SRK: an actor, a host, a producer, a husband and a father

If you think earning lots of moolah is the only thing on Shah Rukh Khan’s mind, think again.

The actor who already has helped set up a pediatric ward at a city hospital now wants to set up a ward for cancer patients too. "I get embarrassed to talk about such things. The hospital people were kind enough to name the pediatric ward after my mother. I hope to set up a centre for cancer patients later this year," he reveals. But that’s not all, SRK even has plans to set up a hospital.

"That’s my final dream. Though I don’t know when that will be possible. I keep telling my wife that I have to do this and she keeps telling me that I can do it only when I stop doing the other things," he says.
But of course, there’s loads of work to be done too. Besides his role, that of a host in Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hai?, the actor is back at the studios doing what he does best acting!

His two films this year are Billoo Barber and Aditya Chopra’s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. But there’s no denying the fact that we are seeing a lot of SRK on the small screen than the big one. "It’s not that I am too much on TV, it’s just that there’s lot of TV happening these days. Cinema is no more the only form of entertainment. We are talking about watching films on mobile phones. Five years from now, I may be doing a movie that may be released on cellphones. Does that mean I become smaller or has the reach increased," he questions. And the talk of his big comeback on TV, doesn’t impress SRK much. "This thing of ‘you started with TV and came back to TV...’ I have always been on TV."

But aren’t there too many endorsements, shows, etc that he’s doing on TV? "No, just day before yesterday I was thinking I am doing very less," he smiles the famous dimpled smile. Be it films, TV or cricket, SRK has conquered every pitch. It looks like the name SRK is now synonymous with success. "For success you need to know that you can go wrong and yet go ahead and do it. People who do wrong things, like stealing or murder, have overcome the thought that this is wrong. They have found their justification. Positively, if we apply the same, it will work. As soon as you accept that this can go wrong, the fear of failure decreases. If tomorrow I face failure, I hope I can say I enjoyed failure too," he philosophises.

Astrologers and industry people often talk about the brilliant planetary positions that SRK has been blessed with, so is luck as important for his success? "Giving all the credit to luck takes away from the hard work involved. People will say I got a good show and it’s our luck that the show’s doing well. But there’s a lot of hard work involved here. I am not successful by luck, but because I am in the right place. I am not special. Eight years ago I thought I was, but after that, I think there is a set of audience that likes my work," he states matter-of-factly.

And despite spending so many years in the industry, Shah Rukh thrives on one thing, "Giving a perfect shot. Be it in films or TV. For example, when I get the timing of a joke right. I can live off it for 10-20 days." But hosting is one thing that tires even the super-energetic King Khan. "TV work is very difficult. Especially quiz shows. It’s almost live. Also, there are many factors like unknown contestants, dealing with kids, the 200 lights and after all that, there’s a deadline to adhere to. I can work for 20 hours. I can dance, fight, do press conferences and not get tired, but with this I get tired. Also a show like Kya Aap... needs something from the host. There is a certain responsibility and I never shirk away from responsibilities. But yes, it is tiring and I get a headache at the end of the day. But the problem is when I return home, my kids want me to ask them the same questions again. So I have to sit down and do that," he says.

An actor, a host, a producer, a husband and a father. SRK has many roles, so who’s the real SRK? He says, "Honestly, even I don’t know myself. You keep acting the whole day. You do lot of things that are larger than life. Lines start getting blurred after a point. The closest I came to playing myself was in KBC and now this show. On the show I emote the way I would in real life."

I’m a sportsman at heart: Shah Rukh Khan

Later, after visiting the Mumbai Indians’ dressing room and spending some ten minutes there, he spoke to The Telegraph.

The following are excerpts

First Knight Riders’ defeat seen by him in person

(Grins) When we won the first two matches in a row, (coach) John Buchanan told everybody that lots of cricket remained to be played… I’m a sportsman at heart and if we didn’t lose any match, then I’d feel odd… Of course, it would’ve been nice to again win in Calcutta, but our batting became unstuck at the beginning… I’m sure we’ll come back hard in the next match (on Thursday, in Jaipur).

The level of disappointment

There’s never a low for me… I can never feel low… There are times when my son (Aryan) runs a race but doesn’t come first… I’ve myself lost races… I’ve made flops but that doesn’t take anything away from life. It’s not that I like losing, though… I don’t and my team doesn’t like losing either… But, in sports, you win and lose… You pray for a miracle… Look for that one slice of luck coming your way… But that doesn’t happen… In fact, I believe that sports is the biggest leveller and sports teaches you to lead life… There’ll be good days and bad days.

Reaction to defeats

I feel happy for whoever wins… My parents taught me that I’ve got to be graceful in defeat and gracious in victory… So, I do the same things when I lose, like going over to the opposition dressing room… I wish them well and wish them from the bottom of my heart. I’m a winner because I’ve got this sportsman’s spirit… If you’re mean and sad about your losses, then you can’t enjoy your victories that much… It’s because of this attitude that I can, when we win, jump on the stadium’s roof and shout ‘we won’…

On Ricky Ponting and Brendon McCullum leaving for home

I’ll miss them… The boys will miss them… The team will miss them… They’ve been terrific in the dressing room and on the field… (After a pause) At the end of each match, I’ve been showing the team a dance-step… I showed two tonight as I wasn’t there in Chennai the other evening… I don’t talk cricket with the boys… That’s done by John and the others… I only bring positivity.

Having flown thousands of miles to make it for Tuesday’s match

Yes, it was difficult yaar… I was in London, then I went to Paris… From there back to London and, then, Mumbai before making it here just in time (on a private aircraft)… While it was difficult, I wouldn’t have missed coming to Calcutta for the world… I’ll be off tomorrow (Wednesday) morning as I’ve got to shoot for my TV show (Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hain?)… Nothing stops me from going to all the Knight Riders’ matches… I do have shooting commitments which were finalised a year in advance but I could finish early and hop on to a private aircraft and land up in Jaipur or Mohali for the second half of the match… I was in London when we played in Chennai and I had to go on the stage… I remember becoming anxious and calling Juhi (Mehta, co-owner)… I told her that I wanted to be with the team and not in London… It’s not that I’m the luck factor or something… The reality is that we’ve got a good team and this team will bounce back.

The organisational bit of the second match at home

Like I said after the first match, we’ll be improving with every game… (Adds laughing) Hopefully, we’ll get everything right by the end of the IPL! I’m sure the spectators found it a nicer experience tonight, though the electronic scoreboard was too dim.

Finally, whether he brought traffic to a halt in Paris too the other day

(Laughs) Well, yes… And, you may not believe it, but there was a group of French girls with a banner which read ‘Korbo, lorbo, jeetbo re’… It was absolutely amazing.

The Telegraph India

Chak De India wins US Billie Award

The film has been honored with a Billie Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the portrayal of women in sports be it in entertainment or journalism. The awards, named after champion tennis player Billie Jean King, are presented in four categories: breakthrough and innovation, entertainment, journalism and outstanding journalist.

This year the award for entertainment went to Chak De India. Yash Raj, producer of the film said, “The film continues to pay back the faith we had reposed in the movie even when conventional wisdom would have dictated otherwise. To win accolades like this from around the world, especially from places where depictions of women's sport has had a long and established tradition is especially heartening.”

Shimit Amin, director of the film was present to get the award and said, “The reaction to the movie was simply fantastic. You would not believe that this was a foreign audience - comprised of professional writers, critics and industry professionals for the most part - the way they reacted. It just reinforced our belief that the message of the movie and the performances of Shah Rukh Khan and the girls cuts across all boundaries.”

Yash Raj added, “It was an honour to be selected by such a distinguished panel of women's sports historians, journalists and media industry executives. But while we cherish this honour, the greatest reward for the movie was undoubtedly the love and affection that was showered on it by audiences worldwide."

We congratulate the cast and crew for not only making a wonderful film but also an inspiring film that is being recognized for its positive portrayal of women’s sports.