Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is being sought to promote Basmati rice

After promoting cars, soft drinks, biscuits, chyawanprash, computers etc. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is being sought to promote Basmati rice.

SRK is being sought by rice exporters to promote Basmati rice, but there is a hurdle as the government has raised objections over the global Basmati promotion campaign.



Upset over objections raised by the government on their Rs 21-crore proposal to launch the campaign featuring SRK, rice exporters will present their case before ‘higher-ups’ in the Commerce Ministry.

"I will soon seek an appointment with higher officials in the Commerce Ministry and explain how this campaign, to be launched in Europe and Middle East, is important for the country’s rice growers and the industry," All India Rice Exporters' Association (AIREA) Chairman Vijay Setia said.

The AIREA along with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) had finalised the campaign to be executed by Grey Worldwide and Crayon Advertising. It was to be financed by the Basmati Development Fund (BDF) which is created by contributions from exporters.

One of the objections raised by the government on a complaint from a Punjab-based association relates to the fact that the entire money lying with BDF would be spent on this high profile campaign.

"What is the use of keeping this money in a Fixed Deposit when we can get a definite value addition from advertising," Setia asked.

He said since the exporters are enjoying good times in the world market, they can again bring money to BDF many times over ‘in a matter of days’.

Shah Rukh Khan's next home production "Joker"

Shah Rukh Khan's next home production after 'Om Shanti Om' will be directed by Shirish Kunder and the film has already generated curiosity with its title. It has been titled 'Joker' and will have SRK as a superhero.

The film will be perfect blend of comedy, action and special effects and will be the costliest films ever made in Indian Cinema till date. The film will start in the first quarter of next year and will be released in 2009.

Walt Disney officials had met Shah Rukh Khan

Shah Rukh Khan's (SRK) Red Chillies Entertainment, which has been investing heavily in assembling a world class team of VFX professionals in Bombay, is set to get a whopping $30 million investment from entertainment colossus Walt Disney Pictures.

According to the Mumbai Mirror, representatives of Walt Disney Pictures met SRK with an offer during his recent holiday in London.

"Walt Disney has plans of investing $30 million in the first phase of their partnership tenure…other international companies like Sony Pictures and Rupert Murdoch's company had also shown interest in investing in Red Chillies Entertainment. Although SRK hasn't confirmed the deal yet, it might be interesting if he decides to do so," says a source.

Bobby Chawla, Shah Rukh's manager was guarded when asked to confirm the report.

"I don't want to comment on this subject. I only know that Walt Disney officials had met Shah Rukh, but I am not too sure what happened after that."

SRK has been investing heavily in assembling a world class VFX team that currently consists of 40 professionals but is likely to grow rapidly in the days ahead.

Before leaving for his recent vacation in London SRK has leased a property in the Lokhandwala area of Andheri (West) which has enough office space to support the 300 professionals that the company eventually plans to hire.

In the past the VFX team has worked on Main Hoon Na, Paheli and more recently, Don.

Currently it is working on TV commercials and Farah Khan's film, Om Shanti Om.

Shahrukh Khan to attend Indian Festival in London

A floating replica of the Taj Mahal will sail down the Thames to launch a spectacular Indian festival in London.
The marble mausoleum will be recreated as part of a three-month festival celebrating the country's culture in advance of a visit by Mayor Ken Livingstone to India in November.
Created by Bollywood film-set designer Bijon Das Gupta, it is now under construction and will be launched on 17 July, on a barge from Vauxhall to London Bridge.
Mr Livingstone, who will view the floating six-metre metal and wood replica when it docks near City Hall, will visit Mumbai and Delhi in November to open two offices to boost business and tourism links with one of the world's fastest growing economies.
His office is co-ordinating the India Now festival of around 1,500 events at 200 cultural institutions, including a three-week showcase in Trafalgar Square from 2 August that will cost £383,000.
Other highlights include appearances by "Indian royalty" - Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, whose new film Chak De India will premiere at Somerset House, and India cricket captain Rahul Dravid.
There will be a fashion show at the Victoria & Albert Museum and exhibitions at the British Library and Museum of London, while the Regent Street festival on 2 September will have an Indian theme.
A Bollywood night will be held at Kempton Park racecourse, Sanjeev Bhaskar will give a talk at the V&A and there will be a Mumbai clubbing night at the ICA.
The 430,000-strong Indian community is the largest minority group in London .
The Mayor hopes to use the festival and his official visit to showcase contemporary India.
"Modern India is developing so rapidly that Londoners cannot refresh their knowledge of it fast enough or too often," he said.
"I hope that all Londoners will experience the many exciting cultural events taking place throughout July to September as part of India Now. It is our biggest opportunity to enjoy the cultural richness of a country that will be a huge part of our futures."
The Mayor has also lent his support to a new tour of London promoting the time spent in the capital by Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi.
The two-hour walk has been devised by Ajay Goyal and covers Gandhi's five visits to London, starting in 1888 when he was training to become a barrister and used to walk up to seven miles a day searching for vegetarian food.
Many of the restaurants and places he lived in have since been demolished or destroyed in the Blitz, but the tour includes Gandhi's first London home in Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, plus Inner Temple and Farringdon Street.
Mr Goyal said India Now was a "very positive" initiative. He added: "India is going to be one of the biggest international players in the next 10 to 20 years. If you have billions of dollars worth of Indian businesses listing on the London Stock Exchange and opening offices here, the Mayor is right to focus on India for the commercial investment and co-operation.
"I think it's very important that India is highlighted as an example of peaceful co-existence. What we have learned in India is that you need two things to survive. You need tolerance and peace. You need to tolerate your neighbour no matter what his creed or colour or religion."

Ckah De India Trailor has not found much appreciation

According to a section of the media, the trailor of Yash Chopra's CHAK DE INDIA, which made its first appearance in the prints of his JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM, released last month, has not found much appreciation.

For one, the trailor has just a song which, too, is unlike the traditional songs that we are used to listening and seeing in films. In fact, it is more of a poem than a song! Secondly, there is no heroine in the film, and so, despite the presence of an entire team of hockey players (in the song), the thirst of the audience to see that one glamorous face may not have been quenched.

However, not too much should be read into the 'so called' lack of appreciation for the trailor. These days, with so many films, which have magnificent and enticing trailor, falling like nine pins at the box-office, CHAK DE INDIA, just might stand tall in the cinemas, when it hits the screens on 10th August.

As a leading trade expert says (in a lighter vein) - If a great trailor is no guarantee for a hit or even an average film, a dull trailor just might be a surefire precursor to a hit film! Yes, one never knows!

Shahrukh Khan Back to Action

Having only returned from his European holiday late Sunday night, Shah Rukh Khan is already getting ready to jet back to London for work. The star has a busy six months lined up ahead of him and well rested he is looking to get back into the thick of things.

A source close to the actor says that Khan already has his schedule chockablock for the coming months. “He is leaving for London tomorrow. It’s a very short trip of just two days. While he was away, Chak De India was in post production. It is in fact almost done. Once back Yash Raj will begin promotions for the movie,” he says.

Khan’s own home production Om Shanti Om, starring Khan and debutant Deepika Padukone is almost ready too. “Certain parts need to be canned other than that the rest of the movie has been shot. Also there are two song sequences that need to be completed. So basically SRK will finish all his current shoots by the first week of August,” he says.

Although there are plans of Shah Rukh returning to television for his second season of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), dates are yet to be finalized. “He enjoyed the programme a lot and wants to surely come back,” says our source, “But he has so much going on! No one knows anything about his dates – it was to begin post Om Shanti Om release but now it looks like Shah Rukh will be doing a movie with Adi (Aditya Chopra) so again he first needs to sort those dates before he can give his commitment to a long project like KBC.”

In the next few months Shah Rukh Khan will be seen on the big screen in the soon to be released Shimit Amin’s Chak De India, Viveck Vaswani’s Dulha Mil Gaya with Sushmita Sen and Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om.

King of Bollywood

KING OF BOLLYWOOD is a sweeping portrait of a man who is worshipped as a modern-day God, a country finding its identity and a movie industry that helped to change the face of India. The book reveals how Shah Rukh Khan, a middle-class Muslim boy from Delhi, broke into the insular, nepotistic world of Bombay show business and emerged as a superstar. His larger-than-life tale takes us through the colorful and idiosyncratic Bollywood movie industry, where fantastic dreams and outrageous obsessions share the spotlight with extortion, murder, and corruption.

Mira Nair, director of THE NAMESAKE, comments, 'The ultimate story of the outsider who became Bollywood's great insider. Chopra captures the snap, crackle and pop of celluloid dreams in this immensely readable bio of the great Khan's life...a bounty for cinema lovers everywhere.'

Emma Thompson, Oscar winning actor, comments, “The Easy Riders, Raging Bulls of the Bollywood industry and essential reading for any Shah Rukh Khan fan.”

KING OF BOLLYWOOD is the first comprehensive narrative account of Bollywood published by a major US publishing house: Grand Central Publishing (formerly Warner Books). The book is being distributed in India by Om Books and Westland Books Pvt. Ltd. Internationally renowned film critic Anupama Chopra combines her knowledge of the Bollywood industry with firsthand interviews and exclusive photographs for an exclusive, insider’s look at Shah Rukh Khan and the world of Bollywood. KING OF BOLLYWOOD will also be available in Hindi, Marathi and German translations.

Anupama Chopra is a film critic and book author. She has written about the Hindi film industry since 1993. Her work has been published extensively in India Today. She has also written about Bollywood for various international publications such as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Variety and Sight & Sound. Currently, Anupama scripts and hosts a weekly film review show.

Anupama Chopra’s first book ‘Sholay: The Making of a Classic’ sold over 10,000 copies and won a National Award for the best book on cinema (2000). Her second book, ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jayenge’, was published by the British Film Institute as part of the Modern Classics Series.

More praise on the book…

'King of Bollywood is the all-singing, all-dancing back stage pass to Bollywood. Anupama Chopra chronicles the political and cultural story of India with finesse and insight, through fly-on-wall access to one of its biggest, most charming and charismatic stars,' praises Gurinder Chadha, director of BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM.

'This smart and thoroughly researched book explores stardom - that most of mysterious of phenomena - and in telling the story of Shah Rukh Khan it also shows how a city, an industry and a star can be characters in a single urban epic. Anupama Chopra knows how to blend social analysis with the frisson of glamour and the insider's knowledge of one of the world's great dream machines,' says Arjun Appadurai, John Dewey Professor in the Social Sciences, The New School, New York.

'India has changed more after economic liberalization in 1991 than at any other time in its history. This elegant book is not only an intelligent guide to the charismatic superstar of this era, Shah Rukh Khan, but also to the Indian film industry (Bollywood) and modern India itself. Long live King Khan!' says Dr Rachel Dwyer, Professor of Indian Cultures and Cinema.

'I have always read Anupama Chopra’s books with relish. She has an educated and unbiased approach. Her work is always thought provoking and entertaining. Whoever reads this book will have a clear and insightful understanding of Bollywood and of course, me. Thanks Anu,' says the King Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) himself.

King Khan's three movies lined up for release

This year awaits three big releases for Shahrukh ‘King’ Khan. SRK will be seen saying CHAK DE INDIA in theatres from August 10 onwards. Next in the line is SRK’s home production OM SHANTI OM opposite model turned actress Deepika Padukone making her Bollywood debut directed by SRK’s good friend Farah Khan. The movie is made under SRK’s own banner Red Chillies Entertainment. Though the release date of the movie is not yet confirmed it is set to be released later this year. After the super hit flick MAIN HOON NA Shahrukh will be once again paired with Sushmita Sen in Vivek Vaswani’s DULHA MIL GAYA, SAY YES TO A RELATIONSHIP.

SRK will be seen essaying the role of a super hero in Shirish Kunder’s flick titled JOKER, which will be made under his own banner. If the reports are to be believed Shahrukh will also be working with MUNNABHAI fame Rajkumar Hirani. Had it not been the back problems for the DON (SRK), he might have also been known as MUNNABHAI. There is also a buzz that SRK would be doing an arty kind of film to be directed by a new comer.

This year seems to be a treat for all Shahrukh fans with his three movies lined up for release.

I don't want any film to suffer," Shahrukh Khan

Shah Rukh Khan will work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali to prevent a fratricidal clash of their respective films, Om Shanti Om and Saawariya , both of which are slotted to hit theatres on November 9, 2007 during the Diwali festivities.

Both the films are big budget productions and a simultaneous release is bound to be detrimental to their box office collections since it will force audience to choose between the two.

The release date for Saawariya , Sony Pictures Entertainment's first Bollywood production, was announced last year. Later Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment announced a clashing date for Om Shanti Om.

Khan, who is currently vacationing in London with his family, has worked with Bhansali earlier in the highly successful 2002 remake of Bimal Roy's classic Devdas (1955)

Bhansali has already discussed the release date clash with Khan, who has an open mind on the issue.

"We are slated for a November 9 release. Sanjay Leela Bhansali has not asked me to postpone my film's release, but I will talk to him once I return from London and try to sort this out. I don't want any film to suffer," Khan says.

Saawariya has Salman Khan and Rani Mukherjee in the lead and introduces newcomers Ranbir Kapoor (Son of Rishi Kapoor) and Sonam Kapoor (Daughter of Anil Kapoor). Rani plays a sex worker in the film, a role that was first offered to Aishwarya who declined because of the presence of Salman in the cast.

Farah Khan directed Om Shanti Om has Shah Rukh Khan and newcomer Deepika Padukone in the lead. Its title song features guest appearances by over 30 leading Bollywood stars.

Shah Rukh Khan gifts Audi A6 to his kids Aaryan & suhana

The star who already owns five foreign cars recently ordered a sixth one for his children Aryan (9 years) and Suhana (6 years).

Currently in London on vacation with his family the 41-year-old will gift the German manufactured sedan valued at $40-70K to his children when the family returns to Bombay.

"Shah Rukh has recently bought an Audi A6 car for Aryan and Suhana. Shah Rukh who already has five foreign-made cars wanted a safe and state-of-the-art car for his kids. The car has been delivered to him yesterday. The car is in the league of the most luxurious cars. Shah Rukh himself uses a BMW, which he is very fond of," as source told Mumbai Mirror.