Shah Rukh Khan & Karan Johar at "MY NAME IS KHAN" Press Conference - Video

When Shahrukh Khan talks, the world listens for he is like a fresh water stream that flows smoothly. At the press conference to announce the collaboration between Dharma Productions, Red Chillies Entertainment and FOX Star Movies, SRK indulged in friendly banter with the huge media contingent. He also discussed some really serious matters pertaining to the creative and business aspects of his next film 'My Name Is Khan' directed by Karan Johar.

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SRK: MY NAME IS KHAN is beyond the name

Karan Johar, Shah Rukh Khan & Kajol's association goes back a long way! Whenever the trio came together, they created magic and shattered the box office records with films like KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI and KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM. And now the threesome are returning after a long gap with MY NAME IS KHAN.

But unlike candy floss romances, this time around Karan Johar's MY NAME IS KHAN deals with much more serious issues. So, does that mean romance takes a backstage in this Shah Rukh-Kajol starrer? 'No' Karan reacts at once and adds 'Though it deals with an intricate subject matter, but MNIK is also a love story. There is a very important lovestory, integral, which entirely forms the soul of the film. But it won't be in a cliched form like one used to see. Infact a lot of people have been asking me about this but they get disappointed when I tell them there will no romantic songs like 'Suraj Hua Madhdham...', No romantic moments between Shah Rukh-Kajol, etc. Actually the treatment of the film is not like it's been in DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE or KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI or KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM. Here the characters are absolutely different, the environment is different, the message is different. Characters Rizwan and Mandira's lovestory is very dramatic, emotional. So, all the people who are looking forward to the romance will be satisfied but in a different way'

CHECK OUT: Fox Star to distribute MY NAME IS KHAN

Its being said that MY NAME IS KHAN is about the aftermath faced by 9/11 attacks, but Shah Rukh denies its connection to 9/11, 'Honestly speaking this film is not about terrorism or 9/11 issue or any anti social activity. Basically this film is about relationships between people within an area or locality or a city or country. It is not inspired by any activity or action which took place. It's about the emotional reality, beyond time, which may happen before or after the act. The film which talks about relationships is weaved under the aspects of Western culture, Islam, Neurotypical personality, Asparagus syndrome'

The film is also garnering enough publicity because of its unusual title, seemingly a self esteemed title. To which SRK retorts saying, 'Well it was not done purposely. It is pertinent to the film...it is little silly to just name a film after your name because you're possessive about your name then I'd have call it MY NAME IS SHAH RUKH because it makes more sense in that context. So let's not take it otherwise, it's an important film; the content is something new, it is beyond the name. We should not, perhaps, cheapen it by saying this is a self-serving vehicle for Shah Rukh for his name to be top amongst Khans that exist in this industry, etc etc... I think you would better understand what I mean to say, when you see the film, you would understand that it goes beyond even its own name.'

Khan to get off Jet

Shah Rukh Khan has decided to bail out of Jet Airways after a three-year stint as a non-executive director on the board of the loss-laden private airline.

Khan, who signed a multi-crore deal here today with FoxStar Studios for the distribution of his forthcoming movie My Name is Khan, has informed the airline that he won’t be able to stay on as a director on the board of the airline because of “other business commitments”.

The busy actor-producer has not attended a single board meeting in the past three years.

King Khan will not be seeking re-appointment as a director when shareholders meet to vote on resolutions at the annual general meeting in Mumbai on August 17.

The airline, which suffered a loss of Rs 402 crore last year, said it would not fill Khan’s vacancy on the 10-member board. The superstar had joined Jet Airways as an additional director on August 16, 2006, when the airline had the largest market share in the country.

At that time, Jet was going through a rough patch with its image battered after a Rs 2,200-crore deal to acquire Sahara Airlines had gone sour. The buzz was that Shah Rukh Khan’s presence on the board would add some glamour quotient to the Naresh Goyal-owned airlines’ battle-scarred image. Later, Jet acquired Sahara Airlines and renamed it JetLite.

Two other celebrities – film producer Yash Raj Chopra and writer and lyricist Javed Akhtar – are on the airlines’ board. Chopra had joined the board in April 2006 and will be seeking reappointment.

Under the regulations, directors have to seek their reappointment every three years. Akhtar has been a Jet director since 1993 and was re-appointed last year. Chopra and Akhtar have a better record as directors having attended seven and six board meetings respectively in 2008-09.

When Khan was elected as a director of the airline at the AGM in September 2006, he had told shareholders: “While it is true that I do not have the expertise in the airline business as other members of the board, I believe I can add value to the company and the shareholders with certain creative inputs.”

But Khan has been expanding his own business interests: he floated Red Chillies Entertainment with wife Gauri in 2002, became a part-owner of the IPL franchisee Kolkata Knight Riders, and established a film production company with Juhi Chawla and Aziz Mirza.

Although Khan hasn’t received any sitting fees from Jet Airways while missing board meetings, the airline has been reasonably generous with other payments.

A quick glance through annual reports reveal that in 2008-09, Jet paid Rs 1.70 crore as production cost for television advertisements to a company in which Khan was a director.

In 2007-08, the airline paid Rs 1.63 crore as an advance against production of television ads to a company in which Khan was a director. In 2006-07, Khan earned a commission of Rs 3.3 lakh.

Prithvi Haldea, chairman and managing director of Prime Database, says celebrities as independent directors bring glamour to a company’s board, but their knowledge of balancesheets and Sebi regulations is very limited.

Prime maintains a database of every director on the board of listed companies, which is hosted on the website of the Bombay Stock Exchange.

“They may add value to the company by bringing in more business. However, a director’s primary role is to improve the interests of a minority shareholder and this is beyond their realm,” Haldea added.

Success just happens and is boring to talk: Shahrukh

Want to know what the superstar of Bollywood has to say about the mantra for success?

Well its simple...There is absolutely no mantra to success, it just happens and often from the wrong decisions, says iconic actor Shahrukh Khan.

"Success just happens, it is not an experience from which we learn or gain. There is no mantra or formula for it and it is boring to hear success stories," said Shahrukh, who was in the Capital recently to host a quiz show for IIPM.

"You take a lot of wrong decisions in life to learn from failures and then succeed," the actor added.

Recalling his early days of struggle in the film industry, Shahrukh said he did a number of films just to avoid the embarrassment of being unemployed.

Exclusive First Look: My Name Is Khan posters

In Pics: Fox Star Studios' Press Conference for 'My Name Is Khan'

Fox Star Studios' Press Conference for 'My Name Is Khan'

LATEST ON SHAH RUKH KHAN'S MY NAME IS KHAN

Update: Fox STAR Studios to distribute Shah Rukh's 'My Name Is Khan'

Actor-producer Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Karan Johar have inked one of Bollywood's biggest deals with a Hollywood studio. Fox STAR Studios will finance and distribute their forthcoming film "My Name Is Khan", reportedly spending Rs.100 crore (Rs.1 billion / $20 million) in the process.

Shah Rukh and Karan, who are co-producing the film, announced their tie-up with Fox STAR Studios, a joint venture between 20th Century Fox and STAR, at a press conference here Thursday.

"We are very happy that Fox STAR Studios is taking responsibility of a film of this stature that too in a different language, though we do speak a bit of English in the film as well. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to take Indian cinema further," said Shah Rukh.

Though they didn't talk about the money, Fox STAR Studios have reportedly bought distribution rights for around Rs.100 crore for the film about a Muslim (Shah Rukh) who suffers from the Asperger syndrome, a form of autism that impacts social interaction abilities. He is arrested as a suspected terrorist in post-9/11 Los Angeles after authorities mistake his disability for suspicious behaviour.

Fox STAR Studios will market and distribute "My Name Is Khan" in India, while its sister companies, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox International, will distribute the movie in the US and other territories respectively.

Karan Johar is wielding the megaphone after three years to narrate the emotional journey of a Muslim man from India in the film, in which Shah Rukh has teamed up with Kajol. In the past, the two have starred in hits like "Baazigar", "Karan Arjun", "Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge", "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" and "Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham".

Talking about the movie, Karan said: "I'm almost petrified when it comes to making a movie with Shah Rukh and Kajol. Together, they have given iconic love movies and so they raise the level of expectations each time they are paired.

"This time it is again a love story but with a different treatment. It won't be like 'Dilwale Dulhania...' or 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', nor will it have songs shot in Egypt or Switzerland. But it will still leave a mark in the hearts of people."

The partnership on "My Name Is Khan" follows Fox STAR Studios' distribution deal with multiple Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire" in India earlier this year.

Exclusive: First Look - My Names Is Khan