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Khans at Mannat

Bollywood’s reigning royal couple, Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan, are ensconced in a deeply comfortable cream leather couch in the living room of their beautiful home, casually dressed and exuding a zest for life which tells you why they command the love of millions.

We are at Mannat, a 7-storey mansion, in a living room that, with its sumptuous furniture, massive art pieces and oversized coffee tables strewn with silver champagne urns carrying imported wines, shows off the impeccable taste of the style diva that Gauri Khan is.

The Badshah of Bollywood and his film producer wife are disarmingly casual about what are clearly priceless artifacts. “When Gauri’s not here, I play cricket in the drawing room with the kids,” says Shah Rukh smilingly and we look around in alarm at the crystal, the designer furniture and the thoughtful art that could be victim to such boisterous family moments.

Moments before Shah Rukh enters the room , Gauri chats up informally, dismissing any notions of being ‘powerful’. “I have no power of my own, I’m just an extension of him [Shah Rukh].” She quietly listens to us telling her that a lot of people look up to her as the epitome of grace and style and that she’s thought of as an enigma. "If I have any individual style, it has nothing to do with the surroundings that I’m in. I'm a lot like my father —very private. It’s not that I can’t, but I choose not to open up to media glare.”

Sparing the rod?
Do their kids, Aryan and Suhana, take after their extrovert dad or her? “Aryan is extremely ambitious at this age. Just like his father, he wants to be a winner. Suhana is too young but is also very strong headed,” she says.

At that point, ‘King Khan’ walks in, and after a warm ‘hi’, turns to her and says, “jaldi kuchh khaane ko do.” She quickly gets up to serve some bhel puri and roast potatoes to everyone while Shah Rukh takes over the conversation. “I love my chidren, utterly and completely. Gauri often complains that I spoil them. But since I lost my parents very early on in life, there’s this reservoir of love in me and my sister Lala Rukh (who lives with them).”

Gauri responds, “He’s a brilliant father, but he can’t say no to anything, anything they ask.” He justifies, “Why shouldn’t I indulge them, as long as no third party is getting hurt. People say they want their kids to learn hardships by flying economy class. I have a different logic. If God forbid someday we face hard times, they anyway won’t be able to afford first class, so why deny them something right now?”

He chuckles, “Anyway, Gauri tries to be strict with us but gives up after a while. We do everything she doesn’t approve of, like playing cricket in living room or eating in bed, when she’s not around.” Are their Mumbai born kids any different from the ‘Delhiite’ parents? “Not really, except when they say ‘aajoo bajoo’ in a typical lingo. It’s not bajoo, it’s bazoo, meaning bagal (armpit). But they say, “idhar, bajoo mein aa”, which is very irritating.

Compatibility quotient
As a couple, do they find themselves thinking and behaving alike? “We are at opposite spectrums,” says Shah Rukh. Gauri agrees instantly. “He is hyper-charged all the time. Wants to work 24X7. I like to travel…go on holidays, and he detests it.” “Yes I do,” says Shah Rukh. “When I’m at it though, I enjoy it. I never say no if the family wants me to go. They just have to say, “five days in London, or Delhi, and I say okay.”

He pauses to light a smoke, and she adds, “We are similar in the sense that we are both ‘home people’. If you ask us where we like to party in the city, we’ll say nowhere. Perhaps that’s why the marriage is working. If I was the kinds who would go out partying every night, he would kill himself.”

Where does Shah Rukh get his super sharp brains from? He smiles. “I’m not as bright as people make me out to be. Maybe I talk well and can converse on any topic, but that’s because I read a lot of books. I don’t know why people see this shrewd businessman in me. If Gauri and I take any decision in life, it’s for only one reason—that it makes us happy. For instance I've always been passionate about sports.

For 20 years, I looked at Manchester United as ‘my team’. I wanted Aryan to have a feeling of owning his very own team. So I bought the Kolkata IPL team because I could afford to. For the simple pleasure of being able to sit in a box with my family and be able to cheer for ‘our team’. But people looked at it as some calculated business move after much clever thinking.”

Love and hate
Ask them about what they love and hate about each other and they have loads to say. “Gauri is a queen. I think she’s the most stylish woman I’ve ever known,” he says and adds, “I’m completely unstylish. I have over hundred suits, they are all black and look the same.” She clarifies, “Style has nothing to do with clothes. It’s just that I want everything perfect and appreciate finer things. Everything I touch and feel, the cushions, the glass I drink water in, even the towel in the bathroom, everything has to be just perfect.”

He smiles, “She amazes me. I wonder, how someone can be so passionate about a candle stand. Also, while I go overboard with everything — over thinking, over worrying, over doing…even over acting — I’m utterly fascinated by her ability to remain unfazed at all times. I ask her, “Gauri, what did you do the whole day? and she replies, ‘an amazing amount of nothing’.

I feel it’s wonderfully gifted to be so content. Also, I love the fact that she has never looked at me like a star. When my statue was unveiled at the prestigious Grevin museum in Paris, all my friends — Karan, Ritesh, Pultu —accompanied me but they had to convince Gauri to come along. There was this amazing ceremony in my honour and while my friends had tears in their eyes, she looked completely bored. She’s totally detached from the image of Shah Rukh Khan, which makes me feel that she’s in love with me, the man, no matter how successful or unsuccessful I get.”

Does anything about her annoy him? “Nothing at all,” he says and she immediately jumps up. “Hey, say something because I have loads to say on what bugs me about you.” She elaborates, “He’s a hoarder, doesn’t throw anything away. It’s so annoying to see things fall from his cupboard. Also he’s late for everything —not late by hours, late by days.”

And what endears him to her? “Oh, the fact that he lets me be. Doesn’t ever impose his lifestyle, his friends on me. Imagine if he were to do that, I would have gone back to Delhi, or hanged myself,” she laughs. “Also he’s not fussy about anything, not even food.”

Shah Rukh shares an anecdote at this. “When we got married, her mother would visit us and like all typical mothers, tell her, “Tujhe khana banana toh seekhna padega”. She insisted that Gauri must learn to cook and enrolled her in a cooking class. Gauri sent our maid Chandra instead.” Adds Gauri, “It was so funny, Chandra with all those high society ladies learning to cook in a five star hotel. But mom was very happy that her damaad was getting good food.”

Family man
Shah Rukh says his image of a being a family man with no romantic scandals is “nothing great at all”. “That’s just how it should be. Just because I work with beautiful women, there’s no reason why I should be sleeping with them.

Also, I’m extremely sensitive about what my kids read about me. So I tell journalists clearly, “Write rubbish about me and I’ll smack your face. So no one writes trash about my personal life anymore. Anyway, now they think he’s got too old for scandals. Bachche bade ho gaye hain.”

Gauri echoes, “A marriage works, if it has to, despite and in spite of the profession. We are not an exemplary couple. Maybe a Mr Sharma loves his wife much more than he does, just that he won’t get written about.”

That said, Shah Rukh is clearly very much the romantic one out of the two, while she’s refreshingly practical. He sums up: “I love nothing in this world more than my family. I love what and who I have in my life. Allah’s been too kind, and I hope that’s how it stays.”

Did You Know?
* Shah Rukh Khan is obsessed with collecting houses. He says his parents struggled but couldn’t own a house, so he dreams of owning as much property as he can, in every city.

* Gauri doesn’t know how to cook, not even make tea. The last thing she cooked was a biscuit pudding — in 1998. He still remembers it as the best he’s ever had

* Their home Mannat has seven floors, and while most portion is unutilised, Shah Rukh refuses to ever sell or rent it out.

Any more patch-up will lead to marriage with Aamir: SRK

Aamir Khan surprised everyone when they shared the dias and spoke at length about the ongoing multiplex issue. Channels and print media had a field day with their coverage of the rare union.

King Khan, known for scribe friendly quotes, was in his element. He said, "The re-union was not a patch up as there was no break up in the first place. If I were to patch up more with Aamir, we would end up getting married."

Shah Rukh Khan revealed that were some issues between him and Aamir. "We have resolved them at a personal level and don't need a media platform to sort it out. We do exchange SMSes and chat when we get time," he said.

Shahrukh Khan and Karan Johar faces International Competition!

Shah Rukh Khan's character Rizwan Khan in Karan Johar's My Name is Khan has Asperger's. But it's not the only film releasing this year where the lead character has the disorder. In Adam, an American film, the lead character also has Asperger's Syndrome.

A lot is known about MNIK, while the second film is relatively unknown. So who exactly is Adam? And besides that little coincidental detail, what else does this indie flick share in common with the Karan Johar biggie? Read on to find out.

We did a little digging around and here's what we found...

While Adam is essentially a romantic comedy / dramedy; My Name Is Khan is a drama.

Adam is played by Hugh Dancy (no A-Lister, but last seen in Confessions of a Shopaholic) while Rizwan is played by King Khan (no introductions needed).

Adam's closest confidante is Harlan, a friend of his father's (played by actor Frankie Faison), Rizwan's is his brother Bilal (played by actor Jimmy Sheirgill).

The film's title is the main protagonist's name in both films.

The female protagonist in Adam is Beth, a weak character who finds strength in Adam, a love interest played by Rose Bryne (Damages, Sunshine, Knowing, 28 Weeks Later); by some accounts, Kajol's character, Mandira Khan, is Rizwan's pillar of support.

Adam is directed by Max Mayer (who earlier directed only for TV), while Karan Johar, whose directorial debut had SRK, has only directed films with him in the lead roles.

Adam was one of the year's big purchases at the Sundance Festival 2009 by Fox Searchlight and it will have a limited release in the US (on July 29 this year) and internationally; meanwhile Karan's film is still under production and may only be released by this year-end on a massive scale (it is an SRK release after all).

Adam was widely appreciated by several critics who caught the film at Sundance and though it is still too early, is being tipped an Oscar underdog (another Slumdog, anyone?). Like with every other KJo film, expectations do run high and MNIK should do well at award ceremonies after its release (SRK, Kajol, KJo... still need more reasons why?)

Early set pics indicate Rizwan's dressing style as wearing suits and dark glasses, Adam's trailer shows Dancy quite often in his spacesuit.

Adam lives in Manhattan, Rizwan lives in New York too. The film was also shot in Los Angeles.
Adam stays alone after his father's death, Rizwan has a mother we know of (played by Zarina Wahab). Adam is essentially the story of two very different people impossibly falling in love, MNIK has its lead pair getting married.

Adam's troubles begin when Beth starts falling for him and her father objects, Rizwan's troubles begin post-9/11.

While Karan has been quoted as saying that the first half of MNIK is essentially based on a true love story; there is no indication as yet on Adam's origins.

Christopher Lennertz's score in Adam sounds awesome; Karan's choice of music directors is mostly fluent and relevant. Both films could bank on their respective soundtracks.

Arjun to pool in for KKR

Their friendship in no secret, and Arjun Rampal would have it no other way. Even though SRK’s IPL team aren’t the best performers, Arjun’s loyalty to his friend and the team won’t shift.

When asked if he would ever have his own cricket team, he says that if one day King Khan decides to sell a stake of the team, he will make sure to buy it.

While you and I might raise our eyebrows in question, Rampal insists he likes the team.

SRK’s top 5 moments with KKR

Shah Rukh Khan lives his life on his own terms: be it his films or his other projects. And for a while, it seemed like King Khan could do no wrong. However, his purchase of the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008 proved that even great men sometimes make wrong decisions. The Knight Riders were bought by Shah Rukh’s Red Chillies Entertainment in partnership with Juhi Chawla and her husband, Jai Mehta. We pick out the top five moments that Shah Rukh has endured with his team.

1. Last year at the IPL, Shah Rukh Khan and Sourav Ganguly disagreed over issues such as team composition, Sourav’s choice of batting first in the game against Chennai Super Kings and the entertainment tax being imposed for the matches played at Eden Gardens (Shah Rukh reportedly wanted Sourav to speak to the West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, about it, but was refused by Sourav).

2. Initially, SRK was very keen to hang out with his team in the dressing room, discussing their strategies for each match. But later, the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit officials stopped Shah Rukh going into the team’s dressing room and the dugout during the IPL match between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings.

Shah Rukh had then said, “I like to hang around with the boys. I am very energetic. I am very disappointed that the ICC has stopped me. I don't know the ICC rules, but nobody dare stop me from coming to Kolkata. I'll be there whenever my team plays a match at the Eden.”

3. Then, in 2008, SRK gave an indication that a major decision regarding the team would be taken by Coach John Buchanan. And this year, Buchanan decided on the multiple captaincies, which many in Kolkata saw as another ploy to strip local favourite Sourav Ganguly of captaincy. Buchanan’s idea was eventually shelved, but Ganguly didn't retain his job either, as KKR’s Kiwi stumper Brendon McCullum became the new captain.

Needless to say, Kolkata was not happy, but Shah Rukh said, “For good and bad, the Kolkatans love us one night and one night they do get angry with our decisions. But I promise you guys that the dream I have is to come to Kolkata with the IPL trophy and dance. Will do some new steps for Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo Re.”

But this dream is far from coming true now, as his team only managed to win one match out of the seven they have played.

4. SRK selected six cheerleaders through his reality show Knights and Angels to cheer his team on in South Africa. But the South African cricket management did not allow them on the grounds, and he had no choice but to send them home, promising them work next IPL.

5. After a string of defeats suffered by the Kolkata Knight Riders, team owner Shah Rukh decided not to go back to South Africa unless KKR started to win. He said, “If they are doing well, I will go back. Otherwise, I don't like going back and feeling sad for the boys, because there is a lot of talent in the team and a lot of hard work.”

Shahrukh Khan talks about life post IPL

Straight-talking SRK on the state of play: his contribution to the IPL, his refusal to campaign for politician buddies and his equation with Aamir

So his Knights bowed out all too early in this installment of the Indian Premier League, but Shah Rukh Khan has already moved on. The man's funda in life is simple: he's here to entertain, and that's what he's doing post-Billu, post IPL, post all.

King Khan takes you through the reasons why he's still sticking with the producers, with small films and why he's taking advice from Aamir Khan. Read on...

What's your take on the producer-distributor forum and multiplex issue?
Both sides need to understand that neither can move without the other. I think there need to be dialogue between the people who know the details. I am just a spokesperson. I am told what to say and I said it. But having said that, I truly believe that they will not budge till the World T20 is over. Post that we need to have balls to hold the strike for another 60 days. The big film producers have it and I think it will finally help the small film guys as well. Next thing is releasing films in single screens.

In the producers meeting, Aamir took centrestage while you took a back seat. Why?
I think Aamir arranged for everything. He is very actively involved in this. Even now, he texts me everyday to point out some things and then I SMS back with what I feel should be added or taken out and so on. I was supposed to hold fort till I left for the IPL; I did that. There were a few things I was meant to do which I finished and reported back.

So when you and Aamir met for this, didn't you guys talk about whatever you've said about each other in print?
I think it would have been childish, no? He asked me, 'Shah Rukh, should we talk about whatever happened?' I said no, because to be very honest it would have been very juvenile. Whatever I said, I said it with a sense of humour and I would find it very difficult to explain my sense of humour to anyone. If he has taken it seriously then I am immensely sad about it and I would never joke about him. I will find something else to joke about now. I think I will joke only about myself now.

What do you think went wrong with Billu?
I think it did okay finally. As a producer it did work and I have spoken to some of the distributors and whenever I see my film has fallen short, I return the money. So we worked that out so it does well for everyone. It was probably made at a couple of crores more than it should have but that's me but I think this was the level of the film.

You did a small film and it didn't work. Will that stop you from doing a similar film again?
Billu started as a small film but look where it got to eventually. Right now, I know what I am doing I am doing a Khan, Raavan, Happy New Year and Don 2, so where is the time to do a small film in between all this? But as a producer, I will make films which will be relatively small with directors like Roshan Abbas and there a couple more of these small films which will be coming out of my banner.

A lot of actors campaigned for different political parties. Were you approached too?
Yes, I have been approached but I will never do it. See I have friends in politics and they asked me but I think it would be wrong of me to speak for someone just because that person is a friend.
Can I promote you because I like you? I don't know how well you do what you do.

There are two issues: I have one with campaigning. I don't know what I am promoting like soap, or a drink or whatever I can sell. But my lack of knowledge about politics is enough of a reason for me to stay away. As it is, I have my share of controversies without being a part of politics (laughs). Also I have friends from all kinds of parties I love Sonia Gandhi and I love Atal Bihari Bajpyee too I have met them and they have been very nice to me. Similarly someone like Mr Modi... I see him and find him very organised but regardless of all this, do I know how it all works? No. And only on a friendly level to campaign for someone, I think it is too responsible a position to be in I am not deriding Sanju or Salman, God bless them and they must know all this. Thirdly, my going somewhere is only going to bring in the entertainment value, I don't play the cricketer in IPL I bring in the eyeballs just because I am a movie star.

Going and asking for votes is not going to ensure that that candidate is going to win, if that was the case then my team would've won every match.

Fan gives tips to Shah Rukh Khan!

Dear Mr. Shahrukh Khan,

I am sorry about the state of affairs in your Kolkata Knight Riders. You are too good, but it does not mean that all around you will also be good.

KKR coach John Buchnan created an awful controversy of captaincy, then Ganguly was axed despite you and Buchanan being heard and seen telling all the world that ‘ dada’ is the jewel in the crown.

Then you also employed a very top heavy support staff and ratio of players to support staff is almost 1:1, which leads to nothing but confusion. Your team is also very huge in numbers, which needs to be pruned drastically.

When contracting players, you need to see their suitability for the shortest version of the game and not go by their past reputation. Unfortunately, that seems to have been the case and many of your players have not clicked in this version despite they being very good players otherwise.

I have a few suggestions:-

1. Employ an administrative manager cum security manager to look the day to day requirements of the team.

2. Replace the coach with an Indian coach, say Mohinder Amarnath, or anybody with equal amount of experience.

3. Prune the support staff to a reasonable level.

4. Announce that Sourav Ganguly will be the Captain for the next season.( Or you can do that even for the balance period of this season too, immediately).

5. Some of your better players have not been used till now, why? Please explore and take remedial measures.

By: A.R. Prabhakar (SRK Fan)

Don't drop catches: SRK

We try... we run... we jump... we fail... we attack... we fall... we rise... we hope... we wish... we go high... we go fast... we go slow... we go low... sports is such a great leveller. You just can’t wish away your losses.

I always believe something good lies within every bad moment... only as yet I can’t see the good, except that these defeats have bonded the whole KKR family closer. Have heard all the criticism about the team with sadness... the bad management... selling the business...
removing players... none of which are true.

As much as the kids are criticised, I guess a parent can’t dislike them. So I stand here... a bit alone... feeling responsible to all the sponsors for having let them down. I also stand with a huge resolve to set this straight as soon as possible. I also stand by my team feeling for them because I have seen them completely helpless at things going so wrong... only I don’t feel it as strongly as they all feel losing on the field... day after day. I love them even more now than I did before. We accept our defeats... but accepting defeats does not mean we have lost... it means we accept the truth that we haven’t done our best... or our best is not good enough... it means we have something to look forward to... there is a whole area of this sport that we can conquer if we improve. There is no greater feeling than the fact that we can do better at something.

There is something to look forward to... there is a positive desire when we wake up in the morning. I love to win... but you can only love winning if you hate losing enough. I guess KKR has now reached the stage where we are hating to lose... we are disgusted with losses... and the only way to change is to go out and win. I also believe that all the criticism about us is coming true. It’s right for people to not like our team... it’s also in our hands to change that. We very seldom get the chance to write our own destinies. The way of Allah is that He takes you down so much for you to realise that within all the losses lies the opportunity to correct them. That is the positive in losing so much. From the bottom the only way out is to look upwards. We can either blame everything else and lie there or blame ourselves and rectify our mistakes... our follies. At the bottom we lose our faith in God... it is made so... because God wants us to lose faith in Him and have faith in yourself. Unless you believe in yourself you can’t even believe in God... because we are His most loved creation. So the way forward is to believe in ourselves... believe in the good we can do for ourselves... believe in getting ourselves out of this rut. Just believe. I believe therefore I am. I believe therefore we will be... I believe therefore God will be with us... I believe therefore we will be back. Korbo, lorbo, jeetbo. PS: ... and stop dropping the catches... that will help!!

Shah Rukh is king of endorsements too!

Shah Rukh Khan’s name sells not only in Bollywood but also on television. The latest data from TAM Media Research reveal he endorsed the highest number of brands during 2008 on television, closely followed by India’s cricket captain, MS Dhoni.

He currently endorses 39 brands, including Pepsi, Hyundai, Airtel, Videocon, Sun Feast, Tag Heuer, Dish TV and Mayur Suitings. And, gets Rs 1-1.5 crore to be present at any function in India, according to event management agencies.

The brand endorsement business is around Rs 1,000 crore, including star appearances and events, according to Manish Porwal, CEO of celebrity management company, Percept Talent Management.

The report says Shah Rukh and Dhoni moved up in the ranking of celebrities endorsing products on TV during 2008, as compared with 2006. Amitabh Bachchan, Shweta Tiwari (Prerna) and Sachin Tendulkar, who were at the first, third and fifth place in 2006, respectively, were not among the top five in 2008.

Shah Rukh's most recent endorsement was with Linc Pen, one of the largest players in the branded pen industry, which appointed him its ‘brand ambassador’. Linc Pen had never opted till now for a celebrity brand ambassador to endorse its products. Says Deepak Jalan, Managing Director: “Shah Rukh Khan is someone who personifies style, entertainment and popularity and these values resonate perfectly with our brand attributes. Moreover, Shah Rukh cuts across age groups and demographics and appeals to a universal audience, just like our products, and was therefore a natural fit.”

Shah Rukh endorses Nokia handphones. D Shivakumar, Vice President (Markets), Nokia India, says the company is planning to bundle exclusive content featuring him for handsets sold in India. Nokia has bundled the full length ‘Om Shanti Om’ movie in the Nokia N96. It will look at bundling video clips and music of Shah Rukh Khan movies in the handsets. Khan, on his part, would extend collaboration with Nokia for such possibilities through his production house, Red Chillies Entertainment, he had told Business Standard.

Khan also has Kolkata-based Emami on his list of endorsements. For this, he is reportedly paid Rs 5 crore every year. The company is known for having the largest number of celebrity endorsers, including Madhuri Dixit, Raveena Tandon, Sunny Deol, cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and also Amitabh Bachchan. Shah Rukh’s ad campaigns for Emami include ads for Chyawanprash and some other herbal healthcare products of Emami; the firm gets more than half its revenues from their personal healthcare range.

Emami’s prime catch, however, has been Amitabh Bachchan, its umbrella brand ambassador. Bachchan is reportedly paid Rs 10-12 crore yearly for this endorsement.

Till a year earlier, the distance between Shah Rukh Khan, the No 1 player in Bollywood, and Akshay Kumar and Aamir Khan was big. However, now Akshay is the highest-paid actor, currently getting Rs 17 crore for a film, while Aamir Khan is the highest paid star-endorser, having bagged a yearly fee between Rs 12-15 crore per annum for his three commercials on including Tata Sky, Samsung Mobiles and Parle Monaco biscuits.

Shah Rukh Khan would be paid around Rs 2 cr for a 20-minute performance at the wedding of Mumbai builder Kanti Gowani’s nephew. The actor had reportedly charged Rs 1.5 cr for his number at the wedding of steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal’s daughter.

Sources in GS Entertainment, the event management company handling the Gowani wedding shows, say Shah Rukh can be available, say for three days, for Rs 12 cr. On the other hand, Akshay Kumar charges Rs 1.25 crore to be present at events, while Salman Khan pitches Rs 1 crore, and Govinda Rs 70 lakh, according to estimates provided by event management companies.

During 2008, Airtel led the list of the top 10 brands endorsed by celebrities on TV, followed by Pepsi, the report said. “It is natural that the endorsement price is heavily skewed in favour of icons like Aamir, SRK, Akshay Kumar, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni. These five, on average, get roughly three times what the next 10 get," says Porwal.