You can call me King Khan or an idiotic actor : SRK

In Delhi for the promotion of his new TV show, Shah Rukh Khan talks to Madhur Tankha about his association with the small screen.

For someone who has kept the cash registers at the box-office ringing for over a decade and a half, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan asserts that there is no formula that guarantees a hit.

The charismatic actor, who came calling to the Capital this past week to promote his show “Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?” on Star Plus, says he has evolved as an actor over the years. “Having acted in so many movies, I have come to realise that forceful acting is not necessary. So I am taking it easy like I did in ‘Chak De India’ that became such a huge hit.”

Entertaining the masses is the actor’s primary objective, whether on the big screen or the small one. “I started my innings on television. While I have given a nod to television shows like ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ and ‘Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?’ I will not appear in soap operas as they are too time consuming. Even television shows are very exhausting as you have to do them all in one take.”

Shah Rukh is unfazed by criticism of his style of acting. “I have passed the age when you start to get angry. You can call me King Khan or an idiotic actor but I won’t mind. There are certain scenes of mine in which I would award myself 11 marks out of 10, but overall I would give myself 4 or 5 points..”

As the race for the Filmfare awards enters the home stretch with child actor Darsheel Safary of “Taare Zameen Par” being nominated along with Shah Rukh, the superstar is not unduly bothered. “I cannot comment on Darsheel’s performance as I haven’t seen the film. Aamir has told me to watch it and whenever I get time I will.”

Dismissing speculation that he is one of the main actors along with Amitabh Bachchan in Ravi Chopra’s “Bhootnath”, Shah Rukh says he only has a five-minute role. “I’ve done the role for director Vivek Sharma, who is employed in my company, and producer Ravi Chopra, who is like family to me. I have two other films lined up besides an animation. I will be doing Aditya Chopra’s film in May.”

Shah Rukh feels that children should not be encouraged to host television shows. “I don’t think it is reasonable to expect them to work round-the-clock and then catch up on sleep in the early hours of morning and also attend school. It would be a type of child labour, and personally I don’t think such things should be tried.”

The 42-year-old actor says he wants to focus only on core competence in his company: “Initially we wanted to make films that we believed in and not just for the money. Then films like ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’ and now ‘Om Shanti Om’ became hits. In Red Chillies Entertainment, my employee strength has swelled. So it is self-sustaining. As I don’t want to share my creativity, I will not be collaborating with an international company in making films.”

Giving his take on the war of words between the Bachchans and Raj Thackeray, the superstar says: “Well, both Raj and Amitji are friends. I think the trouble being witnessed on the streets of Mumbai has to do with the fact that there are certain people who have their own political agendas.

The Hindu

SRK causes massive stampede in London

Shah Rukh Khan gave proof of his crowd-pulling ability in London when his presence at the Zee Carnival caused a stampede and police prevented entry into the venue sending thousands of ticket-holding fans home.

Fans of the Bollywood star converged on Olympia to catch a glimpse of their idol from early Saturday morning and by 4 pm the hall was heaving, forcing security to shut the gates preventing any more fans from coming in.

Van loads of Metropolitan police formed a ring round the venue to hold the crowds back. Amid pushing and shoving, irate fans who had bought tickets in advance fought and jostled with the police in the hope that they would be allowed in to see the star. Inside the hall, security guards closed the main doors as fans pushed and argued with them to open the gates.

Zee holds its annual three-day extravaganza at the capital’s largest and most prestigious exhibition hall, Olympia in upmarket Kensington pulling crowds of more than 30,000 daily from all over the UK and Europe. The mela-like atmosphere with 100 odd stalls selling everything from Indian food, clothes, jewellery, property, hair care, etc. all under one roof, is peppered with stage appearances by Indian TV stars and Bollywood personalities. In the past Rani Mukherjee, Priyanka Chopra and Arjun Rampal have appeared at the Zee Carnival but have not caused such scenes. “Shah Rukh is certainly the biggest star we have had at the Carnival since we began three year’s ago and advance tickets have been selling faster than we can get them to our agents,” a Zee official told DNA.

Olympia has a total capacity of 12,000 at any given time and Zee sells around 30,000 tickets per day with the expectation that there is a steady flow of patrons. However, this year because of Shah Rukh’s appearance, all 30,000 ticket holders wanted to be in the hall at the same time.

“The queues were going all round the outside of Olympia and up Kensington high street. All those who came early, just wouldn’t leave and so we were prevented from entering, even though we have tickets,” said a disappointed fan who had come all the way from Holland.

“There is nothing we can do, this is a health and safety issue and it is the police who closed the venue, we are powerless against them,” explained an apologetic Zee official.

Sajeda Momin, DNAIndia

Yeh Hai 'Youngistaan' Meri Jaan

Pepsi is launching its new campaign for 2008 featuring three brand ambassadors - Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone in a refreshingly new light.

Developed by JWT, the campaign is dubbed "Youngistaan." This, according to the company, is "but an attitude."

The mega initiative is being supported by a 360-degree activation across television, radio, outdoor, modern trade, web and wireless.


Clearly targetting the youth, the campaign will begin a dialogue with its consumers by unbottling their imagination of what "Youngistaan" means to them.

An official statement says, "As the name suggests, it represents a world of the youth, where the young generation likes to be in control. It brings forward their never-failing attitude, their desire to take on challenges and the power to turn things around.

"The new campaign attempts to capture not only the youth attitude of today but also the great sense of optimism, success and buzz about India and the Indian youth."

The first of this zestful campaign will break on 17 February, and is summed up through its catchy tagline - "Yeh Hai Youngistaan Meri Jaan."

PepsiCo India executive director of marketing Punita Lal said, "The Youngistaan idea captures the energy, excitement and irreverence of the young, confident India. This is a big idea that brand Pepsi will leverage to connect with a whole new generation."

Lal is confident that the expression "Yeh Hai Youngistaan Meri Jaan" will resonate very well with the Indian youth. "It speaks their emotion, in their language," she said.

PepsiCo India's EVP of marketing (cola) Sandeep Singh Arora said, "Only Pepsi as the leader of youth values has the scale and guts to brand this generation, to celebrate their attitude and their achievements, and give them a rallying cry to go out and make things happen."
JWT VP Hari Krishnan said, "Youngistaan is a feeling that is racing through every youthful nerve in the country today. Brand Pepsi will simply tap this energy and help the youth express this emotion."

The expression is simple, light hearted and versatile "in true Pepsi style," added Krishnan.

The new brand ambassador Ranbir Kapoor says, "I am young, I believe in myself. I have dreams and I chase them. This is what Youngistaan means to me; it's a way of being, it's an attitude. In Youngistaan, I work really hard, but I party harder! Trust me, in Youngistaan somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known."

Padukone, the fresh new face of Pepsi, says, "Youngistaan is about making choices and where life has endless possibilities. As a part of being a Youngistaani, it's not about where I am but about thinking fun, thinking big! It's about just being yourself and being confident."

Long-time Pepsi brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan said, "Youngistaan to me is a state of feeling young at heart. The first aspect of being a part of Youngistaan or having that state of heart is to believe that the best gift in life is life itself. I think you need to be successful, work hard, spread happiness and live life to the fullest. Yeh hai Youngistaan meri jaan."

Indian Television