My Name Is Khan to premier at Berlin International Festival

The much awaited Shah Rukh Khan Kajol starrer film My Name Is Khan will be premiered at the 60th annual Berlin International Film Festival, according to an official list announced here today.

My Name Is Khan will have a star-studded screening at one of the oldest film festivals in the world starting February 11-21.

Organisers presented the official list of 26 films for the festival today, out of which 20 will be competing for the top prize, Golden Bear award. However, the Karan Johar directed film is not in the competition section.

The festival will host premieres from top Hollywood filmmakers like Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer.

My Name Is Khan is set to be released in theatres in India and over 40 countries including the US, Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East on February 12.

The film will see the most sought after Bollywood pair, Shah Rukh and Kajol, re-unite after 8 years.
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The story is of Rizvan Khan, an unconventional hero, who embarks on an incredible journey across America in order to win back the love of his life. Along the way his unique brand of goodness and humanity touches the lives of many and inspires a nation.

Abu Dhabi joins Fox Star Studios on My Name Is Khan

Imagenation Abu Dhabi has boarded My Name Is Khan alongside Fox Star Studios in the run-up to the release starring Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.

The film will receive its world premiere in Abu Dhabi on February 10 followed by the European premiere in Berlin two days later.

Khan plays an unconventional hero who embarks on a daunting journey across America to win back the love of his life. The film shows how the relationship between the Western world and Islam has changed in recent years through one family’s journey and how 9/11 impacted their lives.

“My Name Is Khan, at its core, an epic love story between two people who have a unique way of seeing the world, but what sets it apart is the landscape on which the story unfolds,” director Karan Johar said.

Khan and Kajol last starred together eight years ago in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… and have appeared together in a total of six films including My Name Is Khan.

Mohamed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, chairman of Imagenation Abu Dhabi, said: “We are very happy to work together with Fox Star Studios and believe that My Name Is Khan is a powerful and important film that the world must see.”

Fox Star Studios CEO Vijay Singh said: “My Name Is Khan is a very special film that brings together the finest Indian talent with a powerful story that will have relevance for audiences globally.”

Costly English classes for SRK-Kajol’s son

Aye, now hold your horses there!

We are talking about Shah Rukh and Kajol’s on-screen son of course! And yeah their ‘My Name Is Khan’ beta…

Ok coming to the point…. Birdies have heard that Karan Johar had spent a whopping amount, nearly two lakhs to teach Master Arjan Aujla the American accent!

In ‘My Name Is Khan’, Arjan plays Shah Rukh and Kajol’s son who is supposed to be born and brought up in America. Since it was essential for the kid to have an American accent, a local teacher was hired so Arjan could speak like other kids do in the US. The movie was extensively shot in San Francisco, and that’s where the teacher was hired.

Birdies further added, “Whenever Arjan was free and not required for the shoot, he was asked to attend the classes, each of which stretched to around three to four hours. The teacher was paid around $200 per hour. In all, Arjan attended around eight classes in the span of one month during the shoot in the US.”

Phew! First our King Khan took classes to play a perfect Asperger’s patient in the film; now here’s his screen son who got trained to get his lingo right…

After all as they say - can’t compromise on perfection for anything… Right, KJo?

Dishtv to pump in Rs 40 million to promote SRK's My Name Is Khan

Dishtv has entered into a strategic marketing alliance with Fox Star Studios for the co-promotion of My Name is Khan. The company will spend approximately Rs 40 million (Rs 4 crore) in the marketing campaign.

The movie stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol and is directed by Karan Johar. Dishtv, which has Khan as its brand ambassador, will showcase exclusive interviews with Karan Johar and Khan as well as exclusive videos of Behind-The-Scenes of the film.

As part of the deal, Dishtv will have rights to telecast exclusive interviews with Johar, Khan and Kajol on its DTH platform. Through this tie-up, millions of Dishtv subscribers would get exclusive content including videos of behind the scenes of My Name is Khan.

As part of the tie-up, Dishtv has created a new TVC with Khan. Dishtv will also run a contest, wherein the participants will get a chance to meet Khan at his home - Mannat. The TVC has captured all the warm and affectionate moments in the movie and is in line with the new brand identity of Dishtv - Ghar Aayi Zindagi. The 30-second TVC went on air across TV channels from 1 February. Dishtv will also run a month-long 360 degree integrated marketing campaign across all India to co-promote the brand and the movie.

Dishtv COO Salil Kapoor said, "It's extremely exciting to be associated with Fox Star Studios for My Name is Khan - the most talked about and eagerly awaited magnum opus of the year. Shah Rukh Khan is Dishtv's brand ambassador and we are delighted to promote the movie My Name is Khan as it has a beautiful synergy with our brand positioning Ghar Aayi Zindagi. Dishtv will run a pan-India marketing campaign for which the company will spend around Rs 4 crore."

Fox Star Studios India head marketing distribution and syndication Vivek Krishnani said, "My Name is Khan is a film that will appeal to people of all age groups. Our promotional partnership with Dishtv will help us widen the reach of the film to a pan-Indian audience. My Name Is Khan has an incredible buzz on-ground and we are going all out to give it the best possible release, we are glad to be associated with like-minded partners like Dishtv and are thrilled with their support to co-promote the film."

My Name is Khan in for a change

Well don’t get the wrong idea here, the sufi song Noor-e-khuda from the film My Name is Khan had its lyrics improvised not because of some moral policing but due to the fact that Karan Johar did not liked the initial verses of the song.

Apparently, as the story goes, lyricist Niranjan Iyengar says, “The song which is currently being heard is not the original track, but that happens with most of the tracks,” adding further, he says, “the original lyrics of the song were stressing a lot on the term Noor-e- khuda which were later scrapped and changed to ‘Noor-e khuda …yun na humse nazre pihra.’”


Well as they say all's well that ends well, it seems ‘Noor-e-khuda’ sung by the trio of Adnan Sami, Shankar Mahadevan and Shreya Ghoshal has shaped up perfectly well sans the rhetoric.

CLOSE UP: Shahrukh Khan's wax statue in Hollywood, USA

Shahrukh Khan the first actor from Bollywood whose statue is kept in Hollywood. $300,000 where spent on this statue.

SRK on 'Ra-1', 'Don 2' and Yash Chopra's next

Everyone's aware that Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies and Karan Johar's Dharma Productions are producing ‘My Name Is Khan’ jointly. But not many are aware that when Karan requested SRK to step in as producer-partner, the tie up happened within a minute or two.

"I told Karan that he didn't need me [as producer-partner]. He has an efficient production house, but he insisted. So I said okay, we shook hands and I stepped into the project as producer-partner," Shah Rukh says.

Post ‘My Name Is Khan’, SRK moves over to his home-production RA-1, a superhero film helmed by Anubhav Sinha. Reportedly, SRK's preference to RA-1 has strained his relations with Farah Khan. "That's untrue. Why should I be upset with Farah? Farah and I go a long way. Farah, Sajid, Shirish are family and there's no tension whatsoever," SRK rubbishes the rumours.

Meanwhile, SRK will also begin filming DON 2 later this year. Reportedly, he has also given the go-ahead to Yash Raj's next venture, to be directed by Yash Chopra. "They haven't approached me yet, but if Yash-ji or Adi do offer me a project, I'd gladly walk on the set any day," he smiles.

HISTORIC: SRK, Kajol ring the NASDAQ bell

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol became the first Indian movie stars to ring the opening bell of the New York stock exchange NASDAQ.

The duo are in New York to promote their latest film My Name is Khan and were invited to by Fox Searchlight Pictures, who are distributing the film in the US, to open trading at the world's biggest stock exchange.

Before the event, Shah Rukh said on his tweeter account: "Nasdaq will be fun. Have to make sure I reach on time, otherwise will end up being blamed for economic upheaval across the world too..ha ha."

Shortly after ringing the NASDAQ bell, Khan and Kajol spoke with New Yorkers about their new film.
Responding to a question, Khan clarified that the film is unrelated to last year's incident at the Newark Airport in the US where he was stopped by immigration officers because his name showed up in one of the check-lists.

"The film has nothing to do with it. It is a love story...and what people can do to achieve their love," Khan said and noted that film explores the impact of 9/11 on people completely unrelated to the last year's incident.

Khan also underlined that he had "no issues" with the Newark incident. "I have been stopped often enough," he said, referring to his fans. "But some of the interviews are little interrogative," the actor said.

"Its not big deal...if I'm going to a country then I have to respect the rules of that country," he said, stressing that the incident was not a publicity stunt to
promote his movie.

On working with Johar, Khan said: "The greatness of Karan is as a writer."

Kajol said while the duo had no idea of what was happening in the market front, it was still a lot of fun. "We had a great moment," Khan said.

Their latest movie centres around a Muslim man, who faces difficulties in social interaction, and falls unconditionally for the beautiful Mandira, a Hindu single mother living out her version of the global dream of success.

The movie, also starring Jimmy Shergill and Tanay Chheda, will be released on February 12 worldwide and will also premiere at the 60th annual Berlin International Film Festival during the week of its release.

EXCLUSIVE WATCH: SRK, Kajol ring the bell, create history at NASDAQ

Bollywood's hit pair have become the first Indian actors to ring the opening bell at New York's stock exchange. Their much-awaited film My Name is Khan releases on February 12.

INTERVIEW: Saddened by Sena's attack: Shah Rukh to NDTV

In New York to ring the opening bell at NASDAQ with Kajol, Shah Rukh Khan spoke exclusively to NDTV's Sarah Jacob about Shiv Sena's recent attacks.

Shah Rukh has been targeted for saying that Pakistani players should have been bought by team owners for the Indian Premier League's (IPL) Season 3. Of the 11 players up for sale, not one received even a bid, sparking off a huge controversy and a diplomatic row.

NDTV: While you are here, there are protests taking place outside your home. Are you worried? Does this take away some shine off this experience?

SRK: No, it does not. It is unfortunate. It is unhealthy, undemocratic and highly insensitive. I guess one has to get used to it. What I say to youngsters, I say it as an Indian. I wish it settles down. I fell saddened by such controversies.

NDTV: Aamir and Preity have spoken out in your support? Does the whole industry feel the same, Kajol?

Kajol: I think this is a common feeling, because you have cricketers from all over the world. It is something that brings everyone together. It should be.

SRK: It is a controversy that should not be. You can use any excuse to create mob law. Forget what it was, where it comes from. It is sad. We have enough problems of our own in India to be worrying about this.