Sorry Shah Rukh, says Anurag Kashyap

Film maker Anurag Kashyap has apologised Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan over his comments on Om Shanti Om.

Anurag had previously said that, “My film Return of Hanuman will break all the records set by Om Shanti Om.”

Return of Hanuman is an animation flick which is bound to hit the theatres very soon.

Radiosargam

Too Old To Give Up Bad Habits

Megastar Shahrukh Khan regaled a wide-eyed audience of fans and media persons in Kolkata on Friday with his characteristic wit and a promise to cut down on smoking.

Though it was a press conference to announce the inauguration of the annexe building of a city hospital, which he endorsed free of cost, the larger than life image of the star prevailed as the soft spoken gentleman charmed everyone with his ready wit.

"The organisers have told me that they are distributing Rs 40 lakh among needy patients because I have just turned 40. I will meet you all again when I turn 100!" the 'King' Khan said as he handed over cheques to poor patients.

Even young women journalists and policemen on duty could not resist taking pictures of the star on their mobile phones.

"I met old ladies in the wards of this hospital. And I met one lady whose nephew had broken his head trying to dance like me...I'm glad she let me go unscathed," he said.

To a question if he thought the law on banning on-screen smoking was any good, he said, "I respect the law. But where does such censorship stop? Creativity needs to be left alone, I feel."

On his own habit of chain smoking, Khan said," It is injurious to health. It is a bad habit. Anybody who doesn't smoke must not get into it ever. As for me, I am too old to give up bad habits!"

Known to smoke as many as 80 cigarettes a day, Khan, however, said he had cut down his smoking and wanted to quit altogether.

SRK, Vidya Balan Get Anandalok Puraskar

Shah Rukh Khan and Vidya Balan bagged ‘Anandalok Puraskar’ for the Best Male and Female actor for their performances in Chak De India and Bhool Bhulaiyaa respectively for the year 2007. Shimit Amin also shared the honour for having been felicitated the Best Director Award for Chak De India.

Vidya Balan has won this award for the second time as it was her first film in Bengali titled Bhalo Theko for which she won the best female actor in ‘Anandalok Puraskar’ in 2005. Vidya says, “‘Anandalok Puraskar’ was the very first award of my career even before I was awarded the Best Debut for Parineeta. Bengali cinema has been very kind to me and winning this award for the second time means a lot to me as an actress.”

Vidya further adds, “This award set as a precedent and a lot of acclamation came my way, inshallah (by the grace of God), this again will set as a precedent and I hope for lot of success coming my way in future as well.”

Vidya’s much awaited film, Halla Bol, is all set to hit the silver screen early next year on Jan 11.

IndiaFM

SRK adds glamour to Nokia ad campaign

It's not normal practice for a brand which is a market leader by a distance to rope in a celebrity and that too for the first time since it entered the Indian market.

But that's exactly what Nokia has done by getting on board Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan for its latest brand campaign. The first campaign featuring the actor goes on air with a TV commercial from December 21.

Explains Devinder Kishore, director (marketing), Nokia: "As a brand we have always ranked high on facets such as reliability, authenticity and our image among the youth, something which Shahrukh too stands for."

Other handset majors such as Motorola and Sony Ericsson already have celebrities like Abhishek Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan, respectively, sporting their products.

Kishore feels the campaign is all about telling people the integral role the brand plays in their lives. "Just like in Shahrukh's life, Nokia has been an integral part of so many other people's lives," he adds.

Nokia in the past has used celebrities like Naseeruddin Shah but only for product specific campaigns. Globally too, Nokia has refrained from using any brand ambassadors.

The TV commercial features Khan using various Nokia phones in different circumstances and highlighting their functionality.

For instance, he is shown checking his e-mail on one of the phones while in another frame he is interacting with his fans as they take his pictures on a Nokia handset. The commercial ends with the six-pack Khan declaring that Nokia has been an integral part of his life for the last ten years.

Khan, who already endorses brands such as Hyundai, Hewlett Packard, Tag Heuer, Diageo's Masterstroke, Videocon, Sunfeast, commands close to Rs 5 crore per deal.

While Nokia refused to divulge the ad spend, Kishore says the campaign would be "hard to miss" and one can gauge the magnitude of the spend by watching it. Apart from television, the company will use mediums such as print, outdoor, points of sale and digital media to publicise the campaign.

Nokia's ad campaigns in the recent past have had more of a global look and feel. But Kishore feels that the company's strategy is to pick "horses for courses". For instance, a product like N-series, which targets the high-end segment, will have less local touch due to its global appeal.

So with Shahrukh on board, will the brand alter its communication strategy? "No," says Kishore, "we have always had consumer centric campaigns, which tell the buyers how the phones can simplify their lives."

The mobile handset market in India is pegged around Rs 15,000 crore, with Nokia having a market share of about 70 per cent. While Nokia might be ahead of its rivals as far as market shares are concerned, analysts feel that it's an "interesting move" on the brand's part to use Khan for a brand campaign.

"Though it's not following suit for competition, it would definitely add more spice to the communication aspect in the market," feels a Delhi-based analyst.

Business Standard

Shah Rukh Khan takes on Hrithik Roshan and Abhishek Bachchan!

Rattled by the increase in the market share of rivals Motorola and Sony Ericsson, brands promoted by Hrithik Roshan and Abhishek Bachchan respectively, Finnish cell phone giant Nokia has recruited Bollywood heavy weight Shah Rukh Khan to promote their products.

Shah Rukh is the most recognizable face in our country, more so than that of our Prime Minister and, by a much wider margin, than that of our President, who looks so much like a lot of aunties in my neighborhood.

While you may view that as a sad commentary on the state of our political leadership, corporate honchos with deep pockets and stunted imagination see it as an immense opportunity.

Shah Rukh probably rakes in more money through brand endorsements and product promotion these days than he does so by acting in films.

"Shah Rukh Khan represents youth, he is trendy and also tech savvy. He has been a Nokia user for the last ten years and hence, this association," explains Devinder Kishore, Director Marketing, Nokia India.

To begin with Shah Rukh will appear in a television commercial to go on air this week which was shot by Pradeep Sarkar, who directed films such as Parineeta and Laaga Chunari Me Daag.

The promo will show Shah Rukh on and off the sets, balancing his work and life by staying connected through his Nokia.

The television commercial will be followed by print ads.

Interestingly, Shah Rukh is not being immediately designated as the brand ambassador for Nokia. He will just promote the product.

Sawf News

SRK, Karan are confused: 'My Name is Khan' or 'Khan' ?

King Khan gets everything that he wishes for. But there's one thing that he couldn't manage. The title of E Nivas's film My Name is Anthony Gonsolves. It is believed that Shah Rukh was so impressed by the title that he wanted to have a similar title for one of his films. Thus his next film has been titled as My Name is Khan.

At the music launch of My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves, Shah Rukh quipped "My Name is Anthony Gonsolves is a beautiful title. It sounds lyrical and has a little naughtiness to it. I like this title so much that when Nikhil and E Nivas told me about this title, I thought that they should not make this film so that I can take this title. But they worked so hard and made this film."

It is also believed that Karan is having a second thought on the title of My Name Is Khan. Earlier in his interviews filmmaker Karan Johar explained that his film will be called either My Name is Khan or just Khan. If sources are to be believed Shah Rukh Khan has liked My Name is Khan, while Karan who's believes much in the 'K' factor is keen to title his films Khan .

It can be recalled that all of Karan's films - Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna – start with 'K'. In fact, he is currently working on an animation film titled Kuchie Kuchie Hota Hai.

According to an industry insider Karan is superstitious and wants to follow his K factor as it has always turned out well for him. But Shah Rukh who doesn't believe in any fallacy feels the title My name Is Khan is apt for the movie.

As per reports the film is not on terrorism, except for one 9/11 scene. Shah Rukh plays the title role while an actress still has to be finalized. As per the latest Karan is in talks with his current favorite Kareena Kapoor for the female lead, while earlier he had expressed interest to cast his favorite pair Shah Rukh and Kajol once again after Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

Reshma Kelkar, Indiatimes Movies

Shah Rukh fails to make it to summit

New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan failed to make it to the 'Focus 2007: Global Summit on Entertainment and Media' here Wednesday, disappointing many invitees.

He was among the special guests and was to address the inaugural session.

Actress Sonali Kulkarni, who anchored the summit proceedings Wednesday, said Shah Rukh could not make it because of the dense fog, due to which he missed his flight, whereas sources at the summit said it was due to his shooting schedule.

The panellists, guests and mediapersons who were waiting for the star were disappointed.

IANS

Year of the King Khan

Shah Rukh Khan’s international and domestic hold on the box-office was further enhanced in 2007. With Chak De! India and Om Shanti Om, the ‘King Khan’ proved that he is firmly entrenched on his throne. In addition to his movies, other events ensured that Khan was always in the spotlight. He was accused of building an illegal extension to his lavish sea-front facing house, smoking in public, partying with the Indian cricket team in order to promote his films and faced a possible lawsuit from a senior filmmaker for making fun of him in OSO. His personal highlight: his own waxwork at London’s Madame Tussaud’s. Khan's insistence on shameless brand endorsements continued with, inter alia, ‘Fair and Handsome’, a skin lightening cream for men.

(Edited)
Times Online, UK

The Night SRK and Abhishek Bonded!

Riteish Deshmukh’s birthday bash on December 16 saw most of his Bollywood friends turn up.

The seniors were not invited so it was basically a gathering of the young and restless. “The oldest in the group, I think, was Shah Rukh Khan. Riteish’s dad was also missing,” our source said.

However, the highlight of the party was the fact that Shah Rukh and wife Gauri were seen bonding with Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai. So much so, that the two couples almost spent the whole evening chatting with each other. Just why this comes as a surprise is that SRK and Ash have not really been on great terms and moreover, the entire Bachchan family seemed miffed with King Khan. However, this was a night when all the alleged animosity seemed to have melted away.

Later the same night, Abhishek and Ash burned the dance floor when ‘Jhoom Barabar Jhoom’ songs were played and then SRK joined wife Gauri on the dance floor when ‘Om Shanti Om’ songs were being played.

Gauri, however, did not restrict herself to one or two songs — she danced through the night along with designer Sabina Khan, Kunal Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Neelam Kothari, Bobby Deol and his wife, Tanya. DJ Suketu was spinning at the party. The only couple who stayed away from the dance floor and seemed entirely caught up with each other were Arjun Rampal and Meher Jessia.

DNA India

Gauri Khan, Vogue's cover girl

Shah Rukh Khan has every reason to preen. No, it doesn't have anything to do with his six packs. Rather, it's his wife Gauri Khan who is the center of attention.

The mother of two has been chosen as the cover girl of Vogue India for its January edition.

The pictures were shot against the eight-floor extension of the Khans' sprawling home, Mannat.

'This is not my profession,' Gauri said. 'It has to be something really new and unusual to make me want to do something like this. I did enjoy the shoot but to be honest, I wouldn't do it very often."

"This collaboration between Gauri and Vogue India is a natural fit," says Priya Tanna, Editor Vogue India. "It is her first solo cover and a coup of sorts for Vogue. That she is stylish, enigmatic, and poised is known, but at the shoot we saw another side of her, that of a cover girl. Even in the frames she shares with Shah Rukh, she holds her own impressively. She offers delightful peeks into her life, her wardrobe and her man. Gauri is a true Voguette."

The issue will hit newsstands on December 20.

Rediff News