% since the last five years, is a best bid. In fact, Akshay Kumar too has plans to invest his riches in the television industry.

Apart from this show, Red Chillies Entertainment will also produce a sitcom titled ‘Ghar Ki Baat’ for NDTV Imagine. SRK will also be the line producer of Farah Khan ’s chat show which is set to go on air in March, 2009.

John Abraham loves SRK

John Abraham has fallen in love with Adi Chopra's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. The actor has already watched the film twice and is determined to catch it again.

He cannot stop gushing about SRK's performance in the film and even messaged the actor congratulating him for his Suri act. He still hasn't deleted the message King Khan sent back to him.

An excited John reveals, "I walked in to to watch RNBDJ to see something simple, real; something I had never seen ever before and that is what I got."

The actor takes pains to stress that he went in to watch the movie as an audience and not as a member of the film industry, "Some moments really touched me, like Shah Rukh talking to the mannequin. It is very easy for people to critically point out 25,000 things wrong in a movie, but as an actor, I have done a lot worse. This film was beautiful and I wish people would look at this film and understand that there is a Suri and a Raj in everybody. Adi has got across two sides of a man so beautifully."

About Shah Rukh, John says, "I think Shah Rukh has done such a wonderful job. The problem with all of us is that we put a lot of pressure on ourselves because of a super director and a super actor. I think it was very brave to come out of that and deliver a pure performance. I love Shah Rukh Khan films but as much as I like them, I like Aamir Khan's films too; I love films in general."

Quiz him on not having done a romantic film yet, he says that's changing now, "I am doing a beautiful romantic film with Abbas Tyrewala. It will takes me away from my comfort zone, which is what I have been doing so far. I hope this film will change the perception of the people about the genre of films I am doing."

Tell him that Aamir recently said that he had the best body in the business, and Johnny boy smiles, "Getting a compliment from an Aamir Khan or a Shah Rukh Khan is like getting a certificate from above. I may be fit but when I look at an Aamir Khan and the way he has developed his body just for a role, it scares me. All us actors should take a leaf out of his book and how he has changed cinema in this country."

MY NAME IS KHAN: Niranjan Iyenger turns lyricist

It was way back in June this year that we had broken the news about two splendid scratch tunes in the Karan Johar project, MY NAME IS KHAN, and also their situation in the much anticipated film. And here is more on the subject.

Niranjan Iyenger, the dialogue writer of films like Madhur Bhandarkar's FASHION, Karan Johar's KABHI ALVIDA NA KEHNA and KAL HO NA HO, was once a regular dialogue writer for the Bhatt camp with films like JISM, ROG, PAAP etc. But now Niranjan has turned lyricist and has written two outstanding 'sufi' based compositions for Karan's Shah Rukh Khan–Kajol starrer, MY NAME IS KHAN. The lyrics have already been put to tunes and as per a very reliable film personality who has had the privilege of listening to them, they are simply awesome. Both the songs will be used in the background.

Well, we are sure that the talented and now versatile Niranjan Iyenger, who has proved himself as an able dialogue writer, will surely hit it off as a lyricist too. And he has got the perfect launch vehicle, a Karan Johar film starring Bollywood's global super star, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol!

Shahrukh Khan becoming the 'cameo' king

Isn’t it a pity that one of the superstars of Bollywood was seen more in cameo appearances than leading roles in 2008?

After the release of his home production Om Shanti Om last year, Shahrukh Khan had officially declared himself “unemployed”. At that time he had no projects in hand. So he lapped up a few cameo appearances in movies by directors or producers who were “friends”.

Director Vivek Sharma made SRK play a forgettable role in Bhoothnath while Amitabh Bachchan hogged the limelight. SRK showed his quicksilver dance steps for a song in Krazzy 4 but the movie left the viewers with dumb heads. Producer Vivek Vaswani, a good friend of SRK, extended the actor’s cameo in Dulha Mil Gaya to a second fiddle role and got the movie stuck after SRK refused give more than a few days for the shoot.

Only cameos kept SRK busy until Aditya Chopra knocked on his door and offered him Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi , which has already hit the theatres and is doing fine at the box office.

So in a whole year of 52 Fridays, only one Friday saw SRK playing a full-fledged role, while the likes of Salman Khan and Saif Ali Khan had good number of releases with only a few doing well.

From the way things are looking, it appears that 2009 won’t be much different for SRK.

The first to hit the theatres would be Billu Barber , which is essentially an Irrfan Khan film with SRK having a screen time that’s more than a cameo but a lot less than the leading man’s. ‘Dulha Mil Gaya’, which has been in the making for God knows how long, will finally hit the theatres. And SRK will also do a cameo in Vivek Sharma’s next movie Kal Kisne Dekha which is essentially a launchpad of Jacky Bhagnani (son of producer Vashu Bhagnani) and Vaishali Desai (granddaughter of Manmohan Desai).

The only film that will see SRK in lead role would be Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan in which he plays a man suffering from a milder form of autism. Unless some other director comes up with a script that catches SRK’s fancy, that’s all we may see of SRK on the big screen next year.

Ain’t that a pity? King Khan reduced to a ‘cameo’ king.

Shah Rukh to holiday in Uganda

Shah Rukh Khan is all set to celebrate New Year's Eve with his family in Uganda.

It is also said that Juhi Chawla will also be joining Khan along with her family.

Shah Rukh just finished shooting with Kajol in Los Angeles for Karan Johar's film “My Name is Karan”.

"SRK is a hero, he worked when the city was burning" - Viveck Vaswani

Producer Viveck Vaswani can never forget the support that he got from Shah Rukh Khan during the filming of the last leg of Dulha Mil Gaya schedule that concluded a few days back.

"Shah Rukh Khan is a true hero. He came to do a film for a friend when the city was burning. He had a huge release round the corner (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi) and there were quite a few odds against the film's shoot; still he made it possible", says Viveck Vaswani in a choked tone as he looks forward to filming the last song in February that would make Dulha Mil Gaya ready for release.

"While Shah Rukh Khan stood like a pillar of support, what the entire unit of Dulha Mil Gaya did for me was also simply unimaginable", adds Viveck.

"Sunil Patel - the DoP and Leela Chanda - the Art Director are the real heroes of the Shah Rukh schedule", he reminisces, "They did not sleep for 3 weeks non-stop. They were busy creating a luxury liner, the Port of Spain airport. They were shooting stunts while coordinating helicopters in the climax. They were putting up and dismantling sets even as they were working tirelessly like soldiers. This was commendable in the times when the city was burning with no transport, no trains, no autorickshaws, no shops open, no workers."

"Add to all of this a producer called Viveck Vaswani with barely enough money who was caught in the worst recession time in the industry", he chuckles, "Moreover, the industry too wasn't too kind even as it scoffed at me by stating that Shah Rukh Khan was no more a part of the film; he had walked out etc. etc. Some wish list here!"

He is also extremely happy with his choice of actors in the film, whether it is Sushmita Sen or Fardeen Khan.

"Whether it is Sushmita Sen or Fardeen Khan, they were always on my side. Not once did any actor come late on the sets. Not once did one actor come without lines learnt. Not one actor delayed production by a single minute. And how can I not talk about Mudassar Aziz, my film's director, the hero behind the scenes? He was shooting with a superstar called Shah Rukh Khan with limited time, limited resources, limited everything; and yet he made the film happen."

"There will be four premieres of the film - in Bombay, New Delhi (hosted by the High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago), London (hosted by Angostura) and Port of Spain (hosted by CL communications, the production house which handled the Caribbean leg of the film). There are going to be huge plans for Dulha Mil Gaya ", concludes Viveck in an ambitious tone as his two year work on the film comes near to conclusion.

Exclusive: Khit pit soniye - Billu Barber

Exclusive: Mar Jaani - Billoo Barber

SRK Romances Kajol, Bipasha, Lara, Preity and Rani

'Rab Ne Bana di Jodi' continues to be strong at BO in 2nd week: Yash Raj Films

Shah Rukh Khan starrer 'Rab Ne Bana di Jodi' has continued its successful run at the Box Office in the second week crossing the gross Rs
30 crore mark.

"After grossing a record breaking Rs 90 crore in its first week worldwide, the film has crossed beyond a phenomenal Rs 30 crore gross in its second weekend. This is by far the highest collection, even surpassing 'Dhoom 2' and 'Chak De India', both of which did outstanding business in their second week," a Yash Raj Films spokesperson said here today.

The total collections for 'Rab ne...' in India over the second weekend are Rs 24 crore gross, while the gross collections in the overseas market, where it continues with its tremendous opening week performance, during the same period are around Rs 7.5 crore (USD 1.5 million).

The gross figures for the first ten days are a staggering Rs 120 crore and more, making the film the biggest hit of 2008. With the long Christmas and New Year weekends ahead, the collections are expected to get a major boost, the spokesperson added

SRK’s ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’ makes it to top ten of UK box office

Bollywood movie ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’, which stars Shah Rukh Khan, has made it to the top ten of the weekend UK box office.

The film is currently at the seventh position in the list, which has been topped by Teen vampire movie ‘Twilight’, reports the BBC.

The top ten are:

1. Twilight

2. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

3. Four Christmases

4. The Day The Earth Stood Still

5. The Tale of Despereaux

6. Inkheart

7. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

8. Changeling

9. Quantum of Solace

10. Transporter 3

I am still a man of the masses: SRK

Named in Newsweek’s 50 Most Powerful People of the World list, Shah Rukh Khan says, “I think 1.2 billion Indians deserve to be there before I make it on this list.” He is “humbled”, he says, and also realises “the power of Indians and Asians around the world… that just by their love for my work, they have changed the perception of an Indian actor around the world.”

Talking to HT City from the US, where he is shooting for My Name is Khan, SRK said, “I landed in America and woke up to this news. It feels surreal and amazing to me.” He maintains that he is ‘just a representative’ of the masses. “Newsweek feels I stand for all those billion people… so actually I believe I am just a representative of all of us.”

The actor has a unique definition of power: “Power means to be able to live a life of happiness on your own terms. It means to make people smile around you at will and to be unaffected by the negativity around you.”

On Sonia Gandhi, the other Indian on the list, he says, “Her and her family’s sacrifices in the line of duty make her most deserving… a lone woman in an alien land doing so much for her country.”

SRK awarded “My Amazing Actor” Award by Pogo channel

The star studded fifth edition of India’s first kids’ television award – POGO Amazing Kids Awards 2008 was a gala affair with the underlying theme of encouraging kids’ to ‘Dream Bigger’ to realize their latent talent. A POGO original production, the POGO Amazing Kids Awards 2008 upheld the network’s tradition of discovering and recognising astoundingly young talent (24 kids) and honouring contemporary kids’ icons (6) through a voting poll with kids’ across India.

Having always encouraged kids to voice their choice, the POGO Voice Awards, empower children with the right to vote for their favourite celebrity icons. The coveted title of My Amazing Actor is won by Shah Rukh Khan. Instituted by POGO in December 2004, POGO Amazing Kids Awards is India’s first-ever kids’ television award. The Awards recognise child prodigies and reward them for their outstanding achievements in multiple areas of excellence such as arts, leadership, sports, etc. Kids were also empowered to exercise their choice, and vote for their favourite icons from the world of music, sports, movies and television.

The brain behind RNBDJ end credits? SRK, of course!

With RAB NE BANA DI JODI holding on beautifully, even in its second weekend, netting around 15 crores from India, it is now obvious that the film is on its way to being the year’s biggest hit, having netted nearly 57–58 crores already. But going by the response of the actual audience and reliable section of the trade, we had already hinted at that! However, we are not here to talk about trade aspects, rather, we want to reveal the secret about the rocking end credits of RNBDJ, which are so very interesting and humorous that they keep the audience glued to their seats, even as the film ends.

Well, the scene may have been directed and conceptualized by the genius director, Aditya Chopra but it was written by none other than the lead actor Shah Rukh Khan himself. Though Aditya has written the dialogues of RNBDJ himself, the voiceover of SRK, explaining the ‘intricacies’ of the photographs of the couple honeymooning in Japan have been written by Bollywood’s global superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Actually, Aditya had sent SRK random pictures of the couple honeymooning in different tourist spots of Japan and while SRK watched the photos on his laptop, he wrote down the lines as they came to his mind, instantly. Needless to add that Aditya was impressed with his writings and he made Shah Rukh dub the lines and incorporated the scene as the rolling end credits, which make the audience leave the theatre on a feel good note.

Well, we always knew that Shah Rukh was hugely talented, and with this he demonstrates that he has a flair for writing too!

Look who's dancing with SRK again!

In a hat-trick of sorts, Shah Rukh Khan gets the cream of Bollywood to make another special appearance in a film with him, thereby providing the audience with a starry bonus yet again.

The Bollywood Badshah did it first with Om Shanti Om last year in which he had the entire film industry — well almost, singing and dancing with him in one spectacular song.

Then, earlier this month in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, the superstar had another song in which his lovely ladies from earlier films — Bipasha Basu, Preity Zinta, Kajol and Lara Dutta — were proud to feature as his dancing partners. Now, in his next release Billoo Barber — SRK’s home production directed by Priyadarshan, the lucky actor has Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone making special appearances. Strangely, Shah Rukh himself makes only a special appearance in Billoo Barber. The hero, or the actor with the title role, is the avante garde Irrfan Khan.

Talking to BT about it, SRK, who plays a superstar in the film, laughed, “It’s a special appearance, but a substantial role.” No, he’s not playing himself. He’s playing a superstar called Sahir Khan who visits a small village to shoot a film where a struggling barber named Billoo happens to be his old school friend.
The barber and his wife (Lara Dutta) become the butt of village jokes when the rumour spreads that he knows the superstar. “I’m not playing myself yet, that I’m keeping for my old age — when I make a biopic,” joked Shah Rukh.

But, even in his substantial special appearance, he manages to squeeze in four songs and give the audience a film within a film, with the story going on location, behind the sets, peeping into green rooms, and catching all the live action, the sound and fury of a Bollywood unit at work. “It’s a space age film in a village,” explained SRK. “And, Inshallah, ready for release on February 13, 2009. Gosh, that’s a Friday the 13th! In this business, all release Fridays seem like Friday the 13th!”

POWER TO THE KING: Shah Rukh Khan is the king of Bollywood, says 'Newsweek'.

New York: Congress President Sonia Gandhi and film star Shah Rukh Khan find place among the ‘50 Most Powerful People of the World’ selected by American newsmagazine Newsweek.

US President-elect Barack Obama tops the list.

Chinese President Hu Jintao, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, German Chancellor Angela Markel, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jim Jong II are other world leaders on the list.

Newsweek has selected Sonia as the 17th most powerful leader and says Indian political scene is riven by factions, but the Congress remains the strongest national force and rules unchallenged. "In the world's largest democracy, she is the queen."

The magazine says Shah Rukh, who is No. 41 on the list, is the 'King of Bollywood'.

"It's not just that his (Khan's) romantic flicks make gazillions—it's where those gazillions come from. Khan is huge in the Muslim world, even in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the mullahs ban his films. Their main appeal is certainly the song-and-dance numbers, but Khan makes devoutly secular films where love trounces bigotry," the magazine says.

Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Kayani, who controls the country’s nuclear weapons, is placed 20th on the list, which would be published in the January 2009 issue of the magazine.

Kayani, the mumbling and chain-smoking general, answers to President Asif Ali Zardari in theory, but he and his army remain the dominant power in Pakistan. "He's responsible for Pakistan's nukes; for the battle against al-Qaeda and its tribal allies along the Afghan border; and for managing tensions with neighbour India," the magazine says.

Kayani, till now, has kept the army out of politics and seems focused on the battle against 'jihadists'. "In the wake of the November terrorist attacks in Mumbai, Kayani stood firm on Pakistan’s sovereignty while also taking measures against the alleged sponsors of the outrage," it says.

A surprise inclusion in the list, which the magazine admits is subjective, is Osama bin Laden, the "global terrorist." He is No. 42 in the list.

The magazine says the presidency of Obama, the "intensely charismatic" Democrat, who will be inaugurated on January 20, will be judged on how he handles the economic crisis that now envelops the US and the world. "For Obama to be remembered as a great President, he has to do nothing less than rescue capitalism."

'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' The highest opening week grosser till date

Shahrukh Khan-starrer `Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' that released worldwide on December 12, has grossed Rs 90 crore in its opening week, which is on par with and in some places even higher than two of the highest opening week grossers till date, `Om Shanti Om' and `Singh Is King'.

Its producers Yash Raj Films (YRF) said `Rab Ne...' has also broken all earlier opening week collection records for Yash Raj Films, having surpassed the opening week collections of `Dhoom: 2', which is regarded as one of the highest grossing movies of all-time.

The total collections for `Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' in India are around Rs 42 crore net (gross collections were Rs 70 crore). The total gross collections for all overseas markets are over USD 4 Million (around Rs 20 crore), a YRF statement said here on Thursday.

In Middle East, `Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' has broken all previous records for first week collections, netting just under USD 1.3 million. The previous highest grossing film in the Gulf region, having a sizeable Indian population, was `Dhoom: 2', which grossed approximately USD 1.86 million across its entire run.

The Aditya Chopra-directed romantic flick, featuring newcomer Anushka Sharma, is on course to break this all-time record going into its second week, the statement said.

The film has also had a grand opening week across all overseas markets, including the UK, USA, Australia, Europe, Africa, and Asia, and features in the list of the highest grossers for the opening week in most of these territories.

"The film has the potential to finish as one of the biggest blockbusters of all-time," it said.

Shahrukh Khan at Anushka Sharma's introductory press conference

Exclusive: Billoo Barber Trailer

Shah Rukh afraid of shoe attack!

After George W. Bush, it is our very King Khan, who is afraid of shoes. In a promotional event for his latest release ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’, SRK refused to sing, as he was afraid of a shoe attack, similar to that of US President George Bush.

Shah Rukh was present here along with his latest leading lady Anushka Sharma. This was Anushka’s first media interaction as an actress.

He looked a little afraid when the media persons requested him to hum a few lines from the song ‘Haule Haule’. He said, ‘I would rather not sing than being hit by a shoe.’ Shah Rukh preferred speaking the prose to singing.

It is worth mentioning that SRK is known for his sarcastic humour.

Aamir, SRK meet, joke about media

Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan met up on Wednesday late noon at Mehboob Studios in Bandra, Mumbai. It so happened that, Aamir was doing a photo-shoot for the watch brand Titan with Ashutosh Gowariker's brother, still photographer Avinash Gowariker in the Bandra Studio and Shah Rukh too was in the same studio doing the promotional video shoot of his home production, Billoo Barber. When Aamir came to know about SRK being around, he immediately went up to meet him.

My source present on location reveals, "Aamir was telling SRK how it took him more than six months to build his eight pack abs and then how painful it was for him to let go of that well toned physique for Raju Hirani's 3 Idiots. SRK too told him that he too would have loved to maintain his six pack abs but to play Suri in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and for his home production he had to let go back to a leaner look. They even discussed their films Rab Ne, Billoo Barber and Ghajini and also had a hearty laugh about how a game of one-upmanship amongst them is all a creation of the media."

My source further adds, Aamir left the studio earlier than SRK as he had to attend a promotional event for Ghaijini at far away Powai in Hotel Renaissance.

Well, the media is not exactly a fool dear Khans and where there is smoke there is fire. And what about all the remarks you make about each other? Surely, that is not 'created' by the media is it?

SRK 's all charm, he is special: Anushka Sharma

It’s amazing, she was a toddler when Shah Rukh Khan made his Bollywood debut with Deewana; but today, leggy Bangalore model Anushka Sharma is his heroine in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, and all of India is talking about her.

She is the second heroine Bangalore has given King Khan after Deepika Padukone. And, like Deepika, she has not used modelling as a stepping stone to Bollywood. “I couldn’t get more lucky,” Anushka admitted to BT. “Shah Rukh is equal to charm, he is special.” Which increased the responsibility on her to deliver an outstanding performance given the banner and hero “were larger than life”. Happily, everybody is proud of Anushka. “My friends went crazy when they heard I was going to act with Shah Rukh,” she giggled. “Every day during the shooting, they would bombard me with messages for him. It was embarrassing but also funny. He was game, though, and very sweet about this.”

And she took back a lot from her hero, as well, to her friends. “His beliefs, his principles, are something I am struck by and would carry to my friends. It’s important for youngsters like us to know what constitutes personal and professional success. Shah Rukh is truly a youth icon,” said the 19-year-old. She will never get over their first meeting. “It was on the sets, he was in his terrycot pants and spectacles as Surinder Suri. This was not the cool yuppie, the stylish Shah Rukh I was used to seeing on screen. I didn’t recognise him at first and then couldn’t take my eyes off him. But he sensed my discomfort and immediately put me at ease,” she revealed. She talked about her own sex appeal.

“It’s not standard, but I am comfortable with it,” she said. Which doesn’t mean she will get bold in Bollywood. “Everything is script centric today, I will consider the role, script, director and banner before I decide such things,” the debutante said. At 5 feet 9 inches, Anushka is aware that tall actresses don’t get far in Bollywood, so how does she hope to stand out among the new lot of gorgeous and talented actresses in the industry today? “Well, the current lot of actors are tall,” she said hopefully, “and for the rest, I can only be myself — honest, focussed and determined.”

RAB NE Bana Di Jodi catches the eye of Oscar library!

It is not the first time it has happened for Yash Raj Films, but it has certainly happened the fastest. Barely a day had gone by post the release of RAB NE BANA DI JODI that the Oscar library had made a request for the script for its permanent collection. The sensitivity of the screenplay and the unusual love story attracted the attention of the staff at the library right away.

The scripts in the collection reside at the Margaret Herrick Library and are made accessible for research purposes only; students, filmmakers, writers and actors are among the regular patrons. Screenplays may only be viewed in the library; they do not circulate. Also, no screenplay is allowed to be photocopied.

The invitation is recognition that the screenplay of RAB NE BANA DI JODI stands out from the crowd – not just among Indian movies but movies released worldwide. As the movie goes from strength to strength at the box office, it is a tribute to the entire team whose passion, hard work and sheer creative onus, made the film such a refreshing change of pace for jaded audiences.

Manoj Kumar’s congratulatory message to SRK!

When Shah Rukh’s last film Om Shanti Om released, yesteryear actor Manoj Kumar was furious with him, and threatened to sue him for spoofing him in the film.

But on Friday when SRK starrer releases, the senior actor was the first one to call him and congratulate him on his performance in Rab Ne Bana De Jodi.

SRK was pleasantly surprised with Manoj Kumar called on him on the morning of his film’s release. The actor told King Khan that his wife Shashi had seen the film at a 9 am show and now they were going to watch the film again.

Kumar has not seen the film yet but he plans to do so this week. Manoj made it a point to tell SRK that the film will be a bigger success than Om Shanti Om.

Manoj Kumar confirms, “My wife saw the movie and completely loved it. Due to some issues, I couldn’t go with her. The moment my wife entered home, she couldn’t stop praising the movie. We called up SRK and congratulated him on the movie. My wife blessed him. I saw it on television and saw the huge profit it has made, even after the recession and depression the country is going through, the cinema houses are going house-full.”

He reveals that he would go watch the film later today and adds, “SRK and I share good relations and I am extremely happy for him. My wife loved his Suri character and complimented him on his sweet look.”

Shah Rukh Khan’s RNBDJ has done a smashing business worldwide of around 63 crores gross in the first three days of its release. The film’s stupendous success can be easily attributed to the overseas market alone. The film is said to touch the $200 million mark overseas. According to trade analyst, “It will be a bigger hit than Shah Rukh’s earlier Om Shanti Om and even bigger than this year’s biggest hit Singh Is Kinng.”

What better brand for Aamir to use than me to sell his film: SRK

Aamir Khan is showing his crass side again, passing unnecessary comments against Shah Rukh. This is in such poor taste and shows how desperately Aamir is trying to grab attention to further the publicity of his forthcoming film.

The war of words between the two Khans — Aamir and Shahrukh is getting stark, with the two having daggers drawn at each other. This time it was Aamir Khan on the attack mode.

He said, “I think Shahrukh’s strength is that he really knows how to keep the media happy. He knows how to make personal relationships with a lot of people in the media, who are in powerful positions, interact with them and I think it’s great. That is his strength and he uses it well.”

This subtle reply from Aamir comes a day after SRK’s tongue in cheek remark on Aamir’s promotional strategy for Ghajini on Rab Ne’s opening weekend. The King Khan had said, “What better brand for Aamir to use than me itself to sell his film. I am the biggest brand there is in India.”

Aamir Khan sure was in no mood to take this one lying down. No wonder he chose his words carefully giving all the credit of SRK’s popularity, not to his work but his smooth talking ways.

However, Aamir was quick to add a dash of sugar to the bitter war of words. He said, “Shahrukh and I are friends and I will be happy to promote his move Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.”

With Aamir having done the damage all eyes will be on SRK, as he fires the next salvo.

Shahrukh Khan's brand new Filmfare cover

“I am open for women to marry me & spend the rest of their lives with me.”

Shah Rukh Khan is a happy man these days as people have reacted really positively to his new release Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.

CNN-IBN caught up with King Khan at an event to unveil Filmfare’s latest cover, where he expressed his happiness towards audience’s reaction to his new movie.

Here is the excerpt of the interview:

CNN-IBN: Shah Rukh you have mentioned in many of your interviews that the character of Surinder Sahani (SRK’s name in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi) is more close to you and is more of what you are than Raj (SRK’s name in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge) but the personality you have we believe that you are more Raj.

Shah Rukh Khan: Ok, whatever you like me as. But personally I am quite boring. In reality I am more like Surinder Sahni.

CNN-IBN: The film has done a very good business but not so flattering reviews by critics, do you want to tell something to the critics who obviously would have missed something?

Shah Rukh Khan: No, I have always said that there are different kinds of people who watch a film. One is the audience, one are filmmakers like me who see a film from a different point of view and one is critics, who see it from a different point of view.

CNN-IBN: The film has done very well, but there is one thing I must tell you that there are many women who are still waiting for their Raj from DDLJ. Will you like to give them some advise that is there actually a character which actually exists in reality or was it just a personality that you portrayed so well that now most women want a guy like that?

Shah Rukh: No, I am there. Every Saturday I am open for women to come and marry me and spend the rest of their lives with me. I am at the Linking Road. I have been doing this for last 14 year since DDLJ was released and all the women who have married me are very-very happy. I have around 2.3 million children around the country and I am sorry for increasing the population of the country. So please tell all the ladies who are waiting to get married to Raj I am waiting for them too.

SRK the Golgappa Champion!

Shah Rukh Khan is sitting on top of the world with a rainbow draped across his shoulders.

The reason? His belief in simplicity, his faith in the common man’s love story being no lesser than Romeo and Juliet, or that of Raj and Simran in DDLJ, has come a winner at the box office with Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi! He doesn’t need to laugh all the way to the bank anymore, nor does Aditya Chopra of Yash Raj Films actually, but SRK is smiling certainly. “The film is a love triangle between two people,” he said explaining its success to BT when box office tills didn’t stop ringing even after the film collected Rs 60 crore in its first three days... YRF’s biggest opening ever.

“I like this small-town attitude, the simplicity of the common man, this thing of saying ‘Sorry’ on a chit of paper that is such a turn on, the fact that an entire song could be pulled off out of a tiffin-box, and that the main issue of a song could also be a man moving onto buying a car from a scooter, or his eating extra golgappas out of love... no filmmaker has done this ever before in a romantic comedy,” the actor said. And, according to SRK, it could only be done because the characters were simple people.

“The world of Om Shanti Om, for instance, was different and these kind of scenes would not have worked in that film. Rab Ne... is a film from the inside... we’re showing the interior of people, they are small people, this is a small city we chose in Amritsar, there’s nothing hi-tech about the film, even the dance scenes are like ‘5, 6, 7, 8 ...’ in a small studio, there is none of the glitz, glamour and slickness of, say, the dance scenes in Dil To Pagal Hai... but that’s what simplicity is all about, that’s what old world charm is,” said the Surinder Sahni of Rab Ne...

It is true, and it is the simplicity of the common man that has worked for YRF at a time like this. Yes, the common man’s wounds of 26/11 are still raw, but he is aching for change, for a smile to be brought to his face without him feeling guilty about this lightness of heart... and that has come through Rab Ne... The fact that the film is doing well across India, around the world, shows that the trade and audiences have liked it.

Trade analyst Komal Nahta said, “The intrinsic Indian values in the film are being lapped up big time by audiences worldwide. I’m getting amazing feedback from Dubai, across the UK and US, from everywhere.” Even a common man like Girish Wankhede, deputy general manager of Cinemax, has reason to rejoice in the film.“It’s a big deal that people are back to theatres thanks to Shah Rukh Khan,” he said with heartfelt gratitude. Brijesh Tandon, an exhibitor from Delhi, agreed, “Multiplexes are full, people who stopped coming to theatres after 26/11, are back with new enthusiasm.” Mumbai collegian Indrani Sengupta added, “The film is entertaining, warm and beautiful. The song Haule Haule has become like a national anthem for youth in love.”

But Shah Rukh Khan would also like audiences to go home with the message that their love story is not ordinary. “Anybody’s love story is great by virtue of it being a love story,” he said. “And you don’t have to sail the seven seas to prove your love for a girl... just eating her biryani after stuffing yourself silly with golgappas is just the same.” If you don’t know what he means, go figure... the film tells the story.

There is no one bigger than me: SRK

Shah Rukh Khan was at his wittiest best at an event on Tuesday night to unveil the cover of Filmfare magazine. Not only was he looking dapper, but also charming everyone with his words and air kissing. The media straightaway started with asking him why Aamir Khan's film Ghajini's trailer was being shown during Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi's screening. And pat came the reply, "It's a very clever strategy. Aamir is using the best brand, that's SRK!" Read on for more priceless quotes from Shah Rukh Khan.

Shah Rukh went on to add that he has no competition with Aamir Khan. "Aamir is a senior actor. He has taught us a lot of things. We all love him. Whatever he does, he does conscientiously. But there is no one bigger than me."

On whose six-packs were better, Shah Rukh said, "It doesn't look nice to compare the six-packs of 40-year-old boys, rather men. Aamir and me did show our bodies to each other, though not sexually (laughs). We were just showing off - Achcha, tera kaisa dikh raha hai, mera thoda gol hain and stuff."

So, why was Anushka Sharma, the heroine of Rab Ne..., being kept under wraps? On a lighter note, SRK said, "I don't keep girls under wraps. I like the lights on...I'm that kind of a guy!" But seriously, he said, "Anushka did not have any work behind her and something to talk about. Now that it's been four-five days since the film has released, we'll bring her out. If we had brought her out before, journalists would've asked questions like, 'We saw you with your boyfriend outside college, who is he?' We wanted to avoid that."

Shah Rukh was in the Surinder Sahni character full on, and spoke like him for a while. "In real life, I'm very much like Suri. And 99 per cent of men are like that. They can't express their love. I feel a man should allow his woman (to be). If she says hold my hand, hold it immediately without saying a word."

The actor said that by playing characters like Kabir Khan in Chak De! India and Surinder Sahni in Rab Ne..., he was trying to show that he had grown up. "Main koi chhota bachcha nahin raha hoon abhi (I'm not a kid anymore)."

"In my films, I've thrown a woman down a building, I've cheated...I've done everything. Well, do everything, but don't break a woman's heart," Shah Rukh said to loud applause by the females in the audience.

Ending on a good note, SRK wished all his rivals well. "In these times of recession, I feel Ghajini should also do well. So should Chandni Chowk To China and other films. Everybody should be happy."

Adi-SRK bigger than Vipul Shah-Akshay Kumar

First things first! After a lull, when theatre managements were forced to call off shows due to lack of audiences, it was back to good old days this weekend. RAB NE BANA DI JODI, the first of the three 'Saviours' [the other two being GHAJINI and CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA], has succeeded in luring audiences back to movie halls.

Another observation! SRK's star power came to the rescue of RAB NE BANA DI JODI. A majority of those who watched the film were unanimous that the script was faulty, with loopholes aplenty. But SRK swept everyone off their feet!

Now let's talk business! RAB NE BANA DI JODI has come as a respite for the strife-torn industry, especially since everyone's talking non-stop of how the global meltdown and the terrorist attacks have hit movie business hard. The Saturday and Sunday numbers of RAB NE BANA DI JODI were excellent.

All through the weekend, the industry kept comparing RAB NE BANA DI JODI with RACE, SINGH IS KINNG and GOLMAAL RETURNS, the biggest openers of 2008. It was ahead at 'x' centre, behind at 'y' centre, they said.

If you ask my opinion, RAB NE BANA DI JODI should've had the biggest start of 2008. When SRK and Aditya Chopra shake hands, you expect the ultimate -- in terms of entertainment, in terms of numbers. Surely, the Adi-SRK combo is any day bigger than the Vipul Shah-Akshay Kumar combo [SINGH IS KINNG], Abbas-Mustan-Saif team [RACE] and Rohit Shetty-Ajay Devgan jodi [GOLMAAL RETURNS]. Come to think of it, it can't get bigger than Adi-SRK.

All said and done, RAB NE BANA DI JODI should've started with a bang, should've set new records, should set new benchmarks in business, should've been a trendsetter. Is it one?

Monday onwards, the film is sustaining well in North and parts of Central India and also South. But the severe drop at several screens cannot be ignored either. The feedback is mixed, people aren't going ga-ga or into raptures over RAB NE BANA DI JODI.

For the producers, who are also its distributors, RAB NE BANA DI JODI is a profitable venture, no two opinions on that. They will make pots of money on this venture. It's one of the biggest money spinners for YRF to date. The cost of production isn't much and the only expensive factor is SRK's remuneration. The recoveries from India theatrical, Overseas, Home Video and Satellite is sure to make the Chopras grin from ear to ear.

But as a cine enthusiast, you definitely expected Adi to push the envelope, to take Hindi cinema forward. When new/debutante directors can attempt films like ROCK ON!!, A WEDNESDAY, AAMIR, JANNAT and JAANE TU... YA JAANE NA, it inspires 20 people to take the torch forward. But if someone like Adi, the front-runner, thinks out of the box [within commercial parameters], it will inspire a whole new generation. Right?

SRK calls for better gear and equipment for security personnel

Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan advocated for equipping the security personnel with better protective gear to help protect them while fighting for the country.

At an event held in here on Tuesday, Khan expressed gratitude towards the security personnel who risked their own lives to save hundreds of innocents, during the deadly terror attacks.

He advocated for the need to provide the personnel with better equipment and gear to help them save their lives while tacking a situation like Mumbai attacks.

“I think we can only thank them (security personnel) as they risked their lives to save our lives. I would like to give this suggestion that the people who save our lives like army officers, ATS officers, police, navy, air force, should be provided with better protective gear and equipment to help them save themselves while fighting for us,” he said.

Shahrukh not paid for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

It is learnt that the King Khan didn't charge a single penny from his Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi makers Yash Raj films. But that doesn't mean he has done the film for free. So what has exactly been the equation then? Read on…

Insiders tell us, "Shahrukh Khan, post the success of Chak De! India has made a rule of sorts for close friends such as the Chopra family, Karan Johar and Farah Khan that he will not charge them any money but instead opt for the stake in the profits that they offer. He had applied this rule for good old friend Aditya Chopra's just released Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and his soon to start film with Karan Johar, My Name Is Khan."

"With Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi all set to do bumper business at the box-office especially in North India and the overseas market, Shahrukh may well end up taking home much more than his normal fees per film! That's a real smart move indeed of having your cake and eating it too," feels a senior Bollywood trade analyst.

Shah Rukh Khan launches the latest Filmfare issue