In Pics: Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol spoted at My Name Is Khan Movie Location

My Name Is Khan set being constructed at Film City

The cast and crew of Karan Johar’s My Name is Khan is back from San Francisco and according to sources, the next schedule of the film is most likely to take place at Film City.

A huge set is being constructed at Josh Maidain, Film City. A dam, which measures around three feet in depth and 135 x 240 meter in size, is being constructed inside which a church and some small houses are going to be constructed.

According to the source, plans are to shoot a hurricane scene where they will be showing the church n houses submerged in water.

The movie stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol and is slated to release early next year.

Shahrukh Khan defends himself over interview

Easily the most popular actor and also commonly known as ‘The King of Bollywood,’ Shahrukh Khan has recently been under fire for a statement on religion his spokesperson said was a ‘misprint’ in one of his recent interviews.

Khan reportedly made some remarks against Prophet Muhammad in the July issue of Time N Style magazine. An FIR was registered against the actor by the Mumbai Aman Committee.

In the wake of the Mumbai attacks many famous Muslim Bollywood actors, including Shahrukh Khan, have felt insecure. But Khan seems to be facing the fire from both sides.

In a statement sent to Dawn, Sanjiv Chawla, CEO of Shahrukh Khan’s company Red Chillies, described the reaction to Khan’s interview as ‘unfounded’ and unfortunate.

Shahrukh Khan has appealed to Muslims through his spokesperson in a series of statements defending his strong belief in Islam, starting with the reaction of those who misunderstood part of his interview which he said was a misprint.

He continued by mentioning his previous interviews during the past 20 years in which he says he quoted the teachings of the prophet. He also mentioned how he has been brought up on the words of the Holy Prophet and has always believed in them: ‘My parents, Allah bless their souls, would never forgive me if I did something against the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet,’ Khan said.

Rhetorically, he asked why he would hurt the sentiments of his own people when he has lead the life of a good Muslim. He also asked people to stop overreacting to a misprint and later in an emotional turnaround asked for forgiveness, first from God and then from the people whose feelings he said he had unwittingly hurt.

‘I will always check the copy of the journalists who do interviews with me, especially on sensitive issues,’ Khan said.

SRK waxes eloquent about the doctorate he received

Shah Rukh Khan was conferred an honorary doctorate in the United Kingdom for his contribution to arts and culture by Bedfordshire University at a ceremony in London last week. In a brief chat from London, SRK reveals what the doctorate means to him. Excerpts...

So Doctorsaab, how does the new tag feel?
Very, very cool. It's an honour which would make a boy's parents very happy, so I am sure my mom and dad must be very proud.

Other Indian stars to have been given honorary doctorates in the UK, including Shilpa Shetty, Akshay Kumar and AR Rahman. Do you think your doctorate has come too late?
Everyone gets what they deserve… and when they deserve it. I am an immensely satisfied and happy person with my life and achievements and always appreciate the achievements of my colleagues.

Is an honorary doctorate better than the many awards you have received as an actor?
The race I run doesn't have a finish line. There are no bests in the standards I set for myself. This doctorate is an absolute delight and matter of pride for me and my family and so are all the other awards, but the fun is in running not finishing the race for me.

The university received your nomination from Routes 2 Roots, an NGO that works towards people-to-people contact across the subcontinent, especially India and Pakistan. Are you aware about what they do?
Yes I am. They explained to me all the work they do and why they felt they should nominate my name.

You've said that you aim to use the award to help educate underprivileged children. How will you do that?
First comes the thought of making your life more meaningful, then the direction you want to take to fulfil the thought. The plans and modalities will follow after that. It is too early to give you the system and processes of the same but I will try and create an environment in my office and people to bring about education opportunities especially for little girls and do it with as little show and publicity as possible.

Though you got the best student award from one of Delhi's top schools with you never finished a Masters degree. Do you regret not having gone in for higher studies?
Studies and trying to figure out things never end. It would have been good to complete my Masters degree but unavoidable circumstances led to it not being finished. But I don't regret it though.

What subject did you love and hate the most in school?
Biology was my favourite and so was English (Shakespeare). Mathematics was a horror especially as I was terrible in it. I did very well in Physics, Chemistry and National Income Accounting.

What does true knowledge mean to you?
The belief that the more you learn the more you know, the more you know the more you forget, the more you forget the less you know, the less you know the less you forget, the less you forget the more you remember, the more you remember the more you know… and the cycle keeps on going. There is no end to seeking and absorbing knowledge. True knowledge is unfathomable, uncapturable, unknowable… like life. but we got to keep living and just like life that we have to live, we have got to keep striving for knowledge without knowing what it leads to.

Priyanka's heart beats for Shahrukh

Priyanka Chopra may have huge fan following but when it comes to her choice, she has got only one name in her lips and he is the favorite of all, Shahrukh Khan. Priyanka has been a great admirer of Shahrukh Khan since the age of six.

Says Priyanka, ''I have always been and will always be a fan of Shah Rukh Khan. I admire a lot of people but true blue, going weak in the knees type of fan I am only of SRK!''

In the long tenure of her career, Piggy Chops has worked with many Bollywood actors but her choice always been Shahrukh. Though she paired with him for the first time in ‘Don’, she could not forget her first meeting with the actor.

''I have been a huge fan of Shah Rukh Khan since I was six. During Miss India 2000, he was one of the judges who asked me a question. I got a chance to meet him backstage and managed to say, ''Hello.'' When he heard that I sing, he asked me to do so. I still don't remember what I sang. I will always admire Shah Rukh.''

Dr. Shahrukh Khan - Video

Shah Rukh khan receives Honorary Doctorate

Shah Rukh-Kajol voted most romantic on-screen couple

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol have been voted the most favourite romantic on-screen couple in a poll conducted by MDRA and Outlook magazine to find the popular favourites in the romance genre.

Interestingly, Amitabh-Rekha came second in the list of romantic on-screen couples followed by Salman-Madhuri, Akshay-Katrina, Shahid-Kareena, Hrithik-Aishwarya and Rishi Kapoor-Dimple.

“Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge”, which has been running non-stop in a Mumbai theatre for the last 14 years, has been voted as the most favourite romantic Bollywood movie of all time. “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” is second, followed by “Maine Pyaar Kiya” in third position.

“Tujhe dekha to ye jaana sanam”, again from “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge”, has been voted as the favourite romantic Bollywood song. “Tum paas aaye” (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai) is in the second place and “Kal ho na ho (Kal Ho Na Ho) has come third.

Shah Rukh Khan has also been voted the Favourite Romantic Actor, followed by Salman Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, and Kajol has topped the list of Favourite Romantic Actors (Female). Trailing her are Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Katrina Kaif.

Shah Rukh can be an outstanding director: Karan Johar

Their last outing together was a damp squib, but Karan Johar hasn’t lost his faith in Shah Rukh Khan. He has once again teamed up with him and Kajol for “My Name Is Khan” and says the superstar is not only good at emoting but is capable of directing a film too.

“He had written reams of notes on how he wanted to interpret his character (in ‘My Name Is Khan’). And to him it was no big deal. He’s ready to direct a film any time. He will be outstanding at it,” Karan, whose last directorial venture “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna” fell flat at the box office, told IANS in an interview.

For “My Name Is Khan”, Karan is bringing Shah Rukh and Kajol together on screen after a long time and he says they bring out the best in him.

“I’m blessed to have them in my film. I don’t know what it is about them. It’s just magic. They build an inexplicable energy on screen. When I direct a scene with Shah Rukh and Kajol, I know I’m doing my best work,” he said.

“My Name Is Khan” is about a Muslim who suffers from the Asperger syndrome, a form of autism that impacts social interaction abilities, and he is arrested as a suspected terrorist in post-9/11 Los Angeles after authorities mistake his disability for suspicious behaviour.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: “My Name Is Khan” has no lip-sync songs?

A: No, none. The songs are all in the background. In LA, we had fans coming to us to ask if there was any track like “Suraj hua madham” in “My Name Is Khan”. This time there’s no “It’s the time to disco” and “Where’s the party tonight”. But there’s guts, soul and heart in the music. I’ve a huge comfort zone with my composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. That’s the only way good work can be done.

Q: Apparently, Javed Akhtar refused to share lyrical credits with Niranjan Iyer?

A: Javed-saab is a father figure and our rapport goes way beyond work. Niranjan has written the dialogues and two songs in “My Name Is Khan”. Javed-saab was gracious enough to let Nirajan write the rest of the songs. And when I insisted, Javed-saab had to write one song that only he could and he very kindly agreed. He’s also written the lyrics of my production “Wake Up, Sid”.

Q: How was it directing Shah Rukh and Kajol again?

A: I am blessed to have them in my film. I don’t know what it is about them. It’s just magic. They build an inexplicable energy on screen. They instinctively understand each other’s acting. When I direct a scene with Shah Rukh and Kajol, I know I’m doing my best work. These two characters in “My Name Is Khan” had to be Shah Rukh and Kajol.

Q: You almost didn’t get Kajol?

A: She had to read the script. That was it. She said yes. I wouldn’t want any actor to say yes to my film just because he or she is a friend. I want my actors to really do the role. I’ve great friendships, but I don’t want any actor to compromise on his or her basic tenets on cinema.

Q: Was Kajol weighed down on location by her motherly duties?

A: Not at all. I’ve worked with Kajol in various stages of her life. I’m working with her again eight years later. When we worked the last time, she didn’t have a daughter. So, of course, she’s a different person. Today, I find her calmer more focused on her work than ever before. Kajol manages to be fantastic wife-mother and actress.

I find Shah Rukh and Kajol alike in their attitude to work and family. They’re both so much into their spouses and kids. When the shot is over, they rush to their respective family. On location in LA between shots they spoke to each other about their respective families.

Q: How was Shah Rukh?

A: Time and again I’m blown away by Shah Rukh. How can he think of so many things about his character when he has so much on his plate? He has done monumental research on his autistic character. I was zapped by how much he knew on the subject. And he brought all the knowledge on the sets.

He had written reams of notes on how he wanted to interpret his character. And to him it was no big deal. He’s ready to direct a film any time. He will be outstanding at it. His understanding of human nature and emotions can never be matched by me.

-- Subash K. Jha

I feel old: Dr Shah Rukh Khan

Ironical, it is. Shah Rukh Khan is now a doctor; but he is also very pained.

He has been awarded a doctorate from the Bedfordshire University in UK for his contribution to arts and culture. “The honour brought me a lot of joy,’’ says SRK, who is currently on vacation with Gauri and his children Aryan and Suhana. He laughs when he is addressed as ‘Dr’ and says, “Somehow it makes me feel slightly older when someone calls me Dr Shah Rukh Khan.’’

Describing his time on the podium where he received the honour, he says, “Wearing that square cap with tassels tilted to the left, brought images of the heroes of the 70s; it was an oft-repeated thing in films those days. I didn’t know whether etiquette required me to take Aryan and Suhana along for the convocation ceremony. So I left the children behind.’’ Happily, Gauri was by his side when he received the honour. “I sincerely hope my parents could have watched this... and I hope that it was a proud moment for them wherever they are,’’ the Bollywood Badshah says emotionally.

It is five months since he underwent shoulder surgery, but SRK is still in pain. “I completed a long spell for Karan Johar’s My Name is Khan in San Francisco,’’ he says. “We got lucky because we had long days and could pack in ample work. However, my shoulder still hurts.’’ He recounts how he shot for a song sequence for Dulha Mil Gaya in which he has a guest appearance and strained his operated shoulder. The actor has been in touch with his surgeon in Mumbai and has been reassured that the recurring pain is part of the rehab, so he continues to go about his daily chores with enthusiasm.

“My shoulder makes strange clicking sounds,’’ he says. “However, I’ve been asked to open doors, lift small objects and keep giving it small doses of regular exercise,’’ he adds. The actor who lost a lot of muscle mass because he has been unable to do any active bodybuilding, says his main regret is that Anubhav Sinha’s Ra 1, Farah Khan’s Happy New Year and Farhan Akhtar’s Don-2 will be postponed by three-four months.

“However, there is heavy duty action involved in these films and I can’t attempt that till such time as my shoulder is completely healed,” says SRK enthused by the very thought of being able to participate in the ‘filmi action’ that he so revels in.

And, since he is just not the type to sit around doing nothing, right now Bollywood’s biggest icon is indulging in a game of cricket with his children at Hyde Park in central London. “I also promised the children that I will wear the black cape and square hat and do a repeat of the convocation ceremony for them because they missed the occasion,’’ he says.

In Pics: Shah Rukh Khan gets an honorary doctorate