Shah Rukh Khan is back!

Ever since the release of OM SHANTI OM, Shah Rukh Khan is being seen all over. However, most of his appearances have been off the big screen. Either he is seen in commercials or cricket matches or music videos or small screen game shows.

Yes, there have been a couple of big screen appearances as well but they too have been restricted to barely 5 mins. While he only recited a poem for friend Samar Khan's SHAURYA (which came during the end titles), he had an item number in KRAZZY 4. Beyond this, his die hard fans have patiently waited to see him doing something worthwhile on the big screen.

The wait should now be over this weekend with the release of BHOOTHNATH. Though Amitabh Bachchan plays the central protagonist and Aman Siddiqui plays the kid around whom the film revolves, the film also stars Shah Rukh Khan.

As the kid's father and Juhi Chawla's husband, he features prominently in the film and though he is being billed as 'special appearance', he is present for a good 25 minutes in the film as per the makers of BHOOTHNATH.

Of course this is just a starter as the main course would begin with Priyadarshan's BILLO BARBER which arrives in next few months. And yes, the grand finale is very much in the pipeline, what with the release of Aditya Chopra's RAB NE BANA DI JODI which is all set to arrive on 12th December.

Joginder Tuteja

Why SRK-Shankar parted ways

Shah Rukh Khan had called off the sci-fi Robot with South director Shankar owing to creative differences. Afterwards, Shah Rukh had said “Yes, we have called it off. We were not happy with a few things; Shankar’s take on the film was completely different from mine. We had worked very hard on the film and it is sad that we had to call it off. Both Shankar and I decided that we won’t make it Apparently, Shah Rukh and Shankar parted ways because Shah Rukh wanted the special effects of the film to be done in his SFX studio in Khar, but Shankar wanted to do the same in Chennai. According to our well-placed source in the film industry, “Robot had a lot of special effects. For the whole exercise of special effects to be completed, Shankar would have had to stay in Mumbai for six months at least. Shankar didn’t want to stay so long in Mumbai. Shankar argued, but Shah Rukh was adamant.”

SRK had even given a signing amount of Rs 5 crore to Shankar. Our source further reveals, “Shankar’s fee for the film was going to be Rs 12 crore. When Shah Rukh gave him the signing amount, he deducted the TDS. Later, Shankar returned the entire signing amount but without deducting the TDS - Rs 5 crore.”

We sent a message to Shah Rukh, but he did not reply. Shah Rukh’s next project will be Yash Raj Films’ Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, which will be directed by Aditya Chopra.

However, no one said what exactly the creative differences were. Shah Rukh had loved the script and was all set to produce the film under his banner Red Chillies Entertainment. So what went wrong?

Vickey Lalwani, Mumbai Mirror

SRK to perform in Kolkata

King Khan has promised to be in form at the Eden next Thursday; though it’s his team that needs it more.

Keen to repay loyal fans of the Kolkata Knight Riders with some Bollywood-style entertainment, Shah Rukh Khan has decided to perform on the evening of Ponchisey Boisakh, just before the beleaguered Knight Riders take on the Royal Challengers in their third match on home turf.

Shah Rukh has asked officials of his company, Red Chillies Entertainment, to arrange for a makeshift 30ftx20ft stage at an appropriate spot for him and his troupe to perform for 15-20 minutes before the match starts at 8pm.

“Shah Rukh wants to offer something to the KKR fans, who have stood by the team. He wants to do something for the crowd from the bottom of his heart,” said I.S. Bhandari of Red Chillies.

Nobody would confirm it but the buzz is that Saif Ali Khan and Kareena “Size 0” Kapoor will be a part of the show along with the Indian-origin wrestler who has found fame in America as The Great Khali.

Sources said the makeshift stage would be just outside the boundary. The choice is between F and J blocks.

“We have asked them (Red Chillies) to officially send us a detailed plan. We will grant them permission, provided it is not an issue with the cops,” CAB joint secretary Amitava Banerjee said.

“We have told the organisers that the stage should in no way affect the arrangements on the ground.”

Sports minister Subhash Chakraborty scoffed at the idea of holding such a show before the match. “May 8 is Rabindra Jayanti and such an event (Shah Rukh’s show) will not be in tune with it.”

On whether he would do anything to prevent the event, Chakraborty said: “Who am I to stop anything? Why should I interfere? They (the organisers) need to introspect and take a call on such things.”

The sports minister’s grouse against Red Chillies had as much to do with the number of tickets being offered by the organisers as with Shah Rukh's proposed show. The sports department had asked for 198 tickets for the match but was offered only half that number. Chakraborty's department felt “insulted” and refused them.

“Why should we take any? We had asked for 198 tickets and were offered only 101. It's not a joke,” Chakraborty said.

The Telegraph, India