Shah Rukh-Kajol voted most romantic on-screen couple

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol have been voted the most favourite romantic on-screen couple in a poll conducted by MDRA and Outlook magazine to find the popular favourites in the romance genre.

Interestingly, Amitabh-Rekha came second in the list of romantic on-screen couples followed by Salman-Madhuri, Akshay-Katrina, Shahid-Kareena, Hrithik-Aishwarya and Rishi Kapoor-Dimple.

“Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge”, which has been running non-stop in a Mumbai theatre for the last 14 years, has been voted as the most favourite romantic Bollywood movie of all time. “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” is second, followed by “Maine Pyaar Kiya” in third position.

“Tujhe dekha to ye jaana sanam”, again from “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge”, has been voted as the favourite romantic Bollywood song. “Tum paas aaye” (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai) is in the second place and “Kal ho na ho (Kal Ho Na Ho) has come third.

Shah Rukh Khan has also been voted the Favourite Romantic Actor, followed by Salman Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, and Kajol has topped the list of Favourite Romantic Actors (Female). Trailing her are Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Katrina Kaif.

Shah Rukh can be an outstanding director: Karan Johar

Their last outing together was a damp squib, but Karan Johar hasn’t lost his faith in Shah Rukh Khan. He has once again teamed up with him and Kajol for “My Name Is Khan” and says the superstar is not only good at emoting but is capable of directing a film too.

“He had written reams of notes on how he wanted to interpret his character (in ‘My Name Is Khan’). And to him it was no big deal. He’s ready to direct a film any time. He will be outstanding at it,” Karan, whose last directorial venture “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna” fell flat at the box office, told IANS in an interview.

For “My Name Is Khan”, Karan is bringing Shah Rukh and Kajol together on screen after a long time and he says they bring out the best in him.

“I’m blessed to have them in my film. I don’t know what it is about them. It’s just magic. They build an inexplicable energy on screen. When I direct a scene with Shah Rukh and Kajol, I know I’m doing my best work,” he said.

“My Name Is Khan” is about a Muslim who suffers from the Asperger syndrome, a form of autism that impacts social interaction abilities, and he is arrested as a suspected terrorist in post-9/11 Los Angeles after authorities mistake his disability for suspicious behaviour.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: “My Name Is Khan” has no lip-sync songs?

A: No, none. The songs are all in the background. In LA, we had fans coming to us to ask if there was any track like “Suraj hua madham” in “My Name Is Khan”. This time there’s no “It’s the time to disco” and “Where’s the party tonight”. But there’s guts, soul and heart in the music. I’ve a huge comfort zone with my composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. That’s the only way good work can be done.

Q: Apparently, Javed Akhtar refused to share lyrical credits with Niranjan Iyer?

A: Javed-saab is a father figure and our rapport goes way beyond work. Niranjan has written the dialogues and two songs in “My Name Is Khan”. Javed-saab was gracious enough to let Nirajan write the rest of the songs. And when I insisted, Javed-saab had to write one song that only he could and he very kindly agreed. He’s also written the lyrics of my production “Wake Up, Sid”.

Q: How was it directing Shah Rukh and Kajol again?

A: I am blessed to have them in my film. I don’t know what it is about them. It’s just magic. They build an inexplicable energy on screen. They instinctively understand each other’s acting. When I direct a scene with Shah Rukh and Kajol, I know I’m doing my best work. These two characters in “My Name Is Khan” had to be Shah Rukh and Kajol.

Q: You almost didn’t get Kajol?

A: She had to read the script. That was it. She said yes. I wouldn’t want any actor to say yes to my film just because he or she is a friend. I want my actors to really do the role. I’ve great friendships, but I don’t want any actor to compromise on his or her basic tenets on cinema.

Q: Was Kajol weighed down on location by her motherly duties?

A: Not at all. I’ve worked with Kajol in various stages of her life. I’m working with her again eight years later. When we worked the last time, she didn’t have a daughter. So, of course, she’s a different person. Today, I find her calmer more focused on her work than ever before. Kajol manages to be fantastic wife-mother and actress.

I find Shah Rukh and Kajol alike in their attitude to work and family. They’re both so much into their spouses and kids. When the shot is over, they rush to their respective family. On location in LA between shots they spoke to each other about their respective families.

Q: How was Shah Rukh?

A: Time and again I’m blown away by Shah Rukh. How can he think of so many things about his character when he has so much on his plate? He has done monumental research on his autistic character. I was zapped by how much he knew on the subject. And he brought all the knowledge on the sets.

He had written reams of notes on how he wanted to interpret his character. And to him it was no big deal. He’s ready to direct a film any time. He will be outstanding at it. His understanding of human nature and emotions can never be matched by me.

-- Subash K. Jha

I feel old: Dr Shah Rukh Khan

Ironical, it is. Shah Rukh Khan is now a doctor; but he is also very pained.

He has been awarded a doctorate from the Bedfordshire University in UK for his contribution to arts and culture. “The honour brought me a lot of joy,’’ says SRK, who is currently on vacation with Gauri and his children Aryan and Suhana. He laughs when he is addressed as ‘Dr’ and says, “Somehow it makes me feel slightly older when someone calls me Dr Shah Rukh Khan.’’

Describing his time on the podium where he received the honour, he says, “Wearing that square cap with tassels tilted to the left, brought images of the heroes of the 70s; it was an oft-repeated thing in films those days. I didn’t know whether etiquette required me to take Aryan and Suhana along for the convocation ceremony. So I left the children behind.’’ Happily, Gauri was by his side when he received the honour. “I sincerely hope my parents could have watched this... and I hope that it was a proud moment for them wherever they are,’’ the Bollywood Badshah says emotionally.

It is five months since he underwent shoulder surgery, but SRK is still in pain. “I completed a long spell for Karan Johar’s My Name is Khan in San Francisco,’’ he says. “We got lucky because we had long days and could pack in ample work. However, my shoulder still hurts.’’ He recounts how he shot for a song sequence for Dulha Mil Gaya in which he has a guest appearance and strained his operated shoulder. The actor has been in touch with his surgeon in Mumbai and has been reassured that the recurring pain is part of the rehab, so he continues to go about his daily chores with enthusiasm.

“My shoulder makes strange clicking sounds,’’ he says. “However, I’ve been asked to open doors, lift small objects and keep giving it small doses of regular exercise,’’ he adds. The actor who lost a lot of muscle mass because he has been unable to do any active bodybuilding, says his main regret is that Anubhav Sinha’s Ra 1, Farah Khan’s Happy New Year and Farhan Akhtar’s Don-2 will be postponed by three-four months.

“However, there is heavy duty action involved in these films and I can’t attempt that till such time as my shoulder is completely healed,” says SRK enthused by the very thought of being able to participate in the ‘filmi action’ that he so revels in.

And, since he is just not the type to sit around doing nothing, right now Bollywood’s biggest icon is indulging in a game of cricket with his children at Hyde Park in central London. “I also promised the children that I will wear the black cape and square hat and do a repeat of the convocation ceremony for them because they missed the occasion,’’ he says.