Leaving on a jet plane

If you're Shah Rukh Khan and you miss your flight, there's always Mukesh Ambani to offer you his private jet.

The world's 14th richest man, Mukesh Ambani's high-powered gathering at the Reliance petro township in Jamnagar had around 250 high-profile corporate personalities like Infosys' Nandan Nilekani, ICICI's K V Kamanth, Bharati Group's Sunil Mittal, M & M's Anand Mahindra, Adi Godrej and Vikram S Mehta and also some Bollywood stars. Among others was Shah Rukh Khan.

SRK reached the Jamnagar bash by 5 pm on Friday, and he left the venue by midnight. He had to reach Mumbai, pick up Gauri, Aryan and Suhana and catch a flight to Austria. But SRK missed his flight to Austria and when Mukesh Ambani got to know of this, he offered his brand new Boeing Business Jet 2 to SRK and family to fly to Austria on a holiday.

Our source, who was present at the Jamnagar meet, says, “When Mukesh Ambani learnt that SRK who had left Jamnagar but missed his flight in Mumbai, he promptly offered Khan his new private jet so that they could carry on with their journey as per schedule. SRK reached Mumbai with Juhi Chawla and her husband, Jay Mehta. Gauri, Aryan and Suhana joined SRK and they left for Austria on Ambani's plane around 3:30 am on Saturday. Boeing Business Jet 2 was at SRK's service.”

Apparently, Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Karan Johar apart from Vinod Khanna and son Rahul Khanna were also part of the conclave along with Juhi Chawla and her husband, industrialist Jay Mehta.

Mumbai Mirror

Sonam Kapoor to star opposite Shah Rukh Khan: Exclusive Report

Sonam Kapoor, 22, will star opposite Shah Rukh Khan, 42, in Aditya Chopra's romantic action drama Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.

Shah Rukh was paired with then 22-year-old debutante Deepika Padukone in his last film Om Shanti Om.

Unlike in Om Shanti Om, the script for Aditya Chopra's film mandates the massive age difference since it focuses on the love between a 40-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl.

When Yash Raj Films announced their new project they also indicated that the female protagonist in the film would be a 16-year-old newcomer.

Following the announcement the banner launched a massive talent hunt for the right combination of Punjabi looks and histrionic abilities, interviewing hundreds of girls in the process.

However, their efforts drew a blank, reports Mumbai Mirror, prompting Aditya Chopra to settle for a young and talented Punjabi girl that the whole country already knew and raved about - Sonam Kapoor.

Sonam's father Anil Kapoor, himself a talented actor, was receptive to the idea, and several meetings later Sonam was on board.

Production of the film, that will be shot extensively in Greece, Australia and Dubai, will start in June - July for release by the end of 2008.

Sawf News

"Shah Rukh is a friend," says Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh's look in Ravi Chopra's upcoming 'Bhootnath, was revealed last Saturday at Cinemax (Versova) in Bombay.

In 'Bhootnath,' Bachchan plays a cranky grandfather, who later becomes a partner in pranks indulged in by his seven-year-old grandson 'Banku' (Aman Siddiqui). The movie is about a child's innocent love and how it can turn a foe into a friend.
The cast of 'Bhootnath' also includes Juhi Chawla, Satish Shah, Rajpal Yadav and Tejas. Shah Rukh Khan makes a special appearance.

While referring to Shah Rukh Khan, Bachchan denied any 'bad vibes' between them. They have a few scenes together in the movie. "It is a media-created animosity. He is a friend," Bachchan said.

An Indian Films presentation, 'Bhootnath' is scheduled to release on May 9, later this year.

Planet Bollywood

Shah Rukh Khan on a holiday with his kids

Shah Rukh Khan has taken a brief break from the hustle and bustle of tinsel town.

The superstar is learnt to be on a short vacation to the snow-capped mountains of Austria with his two kids Aryan and Suhana.

Wife Gauri Khan is reportedly not accompanying the king Khan. Rather, it is good friend Juhi Chawla’s hubby Jai Mehta and his two kids Janhavi and Arjun who are accompanying the Khan trio.

Juhi Chawla is also not giving company to her hubby.

Shah Rukh and Juhi have almost been like family friends for years. The two are also paired together in Ravi Chopra’s film Bhootnath , the first look of which was unveiled on Saturday last week.

SRK is going to be very busy in the coming months with the upcoming IPL tournament, followed by his hectic schedule for Aditya Chopra’s film Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi in May.

Latest reports from Bollywood suggest that Yashraj Films are looking forward to release the movie in the second week of December this year, during the festive time of 'Eid-Ul-Zuha'.

ApunkaChoice

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol still Bollywood's hottest pair

Nearly seven years after they last appeared together, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, remain Bollywood's most popular on screen pair.

Director Karan Johar calls them a dream pair and was gleeful when he managed to rope them in for his forthcoming film Khan last December.

"Yes, Kajol is doing my film and I'm very happy… ," he said triumphantly.

Recalling how he failed to rope in Kajol opposite Shah Rukh in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Johar said, "She hadn't turned down my film, per se. I needed her to shoot out of the country for ninety days and she didn't want to leave Nysa for such a long time."

"This time around I told her, 'I need you. You just have to do my film.' That was it," he added.

Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan have so far played romantic lead in the following films, all of which turned out to be hits.

Baazigar (1993), Karan Arjun (1995), Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001).

The back-to-back success of Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif films in 2007, Namastey London and Welcome, made us wonder if fan loyalties had started to change. We know for a fact that the two are individually very popular.

Going by an online poll that Sawf News is currently running, which has received close to a 1000 votes already, nothing has changed.

Before starting the poll on March 12 we had suspected Shah Rukh and Kajol were still the more popular couple, but were surprised by the astounding gap that emerged, practically within minutes of the poll opening.

The gap has since then remained consistent, indicating there has been no manipulation through rigged block voting.

All we can say now is that Johar will have a winning combination in his hands when Khan begins to roll later this year.

Shah Rukh will do Khan after Aditya Chopra's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, a film that Shah Rukh is co producing and in which he will star opposite a 16-year-old new face!

The man continues to amaze us!

Sawf News

The Aamir-Shah Rukh banter continues!

Aamir Khan has responded to Shah Rukh Khan ’s recent admission that he (SRK) is number two in Bollywood.

The tongue-in-cheek banter between the two Khans of Bollywood has moved a step further. It began on Wednesday when Aamir said at an event that Shah Rukh is number 2.

In response, SRK was no less witty and had accepted with sarcastic humility that it was a compliment to him to come on second spot after Aamir, who, SRK said, is indeed number one.

Now, on Saturday, when mediapersons told Aamir about SRK’s response and asked for his reaction, Aamir said with a broad smile: “Mujhe khushi hai ki usne maan liya” (I am glad that he has accepted that he is no. 2).

Of course it was said in good humour and the whole gathering of media persons broke out in laughter. Let us see what SRK would have to say to that.

The exchange of verbal volleys between the two Khans is getting interesting. How we wish the good-natured banter continues longer.

ApunkaChoice

Shah Rukh in top 20 income tax payers' list

NEW DELHI: Sounds strange, but India’s top billionaires don’t even figure among the top 20 crorepati income tax payers in the country. A ranking of top tax payers on the basis of advance tax collections up to December, 2007, suggests that none of the industrialists in the country are among the top-20 list though Bollywood super star Shah Rukh Khan (8th) and UP chief minister Ms Mayawati (19th) have figured on the list. SundayET has procured the list of 134 individual tax payers in the country who have paid Rs 1.5 cr or above as advance taxes up to December 2007.

Significantly, Punjab, which is among the prosperous states in India, has no individuals who paid an advance tax of Rs 1.5 cr and above this fiscal, whereas Gujarat has only three crorepati taxpayers. Relatively poorer states such as Orissa and Jharkhand have one each on the list, whereas West Bengal has two such individuals. Not surprisingly, Maharashtra tops with 54, followed by Delhi (16), Tamil Nadu (15), Karnataka (13) and Andhra Prasdesh (12).

Chairman of Max India Analjit Singh, Wipro Technologies chairman Azim Premji, AV Birla group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, Vodafone Essar MD Asim Ghosh, architect Hafeez Contractor, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals MD Naresh Trehan and Infosys co-chairman Nandan Nilekani have all figured on the list of top 100 tax payers in the country. Significantly, neither the chairman of Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani nor chairman of ADAG Anil Ambani is on the list.

Sources in the finance ministry said that most industrialists in India earn their fortunes not from their salaries, but through dividends, for which no individual needs to pay taxes. “A company pays taxes on dividends, but no individual needs to pay taxes on that. Thus most promoters who earn a fortune by the way of dividends need not pay any tax at all. Thus, many industrialists don’t figure among top tax payers in the country,” sources said.

In fact, the highest tax payer of the country during this fiscal, who paid Rs 58 cr up to December, 2007, is not a celebrity at all. Also, the second, third, fifth and sixth highest tax payers in the country till December, 2007, happen to be from the same family in Mumbai. They paid a combined tax of Rs 179 cr.

Among the celebrities, Shah Rukh Khan is not alone on the list. Bollywood stars who have figured among tax crorepatis in the country, include Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt, and Aamir Khan. Sachin Tendulkar who paid Rs 2 cr as advance tax also figures among the top 100.

Shantanu Nandan Sharma, TNN

SRK to make a music video

Drawing inspiration from the ‘Chak De’ song, which has become a fans’ anthem in cricket and hockey games, Shah Rukh Khan is planning to make a music video with composer duo Vishal-Shekhar. Incidentally, this is the first time King Khan will be seen in a music video.

“I haven’t finalised on exactly how I am going to do it. But I want to make a music video,” said Shah Rukh.

What’s more? Apart from shaking a leg himself, SRK will also be approaching some of his Bengali leading ladies for a guest appearance in the video. Officials working with him on the project indicated that the actor is planning to approach Bipasha Basu and Rani Mukherji for the same.

“Some of the most successful heroines in Bollywood are Bengalis. So I am sure they would like to join me in my effort to cheer their team through the video,” he added.

According to sources, Vishal-Shekhar has already started working on the lead theme of the video which will be released in the first or second week of April just before his team plays its maiden match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

To lend some regional flavour to the album, the superstar is also keen on roping in two local Bangla bands for at least three tracks on the album. “Shah Rukh wants to rope in the hugely popular Bangla bands in Kolkata and one or two tracks might be done in Bengali too,” said a source.

There is also a chance that Shah Rukh might rope in more celebrities for a guest appearance for his maiden music video to (like what he did in Om Shanti Om) and if sources are to believed that is exactly what is being chalked out now.

In all probability, only Sourav Ganguly will be making a special appearance in the music video. Shah Rukh apparently doesn’t want his players to get involved with the “entertainment part” of the tournament.

Soumyadipta Banerjee, DNA India

SRK's RNBDJ on December 12

Earlier this month, we had told you about the dream project, which brings back Bollywood's global superstar, Shah Rukh Khan and ace director Aditya Chopra, together for the third time, after a gap of almost eight years, RAB NE BANA DI JODI.

We also told you that the project was all set to go before the camera in mid-May. Here is more on the same. No, no, do not let your imagination run wild, as we are not here to tell you about which lucky heroine has been finalized to star opposite King Khan, as there is no news on that front.

As per the latest communique from Yash Raj Films, RAB NE BANA DI JODI is all set to hit the screens globally on December 12. And that is indeed a superb release date choice, as it will coincide with the bountiful weekend of festive 'Eid-Ul-Azha' period, and the coming weeks will see the Christmas and winter vacations in the schools and colleges.

So the stage is set for an exciting and record establishing end to the year with an extremely exciting project, one that marks the reunion of the team that gave us the record breaking DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE (still running in Bombay) and MOHABBATEIN.

Abid, Bollywood Trade News Network

Shah Rukh Khan the boss

Sourav Ganguly, once more, is feeling like the Prince of Kolkata. And the man who gave him back his crown and position of pride in the City of Joy, is Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan.

The two, ably assisted by cricketers as diverse as Ishant Sharma of India, Ricky Ponting of Australia and Shoaib Akhtar of Pakistan, drive the Indian Premier League’s team Kolkata Knights. If SRK is sparkle and wit and all zesty effervescence, then Ganguly is newfound resilience and quiet strength.

The bossman of Kolkata Knights and the Twenty-20 team’s captain, spent a few minutes with BombayTimes (BT) before padding up to face the press in Mumbai on Thursday...

BT: Who’s the boss here, the Bollywood Badshah or Prince of Kolkata?
Ganguly: It’s Shah Rukh Khan who’s the boss.

BT: And the show stealer?
Ganguly: He only, he’s a great actor and entertainer, the media loves him. So all the attention on SRK is justified.

BT: Why cricket?
SRK: I love the game. I have played soccer, hockey and cricket in my school and college days. My parents supported whatever I wanted to do, from theatre to sports. My joining the cricket is not a social service, I’m involving myself with the game, it’s a social obligation.

BT: Who is the first cricketer you’ve ever met?
SRK: When I was 16, I had gone to Pakistan with my mother. We bumped into Imran Khan. Excited, I went up to him and shook hands. But Pakistan had lost a match that day, and he was in a foul mood. It was bad timing. He brushed me aside. Yet it was the highpoint of my trip and later I bragged to friends that I touched Imran Khan. I also met Wasim Akram at the airport. It was more pleasant.

BT: How does it feel to be boss of Kolkata Knights?
SRK: I’m not the boss here. We have divided the work. I’m in charge of the entertainment part. Sourav and John Buchanan, the cricket. And Jai and Juhi, the administration. I don’t step into their areas. We will work in tandem, the single unifying factor driving us is constructive aggression. It’s our mantra. This is not about winning the silver, but losing the gold. That’s the attitude we all have and I am glad my team thinks like me. I always tell my son Aryan, if you can’t score the goal, eat up the ball but don’t give up.
Ganguly: There is mutual trust and respect between all of us. I have known Shah Rukh for quite some time, and it’s a privilege to be captaining his team. He is a bundle of raw energy waiting to explode. His drive and hunger is in itself a huge inspiration. He is not called the Badshah for nothing.

BT: How will you divide time between films and cricket?
SRK: I’m an entertainer first then a sportsman. I know my priorities and I have worked out strategies so that one role doesn’t overlap the other. I’m not going out and doing the playing. I will do everything possible to bring in the entertainment. But if there is a tournament for the above-35, I would love to play. You can now call me a sports-actor.

BT: Will you offer Ganguly a role in films?
SRK: No. Har player ki ek dignity hoti hai and I will accord him that. In fun, yes, maybe for a music video.
Ganguly: Shah Rukh knows my strength.

Afsana Ahmed, Times Of India - Bombay Times