ShahRukh Khan is now a 'Datuk'

Wearing a traditional black and gold Malay outfit (Baju Melayu and samping) and headgear, Khan received the title of "Datuk" (equivalent to British Knighthood) from the governor of Malaysia's southern Malacca state.

Bollywood superstar ShahRukh Khan today became the first Indian actor to be conferred on a prestigious Malaysian title.

Wearing a traditional black and gold Malay outfit (Baju Melayu and samping) and headgear, Khan received the title of "Datuk" (equivalent to British Knighthood) from the governor of Malaysia's southern Malacca state.

Baju Melayu is similar to a kurta pajama, while 'samping' is a piece of cloth men tie around the waist and which falls to the length of the long shirt.

The 43-year-old actor, who has a large fan base among the Malays, held the estimated 1,000 guests at the investiture spellbound as he received the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM), conferred on him and 76 others.

The actor kept waving to his fans as he was escorted into the hall. The Bollywood icon was the focus of attention as media and fans clicked away using cameras from their seats.

The actor will be referred to as Datuk Shahrukh Khan in Malaysia and will be addressed as Datuk. Each Malaysian state chooses its own list of people to honour with "Datukship". A majority of the awardees are local Malaysians who would have excelled in some area or are in the government.

Malacca authorities said Khan was given the title because some of his movies had been shot in the the historical state boosting tourism.

Khan shot a song for the movie 'one two ka four' in Malacca which was named as one of the heritage cities by Unesco a few months ago.

However, the decision to award Khan with the Datukship received a fair share of criticism across the country with local artists and public noting that the award could have been given to a local actor or artist.

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is next DDLJ in the making

If insiders from Yash Raj Films camp are to be believed, Aditya Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan have yet another DDLJ up their sleeves. They may be keeping a low profile on RNBDJ, especially in the aftermath of the terror attack, but the kind of subject they have in hand, the movie is bound to make waves by the time first weekend comes to a close.

Says an insider, 'RNBDJ is a relatively smaller film, both in grandiose and duration, when compared to films directed by Aditya Chopra or Yash Chopra. However, the film's strength is its subject and script which is going to please everyone. Ladies especially would fall totally for RNBDJ which has a great feel good quotient to it.'

But why a low profile so far?

'YRF has traditionally kept their films low profile. And same was in the case of CHAK DE INDIA too which has been their biggest grosser in the current times. They want audience to explore the film and trust me when I say that the film would invite audiences in hordes', says the insider confidently.

Does it mean a repeat audience is in the offering?

'Pretty much so', says a trade expert who has a fair idea about where the film is headed towards, 'RNBDJ's budget has been set in a medium range but if there is a film that comes with a potential of breaking OM SHANTI OM record of 80 crores odd, it is RNBDJ. It's a matter of the film taking a very good, if not exceptional, opening this weekend. Once that happens, I am sure there is no stopping the film from crossing the 100 crores net mark just from India. The vibes are that great.'

Well, we are waiting to see that happen, especially after SINGH IS KINNG and GOLMAAL RETURNS being the last money spinners that Bollywood witnessed!

Islam does not preach terror: Shah Rukh Khan

As India’s city of dreams recovers from what seemed like an unending nightmare, there is an unsettling anger against terrorism and religious divides in India.

In an exclusive interview with CNN-IBN Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan lashed out against religious fundamentalism and stressed on the importance of the youngsters being delivered the correct interpretation of religious text.

PEACE AND TOLERANCE: Shah Rukh Khan slams fundamentalism in an exclusive interview with CNN-IBN.

“I am from Delhi. I have seen the riots in Delhi and when I came to Mumbai in 1993, I saw the blasts and now 26/11. More than a Mumbaikar, I feel like an Indian. And specifically because I would like to believe that I am an educated liberal Muslim, who has a Hindu wife and two kids,” Shah Rukh said.

Underscoring the need for proper interpretation of religious texts, Shah Rukh said that it is pertinent that the youngsters are provided the correct reading of the Qoran.

“Let me clarify, I have read the holy Qoran. It states that if you heal one man, you heal the whole mankind, and if you hurt one man, you hurt the whole mankind. Nowhere in the Qoran does it say that jihad will lead you to jannat (paradise),” Shah Rukh said.

“As a matter of fact,” he added, “the book says that in a war, you can not kill any woman, you can not kill any child and you can not kill any animal, or destroy any crops.”

The actor said that Jihad was supposed to be propagated by the Prophet himself but unfortunately now two versions of Islam exist.

“There is an Islam from Allah and — I am not being anti — very unfortunately, there is an Islam from the Mullahs. I appeal to all of them to please give the youngsters, the right reading of the Qoran,” he said.

“I appeal to everyone, if we want to win this time, let’s not allow ideological and religious stuff to come in our way. We’ve come together on a same platform. Let’s use this fear in a better way and put it to better use. Fear is the greatest uniting force in the whole world,” Shah Rukh added.

The actor also stressed the need for India’s youth to come forward and form a political party that is free of all religious prejudices and biases.

“There is corruption everywhere but if somewhere down the line someone moves away from it, I am there to support that person. Aamir said something brilliant in his blog that the youth need to form a political party. I am there to support them in any which way possible. There should be a law to ban all hardliner political parties,” Shah Rukh said.

Rajdeep Sardesai, CNN-IBN