If you believe in something, go for it: Shah Rukh Khan

- A TELEGRAPH EXCLUSIVE
- Superstar No.1 SRK speaks to Lokendra Pratap Sahi

The following are excerpts

Q Your thoughts and emotions leading up to the first home match this season, on Sunday?

A The same as they were two years ago, in the IPL’s first season... With all the controversies and the issues that we’ve had, the one thing consistent has been the support of Calcuttans... When people love you so much, then you want to give them reasons to smile... That’s an obligation... Hopefully, there will be reason to smile across all centres, not just in Calcutta, during this IPL.

Did you intentionally not attend the opener, in Navi Mumbai?

Except Calcutta, I usually don’t go for matches anywhere... I sense that everybody in Calcutta loves the team the most and, so, I also come for the team... The team is more important and that is how it should be... It’s not that a film is being released and the focus has to be on me.

But you remain the biggest draw... There’s you and the captain, Sourav Ganguly...

It’s a misconception that I’m the biggest draw... If that indeed is so, then it has to be changed... Perhaps, we haven’t given enough reasons for the people to believe that I’m not the biggest draw... However, I appreciate the love and affection showered on the Knight Riders. I’ve been touched.

Do you get asked about KKR during your interactions with the media, or the public in general, overseas?

Recently, I was in New York and in Berlin... People do ask questions... Somebody asked me about the LA Lakers and I said that nothing in the world matches the atmosphere at Eden Gardens... I’d say that even if my team didn’t have an association with the ground... For me, there’s no place in the world to match Eden Gardens.

Third season as the principal owner of an IPL franchise... How do you look back on this experience?

I never look back... It’s over and done with... What can you do by looking back? I can’t do anything about the past, so why get into it? Be it successes or failures, I don’t dwell on the past... Obviously, it took me a few weeks and months to get over the fact that we didn’t play well enough (in the first two editions)... It took time because I’m passionate about what I do... (After a pause) A lot of people live on their successes and victories, I don’t... That’s the way I’ve lived my life and will continue doing so... I’m through with my films on the Monday after they’ve been released... Of course, it took me a little longer than a Monday to get over the KKR disappointments... I got over it before this season got under way and I’m sure the team got over it, too.

Looking ahead, then, is the mantra?

You know, I often get the feeling that we, as a people, lack positivity... I reach out to the youngsters and tell them failure isn’t fatal and success isn’t final... While I’m not looking back, I’m definitely thankful to the sponsors who’ve kept faith in us... I’m thankful to my business associates, like Jeet (Banerjee), too...

Frankly, when you made the investment, did you expect the IPL to make such a huge impact?

If you believe in something, go for it... Look, I’ve experienced enough successes and failures in the business part of my life... I don’t know number crunching... I’ve done things because I’ve believed in them and I’ve enjoyed doing them... I’m thankful that we’ve made money, but I’m not into numbers and figures... I see myself as a sportsman and sportsmen try to win... Of course, you can lose in sport, but you don’t have to be a loser... The other day, an interviewer asked whether I’d like the franchise to win or for it to make money. Obviously, if I had to choose, I’d like KKR to first win... I mean, that’s why I and the other co-owners have got involved.

But some did question your primary motive...

From the outside, yes, I’ve heard a lot of crap... ‘Shah Rukh does it because of this’ and ‘Shah Rukh does it because of that’... I know the reason why I’m doing this and my God knows why I’m into this... That is all that matters... There was no need for people to put the team down... Yes, we didn’t play well in the first two editions, but have put in everything to do better... The happiness didn’t go out of the team and we still partied with our friends.

For the past couple of months, you’ve been in the news almost everyday. There have been controversies over the IPL auction... Over My Name Is Khan...

(Laughs) That’s because I’m a superstar!

Accepted... But is there something you’ve learnt in this period?

If you’re going to do a good job in your field, then there will be a lot of people trying to (run one down)... I get 97 per cent goodness in my life everyday... I have more people (well-wishers) outside my house than I deserve... I have more benefits in my life than I deserve to have... I have more appreciation by way of awards, money, fame and name than I probably deserve... So, 97 per cent of it is good... If I’m going to lead my life by the three per cent, then... You’ve got to choose what makes you happy... It’s not a question of whether this period has taught me anything or not... I need to follow principles and I need to believe in what I’m doing... I don’t need to wear it on my sleeve... Don’t need to show off to people what I’m doing... From the outside, you can’t understand what I go through... Only I know that... Believe me, one gets numbed by success and failures.

What drives you?

The fact that I’m not sure I’ll get it right all the time. When I make a film, I don’t know whether it will succeed or not... I want it to, but don’t know...

When you start a venture, is there a fear that things may not work out well?

Why must your question be on what may not be right? Just because you don’t do well, to begin with, doesn’t mean that its worth has to be questioned. Sport is also about losing, it’s not only about winning... That being so, what’s wrong with losing? People say things from the outside and make money too! Last year, there was this blogger, who made money out of my team... A lot of people sit on the shoulders of those who’re famous and work relentlessly to make their own name. There are people who see the glass half empty, I see it as half full.

You’ve promised a change in KKR’s attitude. Will you spell it out?

I’d like the Knights to be like me... I want the players to be happy... Dada (Sourav) is instilling that... Work hard and have a good time... I enjoy the process of working hard and I want the players, too, to enjoy the process... Internal reasons, not external, contributed to the team’s attitude not being what it should have been in the first two seasons... I heard something about the coach, something about a communication gap, something about the multiple captains bit... However, we tried... We failed trying new things, we haven't failed trying the traditional things...

The Knights, you feel, should be like you... How would you describe yourself?

I cut out the negative things and look only at the positives.

Unlike in 2008, when the biggest signings from overseas left after a few matches, the top guns will be there for the critical stage of this year’s IPL. That must be making you comfortable...

I’d be happy to have all of them for the entire six weeks... That would be the ideal situation, but that isn’t always possible... It would, after all, be great to have choices right through the tournament... The IPL brass is working towards a window and I’ve been told something could indeed be done from next year.

Being candid is one of your strengths... At times, does it work against you?

After saying something, I realise I shouldn’t have said it. But the next morning, I get up and say the same thing. (Adds laughing) I can’t hold back. I speak my mind and I speak the truth... My children (Aryan, Suhana) are grown up and I wouldn’t lie to them... When my son’s 21, I wouldn’t like him to tell me that I’d lied... There are certain basic truths in life that we stand by... For example, I’m a Muslim and my (entire) family should know that... I’m not going to force my religion on them, they should love and embrace it, if they so wish... The only time that I may lie is when I don’t want to belittle anybody... That’s the one time I hold back.

The traits you’ve inherited from your late parents...

A lot of things, but patience and a sense of humour is at the top... If you don’t have patience, then you aren’t going to lead a happy life... As for having a sense of humour, it helps you deal with a lot of problems.

Finally, do you have long-term plans or are you actually a spur-of-the-moment man?

I don’t plan and I’m very disorganised... I do whatever I feel like doing at any given moment...

interview with Farkhan Akhtar

I take advice from SRK: Farhan

Farhan Akhtar More Pics

That's because he switches off his phone at night. 36-year-old Farhan Akhtar also admits to being unsociable when working and not liking romantic films unless they come laced with drama. All this and more about the man who redefines cool

There are all these rumours linking you to your Karthik calling Karthik co-star Deepika Padukone which the two of you protest at every opportunity. Are you not overdoing it?
Honestly speaking, I can only speak for myself. Initially I didn’t protest, I thought it would blow over naturally. But then it began to get awkward and in very bad taste and that is when I started protesting. Then one thing led to another and now again I am tired of protesting. I also feel that now that we are pretty much coming to the end of the promotion of Karthik Calling Karthik and you will see us spending a lot of time with other people as opposed to each other, it will blow over.


Do such rumours affect you a lot?
It’s important for me because it affects my family. It’s weird for me to answer to my nine-year-old daughter who sees something on TV or reads a headline in a newspaper. Children tend to stress about these things a lot more than we understand. When I wasn’t addressing the issue she couldn’t understand why I was denying something to her but not telling the rest of the world. So to me it was important to come out and talk about it.

My daughter couldn’t understand why I was denying something to her but not telling the rest of the world


What’s with this schizophrenic behaviour you display? You are usually a party boy but when you work, either when acting or directing, you become all reclusive and incommunicado?
The thing is, and most of the people I know also say this, I am an extremist. When I am working I don’t want to know about anything else. When I want to party, I don’t want to work. So when I go on a holiday, more often than not, I won’t answer my phone. I really have to be pushed to deal with work when I am on a holiday. Similarly when I am working on the script of a film, I really don’t want to go out, I don’t want to do things which are going to takeaway my energy from what I really should be focusing on.

What influences you and your work?
Having kids has made me more aware of life beyond myself. I am aware that my choices will affect them even when I am not around. That also affects my work because my sensibilities and aesthetics have changed. I have grown up with women predominantly and that has led to me having a very healthy respect for them in terms of the treatment of them. I have an allergy to women being shown in a crude light, to be shown in almost a sexist way. I have had these allergies in any case; it has got a little more underlined now with kids. When they see my films, I don’t want them to think that dad is doing anything cheap.

Do you think your dad’s (Javed Akhtar with Salim Khan) films reflected the same concern?
Salim uncle and my father had a healthy respect for women. But because while they were writing, there was a lot more formula cinema, it was a requirement of the story that they had to write in a vamp, which you don’t necessarily need to do anymore. If there was a villain, he had to have a vamp. Similarly when I write Don, I go back to that kind of writing, Don had Isha in his life. How we treat the character can be different from how molls and vamps were treated at that time. But when you go back to that kind of writing, it’s a different world and it’s a different sensibility of filmmaking but within that you still want to treat them with a certain dignity. You can’t caricature them and make them one dimensional.

For Don you had a blueprint of sorts to follow. How does Don 2 take the character forward?
For me, Don’s character hinges on his cunning and smartness and the fact that he is playing all the characters in the film and at the same time, he also plays the audience. So, to me, the challenge is to do that again. Of course, you can do great action sequences, you can have great songs, a wonderful looking and talented cast who everybody wants to watch. But this time round, there is now no format to follow. To me that was exciting and what I am focusing again on is how to take Don to almost level two. This film is more of a caper to me than an emotional journey.

And how many ‘mulk ki police’ will be looking for him in Don 2?
Now I think it’s the whole world. Only Antarctica aur Arctic ki police uske peeche nahi padi hai.(laughs)

Could you ever do a mush film? A romcom?
Very honestly I must say that the romcom is one of my least favourite genres, even to watch. There are some of course, which I do thoroughly enjoy but they are very few and far between. Personally, I prefer drama, action and thrillers. If it’s a romance I would much prefer a classic romance like a Romeo and Juliet which has drama in it.

You work with actors as a director and compete with them as an actor. How do you differentiate between the two?
The people that I have worked with are the ones that I am good friends with and I do spend a lot of time with. One is obviously Hrithik and the other is Shah Rukh. Hrithik and I have known each other for really really long. We have been friends from way before I decided I wanted to be in films (he kind of always knew he wanted to be in films). So my friendship with him is beyond actor-director, whatever.

With Shah Rukh, I really started hanging out with him post Dil Chahta Hai. I feel a certain kinship with him. We have similar joys in terms of technology, we jam on many things. And many a times he has been someone I have turned to for advice. He is someone I have almost started feeling over time, again without sounding cheesy, like an elder brother. I know for a fact, not that he has told me so, that he is someone I can really count on, if the need arises. Even if we choose in the future to not work together, we will still hang out, we will still be friends.

For me, Don’s character hinges on his cunning and smartness and the fact that he is playing all the characters in the film and at the same time, he also plays the audience

Today’s actors pay a lot of attention to body and hair, the externals basically. Yesteryear actors looked almost the same in every film but it didn’t affect the strength of their performance. Comment.
I completely agree and I think it should go back to being how it was. Because I think, we are slowly but surely working towards this perfect world that everybody should exist in, which is not true. If there is someone on screen who is even relatively chubbier, immediately reviewers say he needs to lose a couple of pounds. Why? Doesn’t someone who is chubbier have a right to fall in love with someone? I find it disturbing that we are trying to make a Utopian world where great looking people and great bodies fall in love and nobody else has a right to.

Anyone who is skinny or bald or has a stammer or is fat is relegated to being a comedian, a character who needs help. I find this really disturbing. Did anyone stop to question why people fell in love with Sanjeev Kumar? It’s a dangerous obsession because it’s going to start limiting talent that’s coming in.

OFF THE CUFF

Rate Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan and yourself on a scale of one to ten on the following parameters

Communication skills
SRK - 15
Aamir - 10
Hrithik - 8 or 9
Myself - 5

Life of a party
It is difficult to rate this in numbers. SRK and Hrithik are very funny. Both of them love dancing so once the party kicks off, they are always dancing. Aamir is a lot more reserved. In all honesty, I haven’t partied with Aamir since Dil Chahta Hai
SRK - 10
Aamir - 5
Hrithik - 10
Myself - 8 or 9

Easy to direct
Honestly, they were all very easy to direct.
ALL - 10

Willing to admit to mistakes
Again, I think, I would give all of them 10 and that’s what makes them good at what they do. I know for a fact that I can be stubborn about certain things.

Emotionally giving
I spend a lot more time with Hrithik and Shah Rukh than I do with Aamir. So it will be really difficult for me to say anything about Aamir on this front.

Extempore speakers
SRK- 10
Aamir - 5
Hrithik - 8
Myself - 5

Aware of the world
All of us are pretty aware of what’s happening in the world around us, so I would probably rate them just up there. Even if we want to detach ourselves from what’s happening around us you media people don’t let it happen. There is no escape. So 10 on 10 for everyone

Be a 3am friend
My friendship is more with Hrithik and Shah Rukh than it is with Aamir. My relationship with Aamir is a lot more professional than personal so to put him into this equation feels very weird as it’s unfair to him.

SRK-10
Hrithik-10
Myself - 0
I switch off my phone when I sleep, I love my sleep. I think I don’t qualify for this.

Politically correct
SRK-3 or 4, mostly he says what he feels
Hrithik- 10
Myself- 7 or 8, I have the knack of saying wrong things as well

Spontaneous
SRK- 10
Hrithik- 8, He has changed a lot from what he was to what he is now

Animal Charm
SRK-10
Hrithik -10
Both of them are very attractive people.
Myself - I don’t know about myself (laughs) how do I rate myself on animal charm?

interview with KJo

HOUR QUESTION

http://www.screenindia.com/news/hour-question/584442/ 

 

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Chaya Unnikrishnan Posted: Feb 26, 2010 at 1759 hrs IST

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Karan Johar for the first time speaks out on the MNIK controversy, the challenge of realistic cinema and going global Filmmaker Karan Johar, fresh from the success of My Name Is Khan visited the Screen office for a candid chat and bowled everyone with his charm and inimitable style.
Dressed casually in a black and grey T-shirt paired with a blue jeans, a Louis Vuitton bag, sneakers and a Blackberry, the ace director looked ready to take on the world, literally, what with MNIK opening new markets worldwide. MNIK, said Johar, has been the most creatively satisfying film for him. “It has challenged me and made me think out-of-the-box.”
From the pre-release controversies surrounding MNIK, his vulnerability during the release of Wake Up Sid to Kurbaan’s failure at the box-office, he patiently put to rest all queries we had. What’s more, he delighted us with info on his forthcoming film I Hate Luv Stories, which has Imran Khan playing an assistant director, Sonam Kapoor as a production designer and Sammir Dattani playing Karan Johar. Then there’s his popular chat show Koffee With Karan coming back with a third season on STAR World. And the juiciest bit of all, he conceded that with some persuasion from the Twitterati, he is ‘thinking’ of casting Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone in a Dharma Production film, adding that the pair has a huge fan base on the social networking site, which calls it ‘Shahika’.
A lot of ground was covered and an hour and a half went by in a jiffy courtesy his ready wit and loads of self-depreciating humour. For a snapshot of the fun and informative session, read on.
New age cinema
Karan Johar opens up on his changing perception of movies
“Everyone thought I had lost it when I said I wanted to make My Name Is Khan,” says Karan Johar as he begins the conversation. “I am all for bubblegum and candy floss. I have moved on. I shall be 40 soon and for me to do bubblegum and mush is a bit too much. I just feel that I can’t be bored while making my own film.”
Johar, in fact, wishes his audience to cry a bucket with the remake of Stepmom, which he admits, “is a chick flick.” “I do not have an understanding of horror or sci-fi so I won’t make those films. I am open to doing films about people in the real world be it edgy, alternate or anything else,” he offers by way of explaining the kind of cinema Dharma Productions aspires to make.
MNIK which is a step in that direction. But he defends his definition of boredom by saying that a little bit of ‘Karan Johar feel’ will always be there in all his films. “I can’t change my core self even if I try because it’s me. My influence will come up in the film. An SRK-Kajol mush moment will come only from me because that is what I am. But the chemistry between them is unusual. He is a man with a disorder and she is a divorcee with a six-year old kid. A lot of their chemistry has been taken from a real life couple who dealt with autism. We also borrowed an instance about two real life women who were the best of friends all thier lives and the repercussions of 9/11 on their lives. This film was everything I didn’t know and I had to be accurate with my research. Of course within that realm I will show off as a film maker.”
Going back to MNIK, which Johar claims is his “most creatively satisfying film”, he says people didn’t believe him when he said he wanted to make a film dealing with an issue like this. “Assistants used to come to work with me thinking there would be huge chandeliers, beautiful sets and picturesque locations. When I narrated the script of MNIK to them, I could see the disappointment in their faces. I remember Manish Malhotra’s disappointed face. He is so used to shopping for beautiful clothes for a month before the film starts that he was heartbroken there were just 22 changes. When Sharmishta Roy, my production designer and I were doing a recce in a lane at Kandivali we both burst out laughing when she said, ‘Karan, I don’t believe I am standing here with you.’”
Johar also believes that Aditya Chopra and he have been the only people (directors) who have witnessed the transition of the industry. Back in 2001 when his film Kabhie Khushi, Kabhie Gham was up for release, he wasn’t prepared to compete with Farhan Akhtar’s Dil Chahta Hai and Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan, two films that altered the meaning of cinema in the coming years. “When I was making K3G, I felt bad for Gowariker and Farhan because I thought who would want to see Aamir Khan in a dhoti playing cricket and a film about three friends, which apparently had no story. It was only when I came out of the theatre after watching Lagaan did I realise I was doomed. I was royally assaulted by both commerce and art. After that Anil Sharma’s Gadar came which again went on to become a huge success. That year was great in terms of different kinds of cinema. It gave more freedom to film-makers to portray whatever they wanted to on screen and get away with it.”
Sneha Mahadevan
Our conviction gave us courage
Just as MNIK was to hit screens worldwide on February 12, it got embroiled in a controversy. Karan Johar shares his views on the incident …
For Johar, “it was the toughest 10 days of our life.” Having worked on the film for three years, he says, “When the film lives with you for three years it literally becomes a member of your family. It consumes and absorbs you completely. And at the brink of the release of the labour of your love; when you see a roadblock of this magnitude, it was obviously very disheartening and sad. For us, it was emotionally tough.” Since Johar has only directed MNIK, he says monetary losses may not be his priority but he always looks at a project from the producer or a filmmaker’s point of view. Always one to go for the best irrespective of the cost, for Johar, it is all about creating that best moment “that is what leaves a legacy behind and so yes it was really tough for Shah Rukh Khan and me.” He however believes that there has to be some pay back for what the universe gives you, for trying to do something noble and human. “Today I am just happy that is over,” said the young filmmaker. His jovial mood reiterated this.
Johar applauded Shah Rukh for sticking to his stand. “It was very brave of him, for a lead protagonist of such a mainstream endeavour to play this character. It was a big film on a big scale, shot on a big budget with the lead character that has a disorder. And then everything was working against us. Eventually it was our conviction that gave us courage.
At a time when nothing was going right for the film, Johar says the support that they got from unexpected quarters was phenomenal. He even got encouraging phone calls and smses. This incident has brought the film fraternity closer, he reiterates. “However, there is a section that comes together and some that remains silent so we have to take it in the spirit.”
The young filmmaker recalls how, during the moment of crisis, both he and Shah Rukh stood by each other. “I was standing there holding his hand throughout. That was support enough. Now enough has been spoken about the issue, if we get into it further, it will be misrepresented. I don’t think we expected anything to get to this monumental level and we are happy it is over.”
Reflecting on how business affected the film during the release week, Johar stated that there was a definite loss of business in Mumbai and Maharashta. Looking at the scenario in Mumbai, many did not go to the theatres fearing political ramifications. “We lost the weekend. We lost out on a tremendous amount. People even did not venture to catch the paid-previews.”
Talking about the Wake Up Sid controversy, Johar said that after leading a sheltered life, he was suddenly exposed to the atrocities of the outside world. “When it happened to me the first time, I took an immediate call about the situation without thinking about the circumstances. The maker is more vulnerable and weak on a Friday. He just listens and follows what people around him tell him.” The filmmaker is of the opinion that he may have reacted differently today if faced with the same situation. It was the first time his film was embroiled in a controversy and he did not think objectively as ‘in the moment of crisis, one reacts impulsively. He however didn’t want to comment on whether what he did then was right or wrong or may be that the repercussions of that was the second event (MNIK controversy) happened. He however stated that, “They are two different circumstances. Two bad experiences and within a short span seem to have taught him a lot. “I am a different person today. It can be said that I am an older and wiser person post My Name Is Khan. I understood so much about the machinery, the industry and the people. I felt like I grew up 10 years in those 10 days. Now I have become more aware. My father was a crisis man. In such circumstances, he would know what to do and how to speak to people. I lost him when I was 32 and at that time I didn’t even know who my chartered accountant was. If my father was alive, it would have been a great emotional support for both Shah Rukh and me. We would have turned to him for everything and would have been more protected.”
Namita Nivas
MNIK, opening news markets
Apart from box office history, director Karan Johar’s latest directorial venture has also broken all geographical boundaries
The release is phased, each territory having a different release date, allowing the publicity storm to gather pace before releasing in a new area. MNIK, which premiered at the Berlin film festival “is the first global film to open up new markets across the globe,” according to Johar.
MNIK is reportedly being distributed in over 70 countries, presenting new distribution, and commercial opportunities for further releases.
MNIK met with astounding audience response in Germany. Germany has the third highest population of international migrants worldwide. Johar believes that “NRI people are far more Indian, far more traditional and far more conservative than any of us living here. It does not mean they are evolved and take anything that is modern”.
For Johar, “The diaspora audience is different in USA, UK and UAE and they react differently. You never know how things will work where. It has been fantastic. I see a lot of non Asian people venturing into cinema hall and it has been great.”
MNIK had its world premiere in Abu Dhabi, a decision taken by Fox. “When you have a big studio with you, you go with the flow,” said Johar. In the East, Bahrain has six prints, Qatar four, Kuwait four, and Egypt eight, although reports abound that 30 more prints have been ordered for Egypt, marking significant breakthroughs for Hindi cinema.
If replicated globally, this could secure Bollywood cinema in ‘non traditional’ reception areas. The film opened in Oman, on February 18. Previously, Bollywood films were released midweek before a weekend opening in India. It is to release in nine theatres in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, from March. MNIK will be dubbed into German and Turkish, and released with subtitles on 50 screens in Poland, ten times the amount for a Bollywood release previously. Johar previously called his work ‘a handshake’ between east and west and with the backing of Fox Star Studio. “It is opening many doors and windows. This has been possible because of Fox who has offices all across the world” said Johar. He said that the real impact of the film’s success will only be known by the end of 2010 after it releases theatrically across countries like Poland, Oman, Germany and Russia.
MNIK is the first Bollywood film to be carried by a major Hollywood studio for global distribution.
MNIK is cited by Johar, as an example of new age Indian cinema. MNIK is potentially a shift away from what those in the west tend to perceive as being a format of singing and dancing ‘escapism’, and is accompanied by an industry shift in distribution. MNIK was bought by Fox Star Studios for a reported Rs. 90.2 crore. “We wanted to put Indian cinema on the map and which is why we teamed up with Fox. I wanted people of all cultures and communities to understand that the film resonated the new age Indian cinema”, says Johar, “we are not the frivolous singing and dancing nation of movie makers. We are somebody who can project cinema soulfully, emotionally and relevantly”.
Ed Vollans
Music with a difference
Song and dance sequences, especially the hero-heroine lip-syncing to songs, are a quintessential part of Hindi films. Karan Johar on the changing role of music in today’s cinema
However, the concept is gradually changing and instead of lip-syncing, songs are now increasingly being played in the background. Even My Name Is Khan, that comes from Dharma Productions has few numbers in the film and that too in the background. Song and dance sequences, especially the hero-heroine lip-syncing to songs, are a quintessential part of Hindi films. Says Johar, “A man with autism can’t sing a song. You and I do not sing to each other. When we are talking about a film that is highlighting such a rampant, relevant problem we can’t break into songs. The first sequence of a film sets the tone. My film has the hero walking into an airport followed by his interrogation. When you have set this tone, you can do everything you want within that. I cannot have 100 dancers during Sajda dancing to choreographed steps. I cannot show a grand wedding and perfectly dressed people. Yes, the films of Guru Dutt and Hrishikesh Mukherjee in the past were also about real people and there would be lip-synched songs, but in that era it was a given thing that the lead artistes would sing. But now cinema has travelled beyond.
In fact, Rang De Basantiwas the best film that used music so well without a single lip-synced song. I think that this is the new way music will be used in Hindi cinema and though it is unfortunate, I definitely think that it is better in the long run.
“Frankly I do not see myself shooting a party song like in Kabhi Alvida... or a song in the mountains between the lead pair. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, the music directors of the movie, were definitely surprised and disappointed when I told them that neither Sajda nor Tere naina will be filmed with lip-sync. But even Kajol singing to Shah Rukh would have made people laugh.”
Rajiv Vijayakar

"Living with a Superstar: Shah Rukh Khan" interview with the documentary maker

http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/play/shah-rukh-khan-reality-tv-374524

This week Discovery Travel & Living are releasing "Living with a Superstar: Shah Rukh Khan" a 10-part prime time reality television series on the unseen life of one of India's most influential contemporary icons.
Bollywood fans book your rehab session now, this is one slickly produced piece of celebrity voyeurism. Millions are expected to tune in across the nation and abroad to ogle at the enviable lifestyle of one of the planet's biggest superstars.
To do this the producers shadowed Shah Rukh accross four continents to film episodes that cover vacationing with him in London, one of his favorite cities; a personal tour of Mannat, his Mumbai castle and meeting the people who form the backbone of his day-to-day life; access to his home in Dubai; private time spent with his family; first-hand disclosures on the controversies, decisions and game plan for his Indian Premier League cricket team the Kolkata Knight Riders; an exclusive acting master class, where Khan deconstructs the art and technique of performance, as he sees it, and a whole lot of extra 'Shahrukhisms' that cover the actor's views on "living, loving, creating and letting go."

Raj K Gopalakrishnan, CEO Blue Mango films group.

You can bet Indians ranging from social anthropologists, to filmmakers, contemporary culture scholars to Bollywood critics and lifestyle commentators will be tuning in along with the fans in the hope of basking in the incredible success and fathoming the insane popularity of this Indian celebrity.  On the eve of the televison premier, Raj K Gopalakrishnan of Blue Mango films (the boutique film production house which co-produced the series with Red Chillies Idiot Box) shares his personal and professional experience filming one of the most important Bollywood documentaries that's ever been made.

CNNGo: Following Shah Rukh Khan for a year is a job for producers with marathon stamina. Truth or dare?

Raj K Gopalakrishnan: This is a reality series, and true to the spirit of reality, we did not pre script or stage scenarios so the important thing was not to miss a moment. This meant long hours of shooting. No breaks. No rest. With SRK, it becomes exponential as he packs what feels like 36 hours into one day. We had to always be ready, alert and at peak performance levels. No matter how much we planned, six out of 10 times the plan would change with 10 minutes to two minutes notice. Like one time when we were shooting in London SRK was walking around and suddenly decided to hop on to a rickshaw. We had to quickly find another one for the camera (and pay a ridiculous amount to the driver) as the rest of the crew ran through busy London traffic without any prior intimation…but it was such a wonderful moment. Nothing was staged and there was this super duper star just roaming about in a rickshaw without a care in the world.

CNNGo: 'Living with a Superstar' was an ambitious project to conceptualize. How have you structured the episodes to cover this many aspects of SRK’s life?

On the sets of "My Name is Khan" with producer/director Karan Johar.

Gopalakrishnan: He gave us unlimited access, like nobody has ever been given before. So we decided to follow him across four continents and literally let the story tell itself. We shot with him in South Africa, Europe, America, UAE and India. We were with him, recording the trials and tribulations of the IPL. We were with him during the shooting of "My Name is Khan". We were also with him when he was vacationing in London with his family. We were in Mumbai. In his home. At his office. On his Birthday. We were everywhere he was. Literally living with the superstar… and that’s why we named the series that.
As for structuring the episodes a lot of the crafting happened during the post shoot brainstorming, on the edit table. Footage was brought to the table as soon as it was shot and this way we could keep a tight control over the quality and content as well as start iterations. It’s here that we decided to make the series structure thematic, instead of chronological, so that even if you see just one episode it would be one complete chapter from SRK’s life. Some of the themes are 'private vacation' from his time in London or 'Shah Rukh 24X7' the total workaholic and through these themes viewers will, for the first time, get an insider’s look at every facet of SRK -- actor, father, husband, friend, businessman and more.

CNNGo: How did your perception of your subject change during the making of this show?

On the job in a private jet.

Gopalakrishnan: SRK is such a good human being --- he has admirable integrity, is honest, straightforward, witty, very, very intelligent, professional, a thorough gentleman and a real family man. He’s been a revelation. He is also a workaholic, has an unflinching commitment to his work and does not see failure as an option. His charm and eloquence add to his persona. Contrary to popular belief, he is not pompous. I have seen him on the sets of movies and shoots. He immediately puts everyone at ease, and is a complete team player. I have never seen him lose his cool, but he does call a spade a spade. He is very quick to adapt to his surroundings and changes in the world at large. That is one of the reasons for his longevity as an economically viable investment for any producer.
But then you suddenly realise that his attitude towards life and work define him as a super-achiever not just a superstar. So, instead of being an actor, if he was in finance or sports or software I believe he would be at the zenith and that is my biggest perception change.

CNNGo: Tell us what happened behind-the-scenes.

Shah Rukh and wife Gauri on a dune buggy in Dubai.

Gopalakrishnan: Some of the craziest moments involved fans. No matter which part of the world we were in, fans managed to track down all our crew’s so called "secret spots". Once a bunch of 10 odd teenagers had travelled from another city to meet SRK. They surrounded our crew and refused to let us go. We had to keep talking to security and devise almost 10 exits from where we could get him out. It was like a cat and mouse game. Finally, we split the team in half and made a dummy team with an empty camera seem like they were the right crew. While we managed to get the shot and SRK out safely, the other crew actually came back with a few scratches and buttons ripped from their clothing trying to escape the fans.
Another time, we had fans reaching places with fake IDs, claiming that they were perimeter security assigned by fictitious local authorities and stating that they would have to confiscate the cameras or be with the crew to ensure SRK's safety! There were such incidents almost on a daily basis throughout the shoot.

CNNGo: What is your understanding of what it's like to be Shah Rukh Khan?

With children, son Aryaan and daughter Suhana.

Gopalakrishnan: It’s got to be tough. High pressure. Very demanding. Everybody has something to say about you. Even people who don’t know you have an opinion about you. And those who want to know you, perhaps have an ulterior motive or are simply star struck. Life is forever under the scanner and in a territory so fertile for rumours and slandering, there is a reputation to protect. More importantly, there is a family to protect. And given all this, I think he manages beautifully.
I think his family keeps him really balanced (he carries their pictures with him everywhere and they are the first things to inhabit his hotel room). He also has very acute business acumen. He has razor sharp intellect. Great oratory skills. He has charisma. He is savvy. He has vision. I think other than being a great entertainer, SRK would make a great leader for our country. That’s one role I would love to see him in…in real not reel life!
"Living with a Superstar: Shah Rukh Khan" premiers February 26 on Discovery Travel & Living, airing every Friday at 9pm IST.

Shah Rukh Khan speaks to masala.com in Abu Dhabi

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by Sonali Raha

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picture: Rajesh Raghav/ITP Images

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Shah Rukh Khan is calm, smiling and ready with the words on the afternoon of My Name Is Khan’s global premiere in Abu Dhabi. The interviews are running a couple of hours late, but that doesn’t faze the Khan. He’s being asked the same questions over and over again and that doesn’t bore him either. In a one-on-one with masala.com, Shah Rukh talks about his hopes and fears and explains exactly what he means by being Indian.

Excerpts from the interview:

What are your hopes for ‘My Name Is Khan’, when it releases in India on Friday?

When you’ve worked for so long and hard on a film, we just hope that the film opens well, that the maximum number of people gets to see it. This is a dramatic love story that talks about goodness and honesty. I hope people will sit through the two and a half hours of it and come away satisfied and entertained.

I hope ‘My Name Is Khan’ is released smoothly in my city and that many people get to see it in the first days.

And your fears?

It is unfortunate that I cannot release the movie the way I want to in my own city. I feel sad. I want everyone to be able to go and see it in peace.

I have said, again and again, that if you have an issue with me, we can talk about it. This is not just my film. The livelihood of 300-400 people is dependent on it. Let it release well, let it run smoothly. I hope everyone concerned has the graciousness to let the movie release easily.

Everyone should be able to go and see the movie without fear.

I thank the government, the cops and everyone who has supported me. You have the right to have a different ideology, but you do not have the right to be aggressive about it.

You’ve said, ‘an actor is never brave on a Thursday’. A day ahead of your release, do you feel any different?

It’s only a Wednesday, so I’m still brave (laughs). Maybe tomorrow I will feel different. But truly, there is nothing else that I can say or do. May be one day I will look back upon this unfortunate incident and think ‘What I did was wrong’. May be I will think, ‘What I did was NOT wrong’. Anyway, there is no Pakistani player in the IPL, so that agenda is all over.

You’ve seen how, in the UAE, Indians and Pakistanis live and work happily together…

I have always been pro-relationship. Why would people want to beat each other? We need to come together, different countries, different cultures and build relationships. Even the most warring nations need to come together to talk.

How would you define being Indian?

Having freedom. Freedom to earn, to live, to breathe, to laugh, to cry, to talk. Freedom in every sense of the word. I am fortunate enough to belong to the generation who has seen some great leaders who are still in our politics. Economically, India is shining. But nothing will really happen if we’re not free. I want my kids to grow up in a country that’s free.

* Read the full SRK interview in Masala! magazine, on the stands on February 18.

My kids are my best friends: Shah Rukh Khan

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In an exclusive chat with Tarana on Zee Cinema’s 'Buzz of the Week', Shah Rukh Khan talks about his best friends and more…

The Badshah of Bollywood,Shah Rukh Khan bats some interesting questions on ZEE Cinema's 'Buzz of the Week'.

Tarana: How does it feel now that your movie is set to release?SRK:The release of the movie is like a daughter’s wedding day. While you have taken real good care of her for a very long time and love her utmost, you have to let go of her one day. And all you could do is wish and pray that everything will go very well for her. Tarana: Do you wonder what happened to all those actors like Suchitra Krishnamurthy, Gayatri Joshi etc who started their big screen journeys with your movie? Are you in touch with them?SRK:Honestly I don’t feel responsible for launching any actor. I work for myself and I don’t want to take credit for any of their work. Deepika started her career with OSO and is doing very well now. If tomorrow she goes ahead and wins Oscar awards, I wouldn’t want to take credit for that. Having said that, I am very much in touch with Suchitra. Our kids go to the same school. Tarana: Who is your best friend?SRK: I could say that my kids are my best friends. I have a good time with them. Tarana: You have been recently writing on social networking sites…SRK:Yeah, honestly I never wanted to write or blog because I didn’t know what to write. I have read celebrities who write on these sites and I find it extremely redundant and boring. Then Karan told me that it’s important to blog because people want to know about the actor behind the screen. Tarana: You recently got a migraine problem…SRK:My character in my movie needs to keep my eyes in a particular angle and with a blank look for which I had to stretch my eyebrows and keep them stuck upwards physically. I stretched that look for hours during the shoot and got so used to it that I started doing it even when I wasn’t shooting. Tarana: There was a snake on the sets…SRK: There were rumours on the set that there are snakes around. I was very scared of them but didn’t want others to panic so I kept quiet. But who knew it was going to come in the water tank I was shooting in.

Fan frenzy at film’s first official screening

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by Sonali Raha

Shah Rukh Khan on the red carpet in Abu Dhabi on Feb 10

picture: Rajesh Raghav/ITP Image

The 1,000-odd people crammed into the foyer of the Emirates Palace auditorium greeted the star cast of “My Name Is Khan” with screams and claps, as the movie had its world premiere in Abu Dhabi last night (Feb 10).

Walking the narrow strip of the red carpet first were sponsors, studio bosses and the crew. The crowd grew restless, chanting ‘Shah Rukh, Shah Rukh’, as the wait lengthened. The chants subsided only when Karan Johar and Kajol walked in.

“We’re thrilled to be here, to be showing our movie in Abu Dhabi for the first time. Hope you like it as much as we enjoyed making it,” Karan Johar told the media lining the rope.

K-Jo was wearing his own collection, while Kajol glowed in a red and black Manish Malhotra sari. “Thank you so much for having us here,” she said, again and again.

The director and the heroine of “My Name Is Khan” shook hands and signed autographs with their fans, before moving into the auditorium.

A few minutes of silence and then a roar from the crowd. We knew Shah Rukh was on the red carpet. Very smart in a Karan Johar creation, he stopped at every media cluster to talk and shake hands. “I feel sorry that my movie may not get the opening it deserves in my own city. But I hope and pray it all works out,” he said.

Shah Rukh bent down to hug a little girl right in front of me and then the frenzy began. The fans flooded into the area reserved for the media and begged him for autographs and pictures. He obliged, for as long as he could, before he was ushered into the imposing auditorium.

Inside the theatre

Once inside, the same fans greeted K-Jo, SRK and Kajol with roars of approval as they went up on stage to say a few words ahead of the screening of “My Name Is Khan”.

“I may sound shaky and scattered because I am really nervous. This is the first official screening of my film,” Karan Johar said. “It is a part of my heart. A part of the heart of every team member… I’m proud to have the film flagged off in Abu Dhabi.”

“This is the finest piece of role, character, that anyone has written for us,” said Shah Rukh Khan, thanking K-Jo for letting him and Kajol be a part of “My Name Is Khan”.

“I hope you like the film. And even if you don’t we’re not returning the money,” he said, triggering laughter and claps among his fans.

The movie

As the reviews have said repeatedly, “My Name Is Khan” is a deeply moving and powerful film. Director Karan Johar has gone on record to say he has stepped out of his comfort zone in this movie. And that is evident.

There are no songs and dances; there is no colour-co-ordinated world and there are no overly-emotive scenes. A taut story of alienation, isolation, deep grief and ultimate triumph, “My Name Is Khan” uses the background of 9/11 brilliantly to tell the very personal story of Rizwan Khan, a Muslim man with autism in America.

SRK, as expected, is brilliant, under emoting instead of over emoting, as he usually does. Kajol actually outshines him in certain scenes. The support cast, particularly Zarina Wahab and Pravin Dabbas, were excellent as well. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s music, subtly used, helped convey emotions the way words couldn’t have.

The movie could have been half an hour shorter though, and it is definitely not a watch for children.

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Quotes

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On shooting a love story in America with a backdrop of terrorism

SHAH RUKH: I have shot several films in America. This film needed to be made in America. The only feeling I had was that it was cold in LA> I used to say to Karan (during the shoot) “Why are we here?” - its very important for the look of the film. Because he has travelled right across America but we shot in an around LA and even in Mumbai where we had a beautiful set. I will be very honest, we didnt have an agenda/issue to make a film but we had a very strong feeling to make an entertaining film. There is glamour in the film ; but it is in a different way...no set pieces. Will we be able to tell you the story we want to tell you in an entertaining way? I did a lot of research on Aspergers and religion so that we dont say the wrong thing. Whenever an incident of such proportion happens which is not good for mankind its going to affect a person in Indonesia, India...its the buterfly effect The film is about the effect on two people - how real lives are affected by people who are not involved in any which way. we never went in with an agenda...
There is a beautiful line in this film (without giving away the story!) “Mankind has measured time in BC and AD ..” a third way has been added now ...pre/post 9/11. Its a sad comment but it exists and we need to address an issue if we believe in it and thats how I felt.

On being stopped at Newark Airport in August - a publicity stunt?

SHAH RUKH: (laughs) Kajol and I tried when coming out from New York. We saw them and said “arrest us, Arrest us!”
KARAN: Oh yes and Obama is on my speed dial!

Shah Rukh Khan: Love will keep us alive...

Feb 12, 2010 - 05:15 PM

(Excerpts from the interview)

What drives him even today?
I think this frenzy of work is not a necessity; it is a way of life. It is like breathing. You never see someone specially sitting down and breathing, you just breathe. Stop it and you will die. I really believe acting is spiritual. I’m happiest when I’m working. Everything that is good in me comes to the fore when I’m acting.

So why did you get onto Twitter?
Karan and I were chatting one night when he asked me why I wasn’t on Twitter. He insisted I sign up and I did. Karan tweeted about this and we instantly had some 900 followers. Frankly, I was a little overwhelmed. The problem with a courteous person like me is that when people say ‘hi, how are you, so glad to have you here’ the least I’d like to do is to thank them. The next day Karan said I had 2000 followers. I didn’t know what to say. The idea was not to talk about the film, though to be honest, they did ask. But film promotion will be film promotion. It will be done. But I’m not on Twitter to put up thought-provoking statements and have people comment on them. It’s a platform to say hello. Yes once or twice I may comment on an issue like I did on hockey but basically it’s to interact with people. I feel odd talking about my movie on Twitter. I could keep at it the whole day because there are 1200 people coming in per minute. But I don’t want that. I want to take it to a level where I can create a more entertaining platform on the Internet.

How do you cope with the frenzy?
Everyone is frenzied. I’m not doing anything special. Earlier, I used to do an interview with you, you used to write it. There was a gestation period and then the magazine would be on the stands. Now I say ‘Hi’ on a channel and it’s beamed right away and people call you to say they saw you on the channel today. And I’m like I haven’t even finished my interview yet. Like it happened on my birthday, I finished an interview with one channel. Before I could do an interview with another channel, I started getting calls saying ‘We saw your interview’. Like I’m talking to you now. It will be tweeted ‘Hey I met Shah Rukh’. The information is out. The pictures are already out. So one piece has gone out even before its release. Already people know that Shah Rukh and Kajol are doing an interview for Filmfare, the shoot was great fun. Some where down the line you will have to add incentives to give information to people. Most information all around is the same, so the incentive here will be Shah Rukh and Kajol come together on Filmfare after nine years. You have to create an event. And what’s going to happen with this is that the enigmatic quality of stars will slowly fade. And I’m very happy about that.

Kajol says that even though you have a larger-than-life aura about you, when someone meets you, you are completely humble.
See, things came to me so plentifully that it’s made me shy almost to the extent of being embarrassed about acknowledging it. Like when you meet a really, really good looking person, sometimes that person shies of his good looks. He’s embarrassed about the excess he has. I tell two things to people depending on my mood and my rapport with that person. To someone like Kajol I will say that I am great enough to be humble. But if I say the same thing to someone else they’ll ask me how can you say you are the best? So I tell them I am not great enough to be humble. Thankfully, I have a good sense of humour so I cover up the things that have happened to me with a wicked sense of humour or humility that neutralises the star aura. They say your aura precedes you. And your aura should be able to make people feel intimate with you. It should not intimidate. Your aura should be such that when you meet a person, you should come back feeling elated and should want to meet him again. I remember cricketer Imran Khan got angry with me once and that left a hole in my heart. I was a kid and my mom took me to a match. I stood there for his autograph but he had an off day so he was generally screaming at everyone in sight. So it happened that while asking for his autograph I stood in the line of fire and he yelled at me. I held that against him for the longest time. Then as a grown up and as a celebrity myself, I met him, I chatted with him and I told him about the incident. He said that the team was losing, the pressures of captaincy were all reasons for the incident. Imran Khan was my God but I was shattered that day. I would never have done that myself. I’ve never been angry with a fan. You see I make fans wait, sometimes for hours and sometimes for years. But I believe if you are not worth the wait, you are not worth the stardom. I can never make a fan wait and then let him leave disappointed.

So what does stardom mean to you?
Stardom for me is not the screaming crowds, but the time when I walk out and the fans make way for me. Many years ago, when ABCL was gaining attention, I went to meet Amitji at the ABCL office in Juhu. I was a big star too. I’d had Baazigar, Darr and Dilwale… I walked into the office and people were lined up outside in thousands waiting for Amitabh Bachchan to meet Shah Rukh Khan. I went in, finished the meeting and out of courtesy Amitji came to drop me to the door and I got to know, he was leaving as well. So out of courtesy, I asked him to go first. The thousands lined outside were shouting and howling. Amitji, got into his car and as soon as the car moved a few inches, the crowd quietly parted and made way for him. Then my car came out and people were falling all over on the car, thumping on the windows and pulling at the handles. It is then I realised what true stardom is. Great stardom is when you are able to calm screaming people as you walk in.

Okay, what do you expect from My Name Is Khan?
It is a good story to tell. I have issues with the way it is told. But I have come not to trust my instincts on these things. In the past, my perceptions about what will work and what will not have been thwarted so many times that I have started questioning my own judgment on these things. There are portions in MNIK I think are not right. Like I felt there should have been more fun, but Karan wanted it to be more dramatic. Yes there were these minor differences but I also think it is one of the finest roles ever given to me. And from the bottom of my heart I thank Kajol for doing this movie with me. The strange thing is every film that Kajol has done with me, Dilwale..., Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, I have felt that the film was written for Kajol and not me. Karan has also told me that I wrote the film for Kajol and you managed to do well. But this film I can genuinely say was written only for me. And I believe this film wouldn’t work if Kajol were not so brilliant in it. I can take my performance and hang it anywhere, even on top of the Eiffel Tower but people will still first notice Kajol’s performance. Sometimes in the film, the mirror character to the protagonist needs to be strong to make the protagonist look stronger. In MNIK, what Kajol has done is brilliant. Even Karan Johar is brilliant. It doesn’t look like a Karan Johar film. I’d keep telling him, kuch alag banate hain but now he’s made it so different that even I am scared. I am glad Karan took things so seriously and put the money where his mouth is and made a big film which is different. Making a film like MNIK in Rs 6 crore is an okay feat, but to make it in Rs 80 – 90 crore is a bold decision and it takes a lot of guts. When I see the film I feel Kajol and Karan have joined hands to promote me. It’s like a whole set of people have gotten together to make Shah Rukh act in a role he’s never done before. Everyone is thrilled at what I have done. It really is a showcase for what I could possibly do as an actor. I think once and for all, people will stop saying that yeh banda acting nahin karta hai. And if they still say it, then I’ll accept that mujhe acting aati bhi nahin hai.

Did you feel the chemistry while working with Kajol after nine years?
People talk about the chemistry between us. I’ll tell you what the chemistry is. Whenever I’m giving a shot, Kajol looks at me and she’s only watching whether I’m doing it nicely according to her. And I’m only watching if she’s doing it nicely. Invariably, whenever Kajol and I have asked for a retake, it’s because Kajol has turned around and said no I think Shah Rukh can do much better, or I’ve said Kajol can do much better. She’s one of the few actors I’ve worked with who’s observing my acting more than hers. And I’m observing her more than myself. There’s a strange concern for each other. After she saw MNIK she was relieved that I’d done well. Just as I was relieved that she’d done well. We’re responsible for each other’s performance in a film. That’s the chemistry between us. One day she was very cold and wasn’t doing the scene well. So we said let’s pack up. I’ve never met an actor who’s come and said sorry for mucking up the shoot. I found that very sweet. Kajol doesn’t have to say ‘Sorry ya’. I’ve worked with actors who should be just sorry that they’re acting. But Kajol comes and says sorry. I’ve never said sorry to a director. I know she’s bothered that I hope this is a big film for Shah Rukh. And I’m like if she isn’t planning to do another film for two years then I hope this is the nicest film she’s done. I always wish nice for my film. But I don’t know how many times I’ve wished nice for someone else in the film. It’s this niceness that comes across as chemistry.

(For the full explosive interview by Anuradha Choudhary, get your hands on the Filmfare issue dated February 17, 2010)

Shah Rukh Khan talks about MY NAME IS KHAN

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Washington, Feb 7 (Calcutta Tube) It has some religion, a bit of politics and it’s set in the backdrop of a world shaking event, but for Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan his latest venture is not so much about Islam post-9/11 as it is entertainment.

The film is mainly entertainment,’ Shah Rukh said in a lengthy interview with IANS over the phone from New York on a trip last week to promote his new film, ‘My Name Is Khan’ (MNIK), releasing in the US Feb 12.
‘If some issue is taken back home, I always tell people if they can take back a little more than an empty pack of popcorn, that’s interesting…that’s an added advantage to an entertaining film.’
‘Shah Rukh, who plays a Muslim Indian with Asperger’s syndrome living in the US, finding his marriage to a Hindu single mother (played by Kajol) crumbling post-9/11, wouldn’t agree that it’s the Islam angle that is grabbing the most attention in the US.

‘A film normally deals with lots of issues, comedy, or it’s a tragedy or a serious film or a dramatic love story like ‘…Khan’ is meant to be,’ he said. ‘If one starts talking or deciding on issues before a whole film is seen, it’s kinda not right to do, specially as a filmmaker.

‘Normally, a film is more than the sum of its parts. It’s not like it’s a love story, it’s got a Karan Johar touch to social cinema, it has an angle of religion, it also has a part of politics, it has a world-shaking incident as a backdrop, it also has a lot of sweet songs. It combines all that.

‘To me as a filmmaker, or part of a film, any aspect of the film can only be decided once one has seen the
whole film. But there’s no denying that there is an aspect of religion in the film.’
Nor would Shah Rukh look at this and other recent Bollywood films about the fate of Indian Muslims in the US post-9/11 as an effort to redress any negative images people may have formed about Islam over the last nine years.

My Name Is Khan

‘Films normally are for entertainment. One doesn’t really make a conscious decision to make a statement with it. Within entertainment, if a statement gets made, it’s really nice for a filmmaker. ‘You know, maybe ‘3 Idiots’ talks about education, but it’s an entertaining film. Similarly ‘Chak De! India’ talks about patriotism, but it’s a sports film.

‘You can have issues related in a film, but when filmmakers of commercial proportions like Karan, myself and Kajol and all get together, it’s not to highlight an issue because it’s too expensive as a commercial venture to make a film about an issue and not entertain.’

To Shah Rukh, ‘the most interesting part of the fact as an actor is that I’m playing a character who’s got Asperger’s. It’s also not in any which way to show it in a light which is not nice…but for an actor that’s a great thing to do, you know, to play a (person with a) disorder like this which very few people know about.’
‘Hopefully, I’ll be able to convince people about it when they see (the film). I don’t think at least commercial filmmakers from India really make a big-time film which is localised or even localised by an international issue,’ he said.

‘Commercial we will only know once the film releases,’ said Shah Rukh when asked if MNIK isn’t one of Karan Johar’s least commercial offerings so far.

‘…Yes, the only thing it has amiss is big set dance pieces, but we just felt with the disorder we were dealing with, it would look very unrealistic for the character Rizwan Khan to indulge in dancing of the order of we normally see in a Hindi film of Karan’s, or you might have seen earlier.

‘Except for that, I think the venture is extremely commercial,’ he said.

‘In the last five years, there’s a whole paradigm shift as to what people accept as a commercial film,’ Shah Rukh said describing it as ‘Karan’s evolution from making and keeping up with the trends of new commercial cinema in India and elsewhere’.

On professional challenges he faced during its filming, Shah Rukh said it was a ‘very difficult’ character to play. ‘If I was to just put it simply, it’s very seldom that I’ve really gone ahead and played a character which exists in real life.

‘And whenever you’re dealing with a disorder or a near…atypical situation, the first thought is that the sort of parameters you have to set that in no which way you are derogatory or deriding the disorder.

‘You have to make the protagonist very proud of what it is. The second part is you have to come as close to reality in depicting that characterisation and so one had to study a lot and one does get worried…’
But a couple of people affected with the same disorder who were shown the film had told them ‘…it’s a great portrayal, it’s very close to someone with this kind of disorder’.

‘Of course, having said that, I have taken a few cinematic liberties with it, because I’ve used three or four traits which may not exist simultaneously in one person and tried to create one character who has Asperger’s, called Rizwan Khan.’

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)

Shah Rukh Khan interview

Source

Time Out caught up with Shahrukh Khan at the Emirate’s Palace hotel. Here’s what he had to say

© ITP Images

Two things catch your attention when you come face to face with Shahrukh Khan. The first is his build. He’s not a big man. In fact, he’s positively wee.

It’d be nice to write that he makes up for this with huge charisma, but that’s not immediately obvious either.

When he steps out of the lift and brushes past at Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace hotel, he’s only instantly recognisable by his hair.

His hair, of course, is the other attention grabber. It’s immaculate – each strand seemingly grafted into place, as though he borrowed it all from his Madame Tussaud waxwork replica.

It’s also the reason, we suppose, that he’s two hours late for our meeting. Having eaten all his sandwiches while we waited, he’s just in time to catch us at our sleepy best.

We have our backs covered, though. As he reaches out to shake hands, apologising for his tardiness profusely and exuding his legendary graciousness and charm, we explain that we are merely vessels for today’s interview.

The questions have been posed by the good readers of Time Out Abu Dhabi. He smiles and sits back, adjusting the Time Out dictaphone to ensure we catch every pearl he cares to offer. Thankfully, there are a few.


At home are you like a normal father? Do you shout at your kids if they get low marks? Disha Dadlani
I am a very normal father, but I’m a normal father who is a little guilty that he doesn’t spend enough time with the kids, so when I do, I pamper them. But I’m very strict with studies because I truly believe that there is nothing better than education, so I teach them. Earlier they were very excited because I guess mum kept saying, ‘study, study, study,’ and I started teaching them in a fun way. But now I’m very strict when I’m teaching, and now they know that. So when they want to study hard, now they come to me if they have something that they know needs strictness. So they are very well trained now.

I never shout at anyone. I never get angry with anyone, actually. Once in a year I get angry, so I try not to do it with the kids. What sets me off? The silliest of things. I think it all just collects, and one fine day just the colour of somebody’s coat [strokes Time Out’s assistant’s red coat, which she offers to remove]...[laughs].You know, some small thing can trigger it off, but it’s all pent up there. About six or seven years ago I stopped getting angry because I think it’s not worth it, and you feel bad, and you want to say sorry, and you spend too much time socialising... I like to be alone and reclusive, and I feel worse. So I don’t get angry. With the kids I never, never, never get angry, and they both know that. Yeah, I spoil them a lot, but I’m like a regular father. Very regular. 

How do you cope with the challenges that you face as a superstar or a film actor in general? Rekha Dayalal

You see, I’ve never thought of myself as a superstar. I keep it very simple and basic. I wake up in the morning and the only odd thing that I do is that I’m 44, I’m a man, and I wear makeup to work. That’s the only odd thing that I do. Otherwise, it’s so simple and basic. I get very excited if I get that one shot right. The days that I get it wrong, then I’m looking forward to the next one, so that I can make sure I get it right. The days I get it right, I’m looking forward to seeing if I can repeat it again. It’s very simple and strangely straightforward. I’ve never thought of the frills of stardom, though I enjoy it. I love being a star. I understand the demands on my time by people when I meet them. I’m happy to do that. I enjoy a lot of alone time, which I get when I need to. But I have no issues as a star.

Too many people? I love it. I like people being around when I’m outside or when I’m working in a public place, which is most of the time. I don’t have issues at restaurants because I don’t go to restaurants. Whenever someone says, ‘Don’t you like the simple things in life, like walking on the beach?’ I say, ‘No. If I want a beach I’ll buy one [laughs].’ It’s as simple as that. As an actor there is no challenge. I don’t of it as work, so I don’t think of it as a challenge. I think of it as play and enjoyment. Many times I’ve told my wife that I must be the most overpaid for just playing what I like to play. So it is really strange.

What is your take on Thackery? Do you plan to meet him and apologize as demanded by him? Raphy John

I have no issues meeting Mr Thackery or his son. I’ve met them. I know them personally. They are very gracious and very kind whenever they meet me. But on this issue I have nothing to explain or say sorry for. It’s an ideological difference. It’s not a stand, as people think. It’s not even a matter of principle. It’s just plain, basic truth. I can’t be explaining my nationality, my credibility as an Indian, because I’m very proud of it and I’m very confident of it. And if it has been misconstrued or misinterpreted by them, I think I’ve clarified it enough times whenever I’ve spoken about it.


So the reason I won’t apologise is not because I don’t want to apologise, it’s because I don’t see any reason to apologise. If I were to ask them, ‘what do you want me to say?’ I’m sure, because they are good thinking people, they’ll say, ‘I dunno.’ This becomes an issue as far as politics is concerned, and I’m not a politician. I’ve never taken stands and I don’t intend to now. But somewhere in the whole noise this has got lost and become an issue. If you just go back to where it started from, there’s nothing to it at all. And I think of it like that. But I guess in politics a lot happens from very little. And I’m not participating in that. I really have no point of view. It’s a matter of really not knowing what to apologise for, and I don’t think there is a reason for it. But I’d meet them whenever they say. I’ve met them often before, but we never had an ideological discussion. We’d sit down and chat about photographs, caricatures, books, which I’ll do whenever I’m called upon to.



I would love to be an extra in one of SRK's movies - how can I do that? Diane Hagan
Anyone who acts with me is always an extra! The film is always about me! [Laughs] I’m joking. I don’t know. I think we have a union there like they do in every film industry. You need to register with it, then you just hope and pray that you get picked up according to the kind of role he or she will fit. But there is no way I can assure it. I stay away generally from the casting of my films, from the principle actors to anyone, because I’ll have a bias for a lot of actors and actresses that I’m very fond of, so I’ll leave it to the director completely.

You have attempted to converge the sensibilities of varied regions like Delhi, Mumbai, London and New York into a film that will be of international appeal? Was this the aim? Deepa Rajan
You see, I’m not really responsible for this because it’s Karan’s story, and Shibani Bathija’s. They worked really hard on it. I think the story deals with issues that are actually universal rather than London, New York – though we don’t touch upon London, really, or New York – the film is set in LA and San Francisco! But it’s across America and parts of India, where it starts, because the character starts from there.
But one didn’t set out to make a film about X, Y, Z regions or countries or nations. The subject is such that it’s very universal, so it touches Japan also, China also, Mongolia also, Timbuktu also. Because it’s about humanity, which I guess kind of covers the whole...thing [laughs]. It was never something intended for any one person. Obviously, whatever film we make in India we are always hoping, whatever level it is, that our films are liked internationally. That aspect is there for every film we do. But I don’t think this subject has been chosen with that in mind. The subject was chosen for its inherent quality of what we want to say in this film.

Now that you’ve achieved your status as King Khan, where do you see yourself going next? Aparna Chadha
Well that’s very kind, but you know, I’ve worked for 20 years now, I think, and everybody asks me, ‘Have you achieved all that you wanted to?’ Of course, if you ask that differently, it’s, ‘What else do you want to do to achieve what you want?’ I always say, and it sounds a little philosophical, that I’ve never kept an end line to success. Success is very subjective. If I was to count my success, I was successful on the day I landed in Mumbai and could afford to rent a house. I was homeless, parentless, jobless. I got married and looked after my sister. I rented a house after marriage and I could pay for it. It means I was successful. I’d started life. So, it’s always already achieved. I have a good family now and if I look back [I’ve been successful] many times over. I don’t have an end for success.

I don’t think that if I get 17 awards and X amount of money, or that amount of houses, or that amount of films that I do – these kind of fine rules – I’ve never thought of it like that. All the titles attached to me – they are very kind. You know, they call me ‘Bacha’ or ‘King’, and it sounds really nice, but it’s something I don’t really believe in. If I was to believe in all that people say, then I have to take the good and bad, and I feel both of them are exaggerated. So I’m not as great as a king, and I’m not as bad as some people say. I’m somewhere in the middle. I have a huge amount of respect for people who like me.

Can I, though my work, show my gratefulness for all that you’ve given me? This is said with a lot of humility and genuine recognition of the fact that I am nobody – king, or whatever. I’m just Shahrukh. I’m very humbled, and I feel very responsible – though not in the sense of doing the right thing; responsible in terms of giving the right entertainment. Making people happy. There’s a thing that I have in my heart, which I believe: the most beautiful sight in the world is to see people smile. And the only thing that is better than that is if you are the reason behind that smile. So I really work hard to watch that. When I had just started, when I was very young, I had just started a TV series. The first two episodes had come on television. I didn’t know the power of the media.

This mother and her daughter were passing me and they just started smiling. They didn’t even know my name. Actually, the series was so new they didn’t even know my character’s name. They just started smiling. And I felt so happy, I went and told my mum. She said, ‘What did they say? Did they ask for an autograph?’ I said, ‘No, nothing.’ I really believe that, more than the autograph or anything people say to me, it’s the smile. If I can do that – which I’m noticing even now – I can meet people in a smile. I ought to just stand there on the screen and smile? That’s a good idea. I’ll tell the next director that the fans want me to stand there and just smile!

My Name is Khan is on general release in the UAE from Thursday, 11 February 2010
By Jon Wilks
Time Out Dubai, 11 February 2010