RAB NE BANA DI JODI: No profit sharing for SRK!

After his European sojourn, Shah Rukh Khan is back in Bombay. He has resumed the shooting of Aditya Chopra's RAB NE BANA DI JODI, the project that brings back Aditya to the director's chair after a gap of almost eight years. The film that also features newcomer Anushka Sharma and actor Vinay Pathak, in an important role, is progressing briskly and on schedule.

While on RAB NE BANA DI JODI, unlike the popular perception, Shah Rukh Khan has not demanded a share in the profits from Yash and Aditya Chopra. In fact, as usual King Khan has not even discussed money matters with the Chopras.

For those who are not aware, Bollywood's global superstar far too understands to talk about his price when it comes to film makers like Yash Chopra, Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar, whom he considers as family. The fictitious stories about Shah Rukh Khan making big demands from Yash/Aditya Chopra for RAB NE BANA DI JODI and also from Karan Johar for KHAN are all a figment of the media's imagination!

Shah Rukh is part of my film, says Aziz Mirza

Shah Rukh Khan is known to go out of his way for old friends be it making special appearances in their films, giving them surprise gifts, or working for a nominal amount in their projects. On Monday night, the actor rushed to meet his mentor Aziz Mirza (who gave SRK his big break with Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman) the moment he returned from London.

Shah Rukh who was never supposed to be a part of Mirza’s Shahid Kapur-Vidya Balan starrer Kismat Konnection has done a voiceover for the film.

Incidentally, Mirza earlier wanted Juhi Chawla, who plays a crystal ball reader in the film, to do the voiceover.

When asked about Shah Rukh’s part in Kismat Konnection, Mirza said, "Yes, I’m proud to say that Shah Rukh is part of my film. One thing I’m very confident about is that he will be there for me anytime I need him.

He will never say no to me. I needed him to do the voiceover for my film and he immediately agreed.”

As for him wanting Juhi to do the voiceover, Mirza said, “Earlier, I thought Juhi should do the voiceover since she plays a crystal ball reader who discusses life and destiny.”

But, things did not work out with Juhi as she felt that the visuals were too strong for a woman’s voice. That’s when Mirza called Shah Rukh.

Mirza added, “Shah Rukh had just landed from London when he rushed to do the voiceover for Kismat Konnection on Monday night at around 1.30 am. He completed the entire voiceover in no time at all.

That boy has an amazing energy level! I’m very fortunate to have Shah Rukh, Juhi and now Vidya and Shahid in my life. They’re all my kids.”

Subhash.K.Jha, Mumbai Mirror

SRK Handcuffed!

For the first time on Star Plus’ Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?, watch Shah Rukh Khan as a contestant on the show.

Yes, you got that correctly! Shriya and Shreeparna are up to mischief with Professor Shah Rukh Khan as they summon him as a contestant in the show and ask him a really silly question which had no answer.

After a bit of running around behind the naughty classmates, Shah Rukh proceeded the game with last week’s contestant, Alka Tiwary, and the new contestant Yug Tulli.

Tulli, a wild life enthusiast, management student from Nagpur, also has some interesting hobbies like playing squash, wild life photography and playing street magic. He played one such trick on SRK and actually handcuffed him. After doing so, he asked SRK to look in to the camera and say, “Don ko pakadna mushkil nahin hai.” Yug aims to donate 50 per cent of his winnings on the show to wildlife conservation.

The third contestant on the show is 61-year-old, must say 61-year-young, Kusum Kaura from Secundarabad whose beauty besotted Shah Rukh Khan. He also said that Kusum looks like his favorite actor from yester years, Mumtaz. This beautiful and graceful lady is a very intelligent lady who will surprise you with her wit. Did she become a crorepati on the show? Or did the Nagpurian take big bucks back home?

To know this and watch more fun-filled moments, watch Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hai? on Friday, 8 pm. Also answer all the homework questions and win rupees one lakh sitting in the cozy comforts of your house.

Watch Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hai? on Friday, July 11, 8 pm.

India Infoline

Shah Rukh and Aziz 'Konnection'

Shah Rukh Khan may not be starring in Aziz Mirza’s Kismat Konnection, but he’s invisibly there in the project alright. This Shahid Kapur-Vidya Balan starrer has inputs galore from Mirza’s dear friend SRK.

Said a source close to the film, “Shah Rukh and Juhi Chawla share a special bond with Aziz Mirza. They are like family to the Mirzas. Aziz considers them lucky for him”.

Added our source, “Going by the comfort level and the rapport that the two share, Mizra had several meetings with Shah Rukh at his place, Mannat to discuss the script of Kismat Konnection.”

Mizra’s directorial debut Circus starred Shah Rukh when he was a newcomer and since then, Mizra has worked with Shah Rukh films like Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman (1992), Yes Boss (1997), Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000) and Chalte Chalte (2003).

When contacted, Mizra said, “Shah Rukh and I go back a long way. We always discuss ideas with each other. And so he gave me feedback on this film too. It is not a big deal.”

Ashwini Deshmukh, Mumbai Mirror

SRK back in Action

Shah Rukh is back in the city and in fact even started the shoot of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi yesterday itself at Yash Raj studio. He arrived on time thus putting all the rumours about his alleged unprofessionalism to rest.

To begin with, within few days of the king’s absence from his kingdom, we started to hear stories about Shah Rukh’s unprofessionalism as far as his commitments to his forthcoming films are concerned.

“The shoot of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi had already begun and the film was being shot in Film City and few other studios in Mumbai, however in the middle of it all, Shah Rukh left for Amsterdam to do a show for Temptations and after that took an extended vacation! His schedule delayed the shoot as he didn’t come back for good 15 days, which he had not informed in advance”, complained a unit hand.

To clarify the news we got in touch with Yash Raj’s spokesman Monika and she replied, “I have been busy with Bachna Ae Haseeno music release and have not been keeping track on what has been happening at SRK’s end.”

When we asked if Rab Ne Bana Do Jodi was delayed she clarified, “There is no confusion here. Shah Rukh had informed Adi in advance about his schedule and he is extremely professional. He had made clear as to for how many days he’d be gone etc and we are quite organised in these issues. Everything is going as per the schedule and there is no problem at all.”

All things said and done, we are glad that Shah Rukh, who almost disappeared post IPL is back in Mumbai. His absence from IIFA too made us feel if the film industry has missed out on its sunshine boy!

Now that SRK is back, his gorgeous smile and energy will definitely help things pep up!

Renuka Vyavahare, Indiatimes Movies

SRK is limping heavily after returning from London

Our lensman spotted Shah Rukh Khan at Mumbai’s international airport.The actor was returning from London,and limping heavily.

We decided to find out what was amiss. And discovered that after hockey (Chak De! India) and cricket (IPL), Shah Rukh Khan’s latest new sports fixation is football.

He played a lot of football in London, and ended up spraining his leg.

Here, he’s seen with old pal Mir Ranjan Negi, who is a Customs officer at the airport. The duo chatted for a while before Shah Rukh zoomed away in his car.

Who's raided Shah Rukh's wardrobe

It's fun to watch Snehashis Khan, 27-year-old Telecom marketing manager from Delhi, a topper from class 1st to 12th make all possible excuses to get out of the Paanchvi Pass chakarvyu. For all questions asked, Snehashish relentlessly says, Yeh mere syllabus mein nahin tha and gets a fitting admonishment from Professor Shah Rukh Khan. A huge fan of Shah Rukh Khan, Snehashish Khan reveals that he has seen Baazigar 32 times in the theatre and is deeply inspired by Shah Rukh?s romantic personality onscreen. He reveals that his wife was his pen friend before marriage and they used to exchange letters when they were courting. He has spent huge amounts of money on letters and long distance phone calls to her while he was just a student. Snehashish wants to pay off his house loan with the money he wins on Paanchvi Pass.

The second contestant on the show hints at having looted Shah Rukh's wardrobe. Alka Tiwary from Patna walks in dressed exactly like Shah Rukh. This MCA student from Patna, eager to inpress Khan, shares her liking for acting and how she wanted to become a police officer watching the tele serial Udaan on DD as a little girl. Watch this amateur juggler trying her hand at some basic jugglery and Shah Rukh joining her in the act.

Also watch Snehashish Khan making some money despite so many excuses for not knowing the correct answers. Will he or Won?t he strike the jackpot?

Or Will Alka make Patna proud of her Paanchvi Pass knowledge?

To know more Watch Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?

Only on Star Plus!

Kkomal Seth & Gautam Seth, Smash Hits

"It was great working with Shahrukh Khan" - Shriya Sharma

"It was very good working with my favourite actress Rani didi," says bubbly Shriya Sharma who recently charmed one and all with her heartwarming performance in Kunal Kohli's Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic. "I enjoyed working with Saif and the other kids too," says the 11 year old who's the prominent face of such commercials as HDFC, Asian Paints, Colgate, Clinic Plus and has also acted in several big films in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada besides Hindi. And yes, she is one of the bright kids on Shahrukh Khan's TV show Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain.

I always wanted to work with Shahrukh Khan. It was great working with him in Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain? We were studying and having fun at the same time. We shot for 20-25 days in totality in two schedules.

SRK in a rare mood

ICICI Group Global Private Clients' (GPC's) new television commercial (TVC) features Bollywood star and ICICI Group's global brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) in a rare introspective mood wherein he touches upon the successful Indian's desire and drive to excel. This TVC encapsulates the way in which ICICI Group GPC positions itself as a trusted advisor demystifying an elite client's stated/ unstated needs and constantly striving to fulfill them.

The key insight behind the ICICI GPC advertising campaign is that a successful individual is not driven by wealth or power. S/He is propelled by an urge that is so powerful and unique that it can not be defined, it can only be experienced. The upmarket look treatment of the film is indicative of the many layers and facets of the client that ICICI Group GPC endeavours to demystify and serve. SRK is a true representation of its clients, who are extremely successful and leaders in their stream of work.

Speaking at the launch of the TVC, Mr. V. Vaidyanathan, Executive Director, ICICI Bank, said, "Our objective is to be our clients' most trusted advisor. Our experience with this client base has helped us understand that these individuals are not just financially very evolved but also 'driven' in nature and their needs may or may not be overtly stated. We understand this and hence are best equipped to work with their agenda in mind and design solutions for their specific needs. The TVC aims to establish this."

The target group for GPC is male, age 30+, SEC A++, having upwards of $1 million net investments with ICICI Bank. He is 'successful', not 'on the path to success'. He is a global citizen, who is aware of global trends in the areas of finance, general information and lifestyle. He is an expert in his field, be it textiles, diamonds, manufacturing or a corporate profile. He is in a leadership position, be it in an organisation or in his own business. And he has experienced the luxuries of the world and is comfortable in most global settings.

The energy and innovation, which Khan represents coupled with his popularity both in India and abroad, made him the ideal choice for ICICI's brand ambassador, particularly as the Bank makes its global forays.

The TVC opens with Khan seated in his study, wondering what exactly it is that drives him. His musings evolve into a passionate monologue, which he concludes by declaring that the human drive cannot be understood, it has to be felt. He says, "Is it the obsession to be unique, the desire to be second to none? I don't know what drives me. I can't explain it, but I can feel it. When I walk under the lights, when the camera comes on, I can feel it. Every moment I live." The ad ends with the message and tagline, 'ICICI Group Global Private Clients: Life on Your Terms'.
The campaign has been created by DraftFCB Ulka. Haresh Moorjani and RMV Simha have worked on the creative side of the campaign.

MindShare Mumbai has created a meticulously planned media plan targeting this top-end audience. It is using niche TV channels in a mix of genres like business, news, movie and infotainment channels including NDTV, CNBC, STAR Movies and The History Channel. Though it's a TV driven campaign, print is being used sparingly – only business, sports and general news publications like The Economist, Golf Digest and Newsweek. The Economic Times is the only newspaper being used. The print campaign, too, features Khan in his study, with each ad carrying a different phrase, like 'Things happen when you listen to your inner voice', 'Leaders are led by their instincts', 'For men who dream with their eyes wide open'.

This is a marketing initiative of the ICICI Group Global Private Clients (GPC), a division of ICICI Bank, which offers investment solutions to high net worth individuals (HNIs) in India and abroad. GPC was earlier known as ICICI Bank Private Banking. However, in April, the brand was aligned globally and a single global brand, ICICI Group Global Private Clients, was launched to ensure uniform client experience.

GPC is the ICICI Group's premium offering with an entry threshold of $1 million. The service is different from retail banking because it offers personalized service, a relationship manager, new advanced products and customised investment solutions.

Within a short span of four years, ICICI Bank has established its presence in 12 countries including UK, Canada, US and the Middle East. The Dubai representative office was launched in October 2003. ICICI Bank enhanced its presence in Dubai by setting up a wealth management branch in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in December 2005.

HP ropes in Shah Rukh Khan

HP, the IT major Hewlett Packard, has roped in Shah Rukh Khan as the Brand Ambassador to promote their newly launched ‘Go-To-Market’ strategy for small and medium businesses (SMBs).

SRK will also be a part of HP’s new marketing campaign 'Dream Bigger' as a part of its ‘Go-To-Market’ strategy, under which SRK will be endorsing HP's newly launched products. The ‘Dream Bigger’ campaign is a part of the company's worldwide $300 million global marketing campaign called 'What do you have to say?’.