Shah Rukh Khan to be star attraction at Singapore carnival

Bollywood's King Khan, Shah Rukh, will be the star attraction of the Zee Carnival - a two-day entertainment and lifestyle extravaganza to be held in Singapore next weekend.

Already the Shah Rukh fever is catching on. Apart from his fans among the 200,000-strong Indian expatriate community in Singapore, large crowds are also expected from neighbouring Malaysia.

Shah Rukh has a sizeable fan following in Singapore, thanks to the Indian expatriate community. His photographs often find their way into the lifestyle sections of newspapers here, while a leading daily newspaper recently carried a two-page interview with him.

Not just Indians, but the growing numbers of other Bollywood fans in Singapore had flocked to cinemas when Shah Rukh's two recent blockbusters, "Om Shanti Om" and "Chak De! India" were released here.

At the carnival, Shah Rukh's fans will have a chance to get up close and personal with him.

Bollywood's reigning heart throb will make numerous appearances on both days, spending time interacting with the crowds, signing autographs and allowing his fans to get their photographs taken with him.

Apart from King Khan, the other stars who will make an appearance are mainly from the Zee TV stable, including the host of the "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa" show Aditya Narayan, the show's singers Raja Hasan and Poonam Jatav, Iqbaal Khan and the singing duo, Sharad and Kirti Kelkar, better known by their screen names, Nahar and Chandni.

The Zee event also includes a lifestyle segment showcasing fashion and design trends from across the globe. TV show host and chef Sanjeev Kapoor of "Khana Khazana" fame will be giving cookery demonstrations. That is expected to be a big draw.

The carnival on Oct 11 and 12 is being held at Suntec City, a popular conference and exhibition space in the heart of downtown Singapore. It will be preceded by the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conference of overseas Indians which concludes a day earlier on Oct 10.

SRK's Red Chillies to invest Rs 100 cr for three films in 2008

KOLKATA: After superhit Om Shanti Om and soon-to-be-released Billo Barber, Shah Rukh
Shah Rukh Khan

Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment is going to invest Rs 100 crore to reel out three more movies this year. This includes a Rs 60-crore flick with computer-generated special effects starring the King Khan himself and two medium-budget films, each with a budget of Rs 20-25 crore.

Talking to ET on the sidelines of a Nokia event here on Saturday, Mr Khan said the title of the big-budget special-effects film has been tentatively decided as Ra.one. “We will finalise the script, cast and director for the two medium-budget films by this month,” he said.

Red Chillies also plans to set up a film studio in India on the lines of the Hollywood studios. “This will be one-of-its-kind project in Bollywood. We will require huge space for this. We are yet to finalise the location, but it will not be viable to build this project in Mumbai,” Mr Khan added.

‘I am Shah Rukh Khan, not BCCI’

Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan on Saturday hailed Sourav Ganguly's selection to the Test squad and said he was happy for the former Indian skipper.

"I feel happy for Sourav Ganguly," Khan said on the sidelines of his first meeting with the new Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Jagmohan Dalmiya.

"I am a Kolkata Knight Rider, so be it Sourav Ganguly, Ajantha Mendis or Brendon McCullum. It makes me happy when any of our players do well. We have already started our next season preparation in Australia, and we are upbeat about our good show next season," he added.

Asked if he sees Sourav's selection as some kind of a compromise formula, Khan quipped: "I am Shah Rukh Khan, not BCCI."

Calling himself a 'Kolkata-vaasi', the Bollywood star said he had become a resident of the city, the day he bought the KKR's franchise.

"I've become Kolkata-vaasi, the day we bought KKR. I've every reason to be here in during puja."

Khan added that Eden Gardens is there home ground and he has come to Kolkata to meet the members of the CAB and ‘say hello’ to Dalmiya.

Shah Rukh as Rizvan Khan

Dharma Productions’ Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol starrer - My Name is Khan, which is being directed by Karan Johar will go on floors on 15 December.

Well, this headline shouldn’t keep you guessing for a long time. Yup! ‘Syndrome’ seems to be more favorite word of Superstar Khans. Aamir Khan swayed with ‘Dyslexia Syndrome’ in ‘Taare Zameen Par’ that keeps winning him laurels from one or other end of globe. Of course, it’s the turn of King Khan to stride with ‘Asperger’s Syndrome’ in his forthcoming flick ‘My Name is Khan’. The most sensational combo Karan Johar-Shah Rukh-Kajol is back with this film that will start rolling from December 15 at Los Angeles.

Karan Johar in his recent blog had stated that entire star-casts for the film have been finalized and trio combo Shankar-Ehasaan-Loy has started tuning melodies. Karan and cinematographer Ravi K Chandran are on the verge of settling down with exotic locations for filming. Manish Malhotra and Shiraz Siddique would be designing costumes and Sharmishta Roy stands on the shoes of production designer.

Speaking on his venture of new theme, Karan says that he is quite nervous about handling the complex film and entering into a territory of new theme is a great challenge to accomplish. According to the script, Shah Rukh performs Rizvan Khan suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome and screenwriter Shibani Bhatija has been involved in backbreaking research work on this disorder.

“Getting Shah Rukh portrayed in such a role is so difficult” says Karan, who has a entrancing message that states ’strong support of humanity would alone get everyone’s lives elated’.

Hitting the floors of Los Angeles by mid of December, Karan Johar has plans to release the film in November 2009.

“Happy Eid to everyone” - Shah Rukh Khan

Shah Rukh Khan has not spoken publicly about his tiff with Salman Khan yet, but the actor is not over it yet. He talks to Girish Rao about Salman, and also wishes everyone a Happy Eid.

How was your Eid celebrations?

Happy Eid to everyone! I keep my Eid celebrations simple because ours is a multi-cultural family. I like my children to pray on this day. After waju [ablution], we do our namaaz [prayers]. The effort is to let my children know the religion and what it teaches you. My parents are no more, so I pray for them too.

Have you given or received Idi [the amount given as gift on Eid] from anyone?

I am the eldest in the family, so I give Idi. The time has gone when I used to get Idi but I still wish I were the youngest in the family. I am now a father, so I have to take care of my family and friends.

You and your family were present at the Drona premiere. How did you like the film?

I think the film will surely appeal to kids. The film has some new flavours, so it might take some time for people to understand. But Priyanka [Chopra], Abhishek [Bachchan] and Goldie [Behl] have worked very hard.

On a personal level, I am very fond of fantasy films that have a lot of special effects. My kids and I liked the film a lot.

When do you intend to play a superhero?

The day I am ready with my eight-pack abs, or when I am able to.

Have you wished your friends and those, who are not really your friends?

Everyone is my friend and I love all of them. I don’t have much time in hand to shower my love on my well wishers but deep down in my heart, I love everyone.

With the passage of each year, I am growing to understand the tenets of religions — love everyone, be content and happy with yourself.

Would you like to be friends with anyone on this day?

I am not angry with anyone and I don’t harbour ill feelings for anyone. When a person matures, he just can’t listen to horrible things from his own family members. You shower love on everyone without expecting anything in return. No one thinks ill for anyone, such thoughts creep in our mind when we start giving importance to ourselves.

I have now reached a point where I can’t and don’t think ill of anyone. I can’t do bad to anyone. It is likely that I may not think good for anyone or not think anything for anyone. Live life with your family and friend and share love with all.

Do you consider as Salman Khan your brother?

No. I have an older sister, Shahnaz Lala, who lives with me. I only work with my colleagues and I love them all but I don’t make them my brother or sister. I have a wife, a sister and two children and they are my life.

My family does not harbour any ill will towards anyone. I love Karan [Johar] and Farah [Khan] and they are such people with whom I can make an emotional investment.

Will you pass on Eid greetings to Salman?

I wish everyone happy Eid. Wishes are not for an individual but for everyone.

Girish Rao, Rediff India

SRK’s ‘big’ patch up with Bachchan’s!

SRK reportedly extended the olive branch and patched up with the Bachchans at the premiere of ‘Drona’ recently. The buzz is that nobody expected to see SRK there and that too with his entire family- wife Gauri and kids in tow! He warmed up to Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan and even Aishwarya Rai Bachchan! Now everybody knows how things between SRK and Ash turned bitter six years ago when he replaced her with Rani Mukerji in his movie ‘Chalte Chlate’ after her then boyfriend Salman Khan(with whom she was breaking up) created a ruckus on the sets?

The buzz is that during those days SRK and wife Gauri were also pleading Salman’s case with Ash and her parents after she lost all interest in him! Shah Rukh and Ash didn’t work together or publicly acknowledge each other thereafter! And now here King Khan was at the premiere hugging Big B, laughing and talking with Abhishek and Aishwarya and posing for photographs. He also didn’t forget to tell people that the war between him and the Bachchans is only media created.

Looks like SRK’s is in the serious need of friends after his recent big fight with Salman Khan. The Bollywood bad boy started shunning him completely after that, almost creating a divide in the industry. Moreover his ‘King’ status has been challenged big time with the rise of the box office king, with a new name King Kumar being coined for him.

The Bachchans who have their own insecurities (which now also includes their over ambitious ‘Drona’ biting the dust) must have been happy to oblige. Wonder what happens to the new found Abhishek - Salman yaari ( or it also another illusion) now? Even if it goes for a toss, who cares? Friendships and enmities in B-town are fragile and inconsistent and it’s been so for years, after all!

King Khan welcomes ban on smoking

Where the debate continues amongst the smokers and now-smokers relating to the ban on smoking put on by Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss’s, actor Shah Rukh Khan said he would try his level best to quit smoking.

King Khan has welcomed this ban to make India a smoke free country, "it is a good step to make sure that the country is smoke free. Better step would be to ban cigarettes, make them illegal and hang any one who is

smoking. We cannot do that as we are a democratic country."

The superstar further hopes that the smokers take this ban seriously, "I hope everyone call upon their good self to do it. I myself would try my best."

Farah Khan’s ‘lovable’ Eid lunch

horeographer and director Farah Khan hosted an Eid lunch yesterday and among the guests were Shah Rukh Khan, Arjun Rampal and love birds Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. The invitees are no surprise — she’s a close friend of SRK, while Arjun and Deepika starred in her directorial venture Om Shanti Om. But the luncheon was certainly helpful for Ranbir who got to spend some quality time with Deepika, who’ve been away from each other because of hectic shooting schedules.

Shy superstar

To his tens of millions of fans, actor and producer Shah Rukh Khan is the unrivalled King of Bollywood, known for his macho film persona.

But the high-energy, fast-speaking superstar, who is visiting Singapore next weekend for the Zee Carnival, showcasing Indian entertainment, gives a rare glimpse of his sensitive side in an hour-long telephone interview from Mumbai.

India's top romantic leading man confesses that in real life he is 'painfully shy of women'.

Khan, who turns 43 next month and has been married to Gauri Khan for 17 years, with whom he has two children, adds: 'I am just very shy of girls. I have never looked into my wife's purse or her wardrobe.'

The man who is everywhere in India - from movie billboards in the streets and shows on TV to making headlines for buying a cricket team and supporting the current Bollywood film-workers strike - also has another surprising revelation.

The famous actor says that he is 'an intensely private and reclusive man' who cries when he thinks of his late parents.

Khan's Muslim parents - Meer Taj Mohammad Khan and Lateef Fatima - died before he found fame in Bollywood and to this day he mourns the loss time cannot heal.

Says Khan: 'I often go to the terrace at my home and cry. I cry not because they haven't been able to see the successful side of me, I cry because even if I was a complete failure they would have wished me well and loved me unconditionally. Sometimes I cry over silly things, like my car breaking down. I end up saying, 'Mum, I wish you were around, you could have told me what to do'. Even my kids know that it's okay to see their dad cry.'

Continues...

Bollywood badshah Shah Rukh at Aby-baby’s ‘Drona’ premiere

So, it was not only Abhishek’s lady love Aishwarya who hurried her way to ‘Drona’s premiere, Bollywood’s ‘Baadshah’ Shah Rukh Khan along with wife Gauri also graced the red carpet at the sparkling venue.

World’s most beautiful woman Aishwarya Rai Bachchan dazzled in black, sporting her ever so contagious smile and clinging on to hubby and the star of the flick, Abhishek.

‘Drona’ features Abhishek Bachchan in a super-hero character and the movie could be his second solo hit after the 2007 release ‘Guru’. Alongside Abhishek, the movie features Priyanka Chopra as Drona’s love bird and bodyguard, Sonia; Kay Kay Menon in a devilish role of Riz Raizada and Jaya Bachchan as Queen Jayati, the mother of ‘Drona’.

Talking to Spicezee Abhishek said, “ ‘Drona’ is no super hero movie, you have to watch it to like it. And yes I am very happy my entire family is here, Ash is here, and a lot of my friends are here too. So, just wishing that ‘Drona’ does well with the audiences.”

Here’s what wifey Aishwarya had to say about ‘Drona’, “ I saw it loved it and like Abhishek said it’s no super hero flick. It’s a fantasy movie, children are going to love it, it’s like childhood revisited. Honestly, I cannot recall a movie like this in a long time.” It’s no super I am excited and waiting to watch him in his super hero avatar.”

However, Daddy amitabh had nothing much to add, “ The movie was certainly enjoyable, the visual effects were good.” About the success of the movie, “I really cannot predict anything right now. You will have to watch it and find out for yourself.”

The charming Shah Rukh wished for the movie’s success and hoped it to be as exciting as it promised to be.

In an exclusive chit-chat with Spicezee Shah Rukh spoke of his association with the Bachchans, “Abhishek and I are good friends, I am certainly looking forward for ‘Drona’, that’s what brings me here.”

In a quick quizzical about Salman, Shah Rukh snapped saying that there was nothing in particular he wanted to talk about and adhered to answering questions about the Bachchans and ‘Drona’.