There's no India, nor Pak, says SRK

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan pitched for greater harmony among South Asian people as he accepted an honorary doctorate from a British university, saying governments were best left to their own "agendas".

"We belong to - I know it's a bit of a cliche but - one world. Specifically I think, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka — all of us, we're the same. I really believe we are the same," Khan told journalists after being made honorary Doctor of Arts by Bedfordshire University Friday.

The doctorate in recognition of his "exceptional achievement as a film actor and producer", was proposed by an Indian NGO called Routes 2 Roots
, which works to bring South Asians together.

"My mother is from Hyderabad in India and father is from Peshawar (in Pakistan). So I do believe in this (cultural unity).

"Especially when you come away from India or Pakistan you realise there is no Indian or Pakistani — we're all together. We are - culturally, as human beings, as friends. These are the aspects that keep us together.

"As far as the (government) agendas are concerned, let them go on."

Invited by a Pakistani journalist to visit Pakistan, said: "I also do wish to go there - my family's there."

Earlier, in his acceptance speech, Khan said he was inspired by the doctorate to work for the education of poor children in India.

"While this honour is bestowed on me, I wonder if the deserving but poor and underprivileged children from India can also pursue their higher education in such universities and maybe earn a doctorate as well.

"This thought has been weighing heavily on my mind and I am hopeful that I would be able to contribute to this cause in the future," he added.

I cried when Jackson died: Shah Rukh

"I cried, it was since long I cried. My wife and kids also cried," said Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan after hearing about the tragic death of 'King of Pop' Micheal Jackson.

Describing himself an ardent fan of Jackson, Khan said, "I felt very sad. I had met him. He was a wonderful creation of God," he said.

He was talking to reporters at a ceremony where an Honorary Doctorate was conferred on him by UK's Bedfordshire University.

"The only music I knew or heard during the last three four years is that of Michael Jackson. I don't have any understanding of other western music," Khan said.

"I felt I lost my youth when I heard Michael Jackson pass away," he added. The 50-year-old pop icon who died of a suspected cardiac arrest on June 25 was on the verge of making a much awaited comeback in London.

The concerts were supposed to be Jackson's first public performance announcing his return to the music world after years of staying in reclusion.

King of Bollywood is now Dr. SRK

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan can now call himself "doctor" after being honoured in the United Kingdom for his contribution to arts and culture.

Bedfordshire University conferred the doctorate upon him at a ceremony in London on Friday night.

Khan said he aimed to use the award to help educate underprivileged children.

The actor, who has starred in dozens of films, already has his own waxwork at Madame Tussaud's and has previously been honoured in France and Malaysia.

'Top' award
Khan was able to joke about becoming a doctor after frequent surgery in the past few years, most recently on his shoulder five months ago.

"Interestingly my kids don't understand this doctorate and believe I will be awarded a stethoscope," he joked at the degree ceremony.

The star was awarded the doctorate at a top London hotel instead of on university premises north of London because of the summer break.

The university received his nomination from Routes 2 Roots, an NGO that works towards people-to-people contact across the subcontinent, especially India and Pakistan.

Accepting the honour, Khan said he had received numerous awards as an actor but being given an honorary doctorate was the top achievement.

The actor left one of Delhi's top schools with the best student award - but never finished a masters degree.

So how did he feel about receiving the honour?

"I get the feeling that I should further the cause of those underprivileged children who don't get the opportunity to educate themselves,'' he said, quickly adding that he should perhaps begin with his own children who are "highly uneducated as of now".

The 43-year-old also added he was most scared of mathematics as a child, and intended to make sure his children were good at the subject.

Khan also joked that he might get to keep his university robes: "I have sweated in them - [they] can't be returned unless I dry clean them."

The ceremony was also attended by the famously barefoot Indian painter MF Hussain and British film maker Gurinder Chadha.

Other Indian stars to have been given honorary doctorates in the UK include Amitabh Bachchan, Shilpa Shetty, Akshay Kumar and AR Rahman.

-- BBC.CO.UK

My heartiest wishes and blessings for Dr. Shah Rukh Khan.

[SRKTHEDON ADMIN. MJ]

Shah Rukh Brings His Spark to Silicon Valley

SAN JOSE, Calif. — No, that wasn’t an earthquake you felt July 3 — that was a stampede of Bollywood fans, eager to catch a glimpse of Shah Rukh Khan. The Fairmont Hotel was abuzz till the early morning hours as Khan made an appearance to meet his admirers, snap photos and answer a few probing questions along the lines of “Can I see your six-pack?”

He even danced. Khan, who had been holding court onstage in one of the hotel’s huge ballrooms, stepped down to the dance floor to join the Mona Sampath Dance Troupe and gyrate to “Love mera hit hit” and other iconic songs, as the crowd strained on tiptoe for a better look.

The event was a smash success, according to Deepak Mehta of Mehta Entertainment. “People couldn’t dream that with just 11 days of preparation, I was able to put this together,” Mehta told India-West afterward. Declining to give an exact number of attendees, Mehta described the event as “house full.”

Tickets ranged from $100-500 for the event, and those who bought VIP or VVIP tickets were entitled to a photo with Khan. Due to Khan’s three-hour delay in arriving, not everyone was able to pose with the star, but Mehta explained that those fans were invited to Khan’s hotel in downtown San Francisco the following day. “On Saturday, over 100 people went to [Khan’s hotel] and got their pictures,” said Mehta.

As hundreds of admirers waited for Khan to arrive in the ballroom, dozens more lined the driveway of the Fairmont, and cheered every car that approached. Avishek Chakravorty, 23, traveled all the way from Toronto to see Khan. “Come on,” he jibed from his place in line. “I’ve been his fan since ‘Baazigar’ in ’93,” he said. “I’ve seen him twice already. I love him.”

Anjana Lodhia, from Folsom, Calif., told India-West at 10 p.m. that she’d been waiting in that spot since 4 p.m., and seemed full of energy nonetheless.

Khan — dubbed one of the 50 Most Powerful People in the World in 2008 by Newsweek magazine — arrived at the Fairmont in a white 2008 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow on loan from Naeem Wahab, president of Cal Coast Financial Corporation, a frequent sponsor of Mehta’s shows. “I’ve never ridden in a Rolls Royce before!” remarked the star. Mehta commended the efforts of George Patton, banquet manager for the Fairmont Hotel; while Oakland City Council president Ignacio de la Fuente was also on hand to enjoy a bit of Bollywood, too.

The actor, who was in San Francisco for an extended location shoot for Karan Johar’s “My Name Is Khan,” said he wanted to show up as a favor to Mehta, his “old friend,” who had brought Khan’s earliest live shows to the Bay Area. Khan said he also wanted to reach out to filmgoers who have supported him since the former TV actor made his big screen debut in 1992 with “Deewana.”

“Most of what I have today is because of you,” Khan solemnly told the audience. “Thank you for making me the star I am.”

Khan, dressed in a lightweight wool coat and red corduroy vest over a simple, vee-necked white tee-shirt and jeans — his black hair impeccably tousled — switched to a lighter tone as he invited people to ask him questions: “I want stupid, nonsensical questions; I don’t want any intelligent questions!” he implored.

As emcee Lakshmi Baweja tried to keep control, representatives from Mehta Entertainment passed around a microphone, and the queries came thick and fast over the course of an hour.

“What’s your favorite ice cream?” shouted a fan. (“I don’t eat ice cream — look at my six-pack abs.”)

“What’s your favorite movie?” (“The best movie I’ve done is the next one, though I’m fond of ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge,’” replied Khan before launching into a chorus of “Tujhe dekha …”)

“Can I have a hug?” (“Five dollars for a hug, darling; $20 for a kiss, and your whole property if you want to have my child.”)

“Who’s your favorite actress?” (“I’m just a lovesick guy. I love them all.”)

“How do you maintain your good looks?” (“Anti-aging creams help a lot. I don’t drink, and I don’t eat a lot, though I do smoke; I’ll be 44 this year. I listen to my wife, which keeps you healthy with no bruises.”)

“What’s the most challenging part of being a parent?” (“To let my kids grow on their own, without subjugating them to be what I want them to be.”)

One young lady, who was easily on her fourth Corona, squealed “Chak de phatte!” (bring the house down) before posing her serious question: “If I make you fresh sarson ka saag and makki ki roti will you come home with me?”

A little boy had another question — “What is one fun thing that you will take back with you?”

Khan grinned. “This is it,” he replied.

Meet Dr Shah Rukh Khan now

LONDON: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will be conferred an honorary Doctorate in Arts and Culture by a leading British University on Friday.

Shah Rukh, the first foreign actor to be conferred the Malaysian title of Datuk, equivalent to a British Knighthood last year, will receive the Doctorate from Professor Les Ebdon, OBE, Vice Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire.

The University of Bedfordshire received nomination of Shah Rukh Khan from an NGO, Routes to Roots
, which is also a member of World Association for Non Governmental Organisations.

It works in the sphere of augmenting people to people contact across the world, specially endeavouring to bring people and cultures together across the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries in general and India and Pakistan in particular. Actor Juhi Chawla and filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt are among its patrons.

"Shah Rukh Khan was selected by us after careful study since he has his head and heart at the right place in spite of being crowned the King of Bollywood. The superstar has done immense work for the underprivileged and downtrodden and has always come forward for charities in case of natural disasters," said Tina Vachani, co-founder, Routes to Roots.

Exclusive Interview: ‘I Only Make Love Stories’: Shah Rukh Khan

SAN FRANCISCO — Actor Shah Rukh Khan touched on his role in Karan Johar’s “My Name Is Khan,” his famous chemistry with costar Kajol, and the constant controversies that dog him, in an interview with India-West at his hotel July 3.

Recently, a Muslim cleric issued a fatwa against Khan for the actor’s comments in a magazine suggesting that the Prophet Mohammed was not a purely historical figure. Khan has said that he was misquoted. A few months earlier, Khan changed the title of his film, “Billu Barber,” because barbers in India felt the title was disrespectful. But he says he refuses to let any controversies rule his life.

“I think it’s unimportant,” Khan told India-West. “I don’t want to waste time from things I like to do, like making movies or having intelligent conversations with intelligent people. Watch a movie. Work on my laptop. Spend some time with my children. Think of a script and do what I do best.”

But like it or not, Bollywood news thrives on such controversies; look at what happened when Akshay Kumar let his wife unzip his jeans on a fashion runway (Kumar, and his wife, turned themselves in at a police station); and look what happened when Jaya Bachchan inadvertently offended the Thackeray camp in Mumbai when she refused to speak in Marathi (she later apologized).

“I don’t know why they do what they do,” said Khan. “I do it because I’m moving on to do some other project that needs to be released. You don’t like ‘Barber’? Take it out.”

“If I walk out of here and there are 500 people standing there, and I turn around and some girl says, ‘You hurt me,’ I won’t ask her why. I won’t ask her how. I won’t say, ‘What the hell are you saying?’ I will just say, ‘I’m sorry if I’ve hurt you. I don’t know how, but I’m sorry.’ And I’ll move on.

“Because whenever people say, ‘I love you,’ I don’t ask them why. I just say, ‘Thank you very much.’ So I have neither the right, nor the time, nor the inclination, to sit down. As a matter of fact, to sit down and explain your point of view to a lot of people I find it boring. I’m unsocial when it comes to wanting to explain things that are unimportant.”

The speed with which such news stories spreads is part of the problem, he said.

“Those days are gone when you read the newspaper and believed everything you read in it. I don’t hold it against anyone. You guys [the press] are now like UPS, like Fedex. You have to get it in time. The line between entertainment and news is completely obliterated.

“When I see the unfortunate coverage of Michael Jackson, I want to see it too. The funny part is, I’m a party to it. I want to see as much of it as possible, right or wrong. So I’m as much to blame.

“That’s how the world is now. I feel when all this is happening, it’s all fun. Let it go on. I need to do the things which are not fun, which are more important. It’s never that I’ve backed out. If people think ‘He got scared,’ good enough.

“These days when I meet people I think instead of saying ‘Hello’ I should say, ‘I’m sorry,’” Khan told India-West with a smile.

In “My Name Is Khan,” Khan plays Rizvan, a Muslim Indian man with Asperger’s syndrome, who befriends and falls in love with Mandira (Kajol), a Hindu single mother living in San Francisco. Their relationship reaches a critical point after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and Khan decides to travel across the United States in order to meet the president and tell him that he is not a terrorist.

Audiences are eager to see Khan and Kajol reunite after an eight-year gap since Johar’s “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.” But Khan himself can’t put his finger on what makes them such a special pair.

“We have no chemistry at all. It’s a misnomer!” he said. “We laugh at this every time. I don’t know what chemistry is. Neither does Kajol. Neither does Karan. Unless you’re sleeping with each other, you don’t understand what chemistry is. And I don’t sleep with any of my heroines.

“I go to work, we have fun together, I’ve said this a million times. I think ‘chemistry’ is a term used from the outside — how it looks on the screen. I wouldn’t know, because I’m inside the screen. When I see me and Kajol in a film, I find what we’ve done personally before it comes on screen better than what comes on screen.”

But he adds, “Sometimes I shout at her because she’s younger to me. I get very, very angry with her. If you see us together on the set and I’m shouting at her, you’ll find there is no chemistry like that!”

The equation of Khan, Kajol and Johar leads audiences to expect a certain kind of film, but Khan does not concern himself with that, and indeed looks forward to a new, more mature synergy between the three of them.

“I love working with Kajol and Karan. I’ve done 65 films and not one has been done keeping in mind the expectations of what people would like to see. The idea is always that I will do something and make sure that people like it.

“Why would we get together 15 years later and make ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ again? One has to give us a little credit for a little bit of growing up that we have also done.

“Obviously it’s not ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.’ That film was made by better-looking, younger people than us. We’ve done ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,’ ‘Kuch Kuch’ and ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.’ They have an inherent niceness in terms of love.

“This film will have a lot of love. I only make love stories; even ‘Don’ was a love story.”

Khan worked with screenwriter Shibani Bathija in researching the role of Rizvan Khan. “The character I’m playing has Asperger’s, a milder form of autism,” he said.

“I’ve studied a lot, met a lot of people, and read a lot of books on it. When I was young, I used to work with autistic children in theater.

“I’ve always had this desire to do a character — it’s not a disability — I’ve always wanted to try and understand how a mind works that works differently than mine and yours. Just because we don’t understand things does not mean they’re not well. I may get sued for saying this, but I think of Asperger’s and autism as the way we’re going to evolve. The mind is going to become much more logical, less passionate and emotional.”

The film also depicts what it is like to live as a Muslim in America. “The film is about the relationship between the Western world and Islam and how that has changed over the past few years,” said Khan. “The journey of one family and how it changes because of 9/11, we touch upon that in a very unbiased and educated way.

“It was important to play this guy, and it was important for me, as a Muslim. I know a lot of things that I have felt sometimes, and tried to utilize that. Some of my childhood education about Islam has come in handy, too. It’s an important film and I hope people understand it and like it.”

Although Khan is able to shoot acting scenes, and show up in person at live appearances like a meet-and-greet he attended in San Jose later that evening (see separate story), his old shoulder injury, and the February surgery he underwent for it, have meant that he has to curtail dancing and action scenes.

But Khan is eager to start work as soon as possible on “Ravan,” a superhero film to be directed by Anubhav Sinha that will reportedly be India’s most expensive film.

“I wanted to make it, and I want to start it,” said Khan. “Prashant [Shah, line producer for ‘My Name Is Khan’] is the producer here, and I’ve been troubling him for months now. “Part of it is to be shot here. It’s a special film for me. I want to put on my tights and my kids’ blanket on my back. I want to do this film for my children.

“I’ve always wanted to make a superhero film, but I never had six-pack abs. Now that I have them, I want to do this. It’s not an animation film, as many people believe; I would like to clarify that. It’s a live action film.

“I’m getting a little depressed about my injury because for me to do something physically active, such as Farah Khan’s ‘Happy New Year,’ ‘Don 2’ or ‘Ravan,’ I have to be physically fit, and I don’t see that happening until about October or November. These are the three films that I will start working on as soon as I get better.”

More, more, more: Khan, quick talking and energetic, seems like a hungry young actor, and not a complacent superstar.

“I don’t work for posterity or prosperity. I work because I want to work,” he said. “I just hope my kids learn from the good things that I know and not from the bad things that I have done. Hopefully, I will have a happy and healthy life. I tell my kids, remember me as someone who tried very hard.”

LISA TSERING, INDIAWEST

SRK in Kabir Khan's love story!

After two back-to-back films with strife-laden, political themes, Kabir Khan is ready to let his hair down.

His next, which he has just started to script, is a fantasy film with a heavy escapist element. Apparently, Aditya Chopra has asked Kabir to pen his next project with Shah Rukh Khan in mind. So it would be Khan and Khan in the next one.

Kabir says, “After Kabul Express and New York, I need to unwind. Not that I don’t enjoy making films on serious global political issues. I do. I enjoy the reputation of someone who identifies with issues that go beyond entertainment. But I also need to prove myself in a more adventurous, escapist space.”

That’s where Kabir’s next will score. It will be a film with a serious dose of light-heartedness. My next is going to be a thrilling love story. Now that I’m writing it, I’m having fun.”

So will it be a hat-trick with John Abraham? “Not necessarily,” comes the guarded answer. “It will depend on who fits into the final script.”

Yash Chopra wants SRK or Aamir

It's been five years since Yash Chopra last wore the director's hat in Veer Zaara. Now the most celebrated filmmaker in the country wants to direct a romantic movie. Since this might be one of his last directorial movies Yash Chopra wants either Shahrukh Khan or Aamir Khan to play the male lead. Yash Raj Films plan to hit the floors by the end of this year or early next year. The ace director has worked on the script of the movie for quite some time now.

Yash Chopra has been in talks with both Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan regarding the movie but both the actors haven't given any definite answer due t their tight schedule. Yash is willing to wait for an answer form either of them as he doesn't want to settle for any other star. Yash Chopra plans to cast a fresh face as the female lead in the movie. It remains to be seen whether it is Shahrukh or Aamir in Yash Chopra's masterpiece.

SRK's red alert for Salman!

Shah Rukh Khan and Salman may maintain a distance from each other, but in a small industry it's hard to be off each other's radar completely.

Recently, SRK was shooting for Dulha Mil Gaya and was supposed to play a red guitar. The director Mudassar Aziz and choreographer Ahmed Khan didn't fancy the guitar provided and asked for a replacement. The only substitute in the city was with Salman, who was shooting at Famous studios, Mahalaxmi, for Wanted.

Mudassar Aziz was aghast. He had got Shah Rukh's dates with a lot of difficulty. He was panicking that the shoot may have to be cancelled yet again as it had been several times prior to this.

The people who supplied the guitar took a drastic risk. They sneaked out Salman’s guitar at Famous and quietly replaced it with SRK’s instrument. Sneaking into the lion’s den and having survived was no mean feat.

“They got it without Salman knowing who sneaked into his shoot and exchanged the instruments,” said a source from the sets.

Ahmed Khan said, “I told the suppliers that we’ll wait for a few hours but they had to get it come what may. We could not afford to cancel the shoot.”

When Ahmed and the others asked them how they managed to get it from Salman, they said that when they entered the set, Salman was playing the guitar. After a while he kept the guitar aside and left. The suppliers took Salman’s guitar and replaced it with Shah Rukh’s guitar. The two guitars were similar and they don’t know if Salman shot with that guitar or not.

Mudassar Aziz said, “This is the best song of my film. I know that the song is a sure shot winner and I didn’t want to settle for anything less.”

Anything for you, SRK!

Best friend ke liye kucch bhi karega. Arjun Rampal, who was prepared for a grand launch of his restaurant Lap in Delhi on July 15, postponed the launch to mid-August because his best friend Shah Rukh Khan is out of the country till the end of this month.

A source said, “Arjun and SRK are extremely close and Arjun makes sure he is present at all parties thrown by SRK. The two have been good friends ever since they bonded on the sets of Farhan Akhtar’s Don in 2006. This time when Arjun was throwing a party, he wanted SRK to attend it. But, SRK is currently shooting in San Francisco for My Name is Khan and is later going to London with wife Gauri and kids for a three-week holiday. He’ll be back in India only by the end of July. SRK told Arjun that he’ll be free to attend the launch only in August and hence Arjun postponed the launch of his restaurant.”

Our source from the restaurant confirmed and said, “The launch will happen some time around August 20.” Lap is in collaboration with restaurateur AD Singh and is designed by Sandeep Khosla of Abu-Sandeep duo.