Aamir-SRK made for each other

Source
The last few meetings with Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan will definitely make an interesting Bollywood

Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan

movie.

The two actors “who still have personal unresolved issues,” according to their own personal confession, have shown remarkable composure on the professional front, says a Bollywood producer to BT.

“Each of the United Forum Producers and Distributors meeting that these two Bollywood superstars have attended have once again highlighted that these two superstars have a crackling chemistry,” says the producer, who attended the meeting to resolve the multiplex crisis at a film Studio, a week ago.

For example, when Shah Rukh turned up at 5.30 pm sharp, a puzzled Yash Chopra looked at him and said, “Arre, you’re on the dot today,” to which SRK said, “Oh I thought the meeting was at 4.30 pm, and I am an hour late.”

Aamir gave a naughty wink because he had sent a SMS to SRK saying that the meeting was scheduled at 4.30 pm, knowing very well that SRK would turn up at least an hour late.

On another occasion, Aamir was losing his cool with the arguments being floated, but it was SRK who prevailed upon him to please not stage a walkout for the sake of the entire producer fraternity. “Don’t get agitated,” said a patient Shah Rukh to his ‘professional buddy’ Aamir, adding, “you have to learn to be more patient yaar.”

The Bollywood producers are completely bowled over by the way these two actors have been complementing each other. He says, “There are days when SRK is more aggressive, then Aamir plays passive. But between them they have rallied around and got other actors professionally involved as well to find what may not be a quick-fix solution, but it will benefit the industry in the long run.”

“It’s a pity these two may never been seen on screen together,” says the source. “In terms of habit, temperament and even in terms of patience, they are an ideal match.” Guess the fact that they are so elusive in their personal equation with each other is what makes them even more attractive for the junta.

Alvin and the Chipmunks BOLLYWOOD STYLE 4-KRAZZY 4

Picking up from here...

Dard-E-Disco Alvin and the Chipmunks style!

I had a lot of fun banging my head and swinging my body to this one LOL (yes, yes.. it's currently about 2am in Malaysia. I'm an insomniac). So I thought I'd do a series of pasting over at the blog for 'posteriority'.

"The Making of...." clips

Om Shanti Om

• Farah Khan - Om Shanti Om The Making
• Shah Rukh Khan - Om Shanti Om The Making
• Shah Rukh Khan - Deewangi Deewangi (The Making) Om Shanti Om
• Farah Khan - Ajab Si (Song Making) Om Shanti Om
• Shah Rukh Khan - Dard-E-Disco (Song Making) Om Shanti Om
• Making of Deewangi Deewangi -- PART 1, Part 2, Part 3
• Making of Om Shanti Om Deewangi Deewangi
• Farah Khan - Ajab Si (Song Making) Om Shanti Om
• Making Of Dard E Disco- Om Shanti Om Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
• Shah Rukh Khan - Dard-E-Disco (Song Making) Om Shanti Om
• Om Shanti Om Deleted Scene
• Om Shanti Om Bloopers
  

Chak De! India

• Making of Chak De India - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Don - The Chase Begins Again

• SHAH RUKH KHAN - HOME VIDEO - EXCLUSIVE (training for Don)
• Making of Don
• Promo of Making of Don
• ChannelV Special Don Shahrukh
• Don Deleted [English subtitles] - Scene 1, Scene 2, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 5, Scene 6, Scene 7, Scene 8
• SRK Don 2 Promo and Interview Shah Rukh Khan
  

Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna

• Kank - the Movie Backstage - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
• Where's the party tonight making - part 1, part 2

Devdas

• Making of Devdas - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Paheli

• Shahrukh Khan speaks about making of Paheli

Chalte Chalte

• chalte-chalte the making - part 1, part 2

Dil To Pagal Hai

• "Making of the Film" DIL TO PAGAL HAI - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Koyla

• The making of Koyla

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

• "The Making ot the Film" DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
• Celebration 500 week of "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge"

Karan Arjun

• [TRANSLATED] Part of the Making of Karan Arjun with Shahrukh Khan

I wanna be just like... Shah Rukh Khan!

You know you're an icon when...



...someone made a music video on you.

01 Shahrukh Khan Superstars Superlives

Part 3 is missing

Part 4

L´Officiel India - November 2004

Source
Aktul Kasbekar, Photographer
"I think he represents the equivalent of the great Indian dream. He is hardworking, focused and intelligent. He came from nowhere, made it big completely on his own merit. He is inspirational. He picks up things very quickly, and is usually two steps ahead of things-wether it is understanding a concept for an endorsement, or imaging. In fact, he always wants to do everything himself, and it would help if he delegated things a bit! Once we were shooting at Mehboob Studios, and an old lady came there with a medical document for her son, who needed surgery for cancer. She clearly couldn´t afford it. Shah Rukh told his secretary (to)take the lady to the hospital and see that all her needs are taken care of. He did it very quietly. I just happened to be within earshot, or I would have no clue. And he does a lot of this. Once at his house, I saw him telling Aryan, his son, to learn to give toy to another child. He told his son, "someone up there will bless you with a lot more if you learn how to give."

Boman Irani, Actor, Photographer"
I met him first in Darjeeling. I had turned in early that night. He had just arrived and knocked at my door to welcome me to the film. I opened the door and was in my infamous pajamas and Parsi sudra. He put up one of his finest performances to make sure he had not noticed my hilarious pajamas. His welcome was warm and so gentlemanly that he chose not to look below my nose. We kept thanking each other for some strange reason. He may have (thanked me) for entertainment and I for his straight-faced performance. I was on the floor when he left and I am sure he was too."

Cory Walia, Make-Up Artist"
He is a communicator. He gets through to people. He makes an effort with everyone, from the common manto the people of his social class. he gets along with just about anyone. This is ShahRukh Khan´s trily outstanding quality."

Deepa Gahlot, Film Critic"
His most remarkable quality is his extraordinary charisma and star power, which draws the audience even into films that are not great. Apart from the star quality, he has tremendous energy, an endearing eagerness to please and undisputed professionalism that makes him a favourite with this directors."

Ehsan Noorani, Music Composer"
He is the King! He is today what Amitabh Bachchan used to be. Not only he is a great actor, but he also draws in the fans as well. He has a great fan base-from children to much older people. He is a phenomen."

Farooq Sheikh, TV Anchor
"Extraordinary. He does regular style roles with zeal, commitment and energy. He takes us high on a wave he creates. He is an extraordinary performer."

In which he mentions my country

Source
At this point, TAG Heuer officials walk into the sitting room and tell me that my 15 minutes are up but the ever charming Khan very quickly adds: "She's come all the way from Malaysia; I am sure I can spare a little more time. After all, Malaysia is one of my favourite countries.

"Is it really one of your favourite countries?

Yes, in fact my favourite country outside India.

Why?

It's a country filled with wonderful people. One of my greatest friends comes from Malaysia and he is [Tun] Dr Mahathir [Mohamad]. A great man with great vision. I really like him. He was the first person who made me believe that I had a great fan base outside India. Until I met him, I thought that I was only great in India.

I will never forget the day when I was walking along down the street in his then new administrative capital Putrajaya. He was Prime Minister then. He was so obviously proud of it and while we were walking, lots of Malaysians started gathering around. I thought they wanted to speak with him or shake his hands. He looked at me and said this: "Shah Rukh, all these people want to meet you and not me. Your movies are a great hit here in Malaysia and I too am a great fan of yours."

It was only then that it dawned on me that I was reaching out to people outside India as well. I made him a promise then that I would one day shoot an entire film in Malaysia. And I finally did that with Don this year [2006]. Before that I had shot several song routines... in Langkawi and he came to see me there.

I genuinely like him, he is a sweet gentleman. I know he's currently going through a lot in Malaysia. People are saying all sorts of things about him. Putting his politics aside, one has to learn to like people beyond the work they do.

Quotes of the day

Source
Q: what’s your view on cosmetic surgery to improve one’s looks?

A: It scares me. Though I know a lot of friends, men as well, who have had to do so. What scares me is the scars, the stories of stuff falling out, bursting, etc… It’s your body and your face, if you feel better changing it then why not? IM not against plastic surgery, but for me physical looks are not important.


Source
You’ve never complained about the price of stardom anyway.

No, I never have. I’m grateful that I’ve been blessed by God with stardom. The love and appreciation I receive from the people I meet is overwhelming and makes up for everything. I don’t think there’s anything wrong if demands are made on my time. If a dying person wants me to sit by his or her bedside, I’ll do so. If someone wants me to go to a hospital and meet some sick people, I feel privileged


Source
You were slated to do Lagaan. What happened?

SRK: Actually, Lagaan started with me. I didn't refuse it - we didn't have the money to make it back then. I took him [Ashutosh Gowarikar] to three producers. I remember when he came to me with that film, I had malaria, so we sat in my house, and the first posters are lying in my computer. At the time we had a different idea: we actually wanted Sachin [Tendulkar], Ajay Jadeja and Kapil Dev to play characters in the film. Then someone made a sports movie, which flopped badly. We used to go to producers and though they would all talk nicely, once Ashutosh left they would refuse the project. Then I took Ashutosh to the US where we met two producers. Even they refused. No one wanted to produce it. Then after six months, Aamir came into the picture.

Did you talk to Aamir about it?

SRK: Aamir came to take the equipment from us and I think he was convinced about the film. I felt the fact that Aamir was doing it was fantastic. I also felt that because Aamir did it, Lagaan is a better film. They had lot more patience, I would have never been able to do it.


Source
"I am wary of ministers, customs people, income-tax people and collectors: I don’t understand them. I can’t cultivate them. Some years ago, the industry was hosting a stage show in Delhi for a charitable cause benefitting the income-tax people. Pahlaj Nihalani almost forced Juhi and me to perform at the show, saying that the income-tax people would raid our houses if we didn’t. We did perform but not so much out of fear as because we thought, it would be a good platform to publicise our Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani which was due for release soon thereafter. Anyway, at the show, on the stage, I revealed exactly how Pahlaj Nihalani had goaded me into performing at the show as otherwise, according to him, the IT people would have raided my house. The top income-tax officials, obviously, couldn’t take it; my frankness annoyed them and they wanted me to publicly apologise for what I had said. I refused. I explained to them later that whether rightly or wrongly, that was the way their names were being misused."

At a time when the media was still taking Shah Rukh to the sky

...as compared to today when he can't do anything right in their eyes. The star is still the same, but the scribe's outview of him has changed and it's reflected in the writing.

I dunno... instead of getting angry over what is said of Shah Rukh, I personally take it as something interesting to note. I love human study like this. To me, nothing embodies the spirit of "...and life goes on" quite like the manic of the media over a celebrity.

Source (1994)
In his rise to the top, he has broken every rule, and set every tenet of the conventional wisdom on the film industry on its head. Consider, for example, the following:

• Rule number one: No actor who began his career in television could ever make it big in movies. Once a television star, always a small-time film actor. But Khan, who first came to public attention in such serials as Fauji and Dil Dariya, is today among the top-ranking heroes of the film industry.
• Rule number two: Heroes are heroes and villains are villains. A villain can change sides and become a hero (as Vinod Khanna and Shatrughan Sinha did) but you can't play both simultaneously. Shah Rukh Khan has ignored this dictum. He is the villain of Darr, plays an anti-hero in Baazigar, and yet is the most in-demand hero in Bombay.
• Rule number three: A young hero must never get married for fear of alienating the female audience. Amir Khan was married when Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was released, but lied about this and hid his wife. Shah Rukh Khan married his sweetheart Gauri after a nine-year courtship before his first release, and is proud of being happily married.
• Rule number four: Keeping on the right side of the film press was essential if you were to make an impact in the industry. After all, if the audience didn't read about you in the film magazines, how would they know that you were part of the rat race? Khan has, however, consistently refused to play along with the gossip magazines, turning down interview requests and refusing photo-sessions with his heroines. What's more, he even got into a head-on confrontation with magazines who called him a homosexual, and then made out that he and Deepa Sahi were having a torrid affair - with the connivance of her husband Ketan Mehta - during the making of Maya Memsaab.

There is no doubting it - Shah Rukh Khan lives the role, forcing the audiences to sit up and take notice. And the people who are flocking to the theaters to see Baazigar and Darr are convinced that whether they love or hate him for the villainous roles he essays in these films, Shah Rukh Khan compels attention.

Despite his success, Khan is essentially a family man rushing home after a one-shift day at the sets to be with his wife Gauri.

Source (1995)

For one, no one possess his spark, freshness and spontaneity. Whatever the role, Shah Rukh has the exclusive gift of appearing totally relaxed, natural, un-self-conscious and unhibited. Then there is his rakish charm, boyish looks, sexy crooked smile, all gift wrapped in a uniquely stylish package. Reinforced by the intensity and energy he invests into every simple scene he enacts--tragedy comedy, heartbreak drama, romance or song - dance.

Crowned by his "one-point program" of accepting only those roles that excite, interest or motivate him, irrespective of their influence on his individual star-status, box office collections image or remuneration considerations. The last trait especially is both noteworthy and praiseworthy because it calls for guts, a clear focus on the direction chosen and the dedication to pursue the tricky, narrow path to personal fulfillment.

'Happy New Year' is very modern and contemporary: Farah Khan

Source

Nikhil Agarwal Mumbai, May 27 (PTI) After paying tributes to the 70's and 80's of Bollywood in 'Om Shanti Om' and 'Main Hoon Naa', director Farah Khan has set her next film 'Happy New Year' in a "modern and contemporary" world.

"Happy New Year is not like my older films. It is a very modern film, very contemporary," Farah said when asked whether her third film would also carry the nostalgia of the seventies like her past films.

The movie, which is being produced by Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment, will reunite the successful on screen pair of Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone from 'Om Shanti Om'.

"'Happy New Year' would definitely go on floors this year unlike what the grapevine has been. I am presently working on the script," Farah told PTI in an interview.

The director, however, refused to divulge the story line of the much-delayed and much-awaited movie.

Despite her professional commitments, which include direction, choreography and judging reality shows, the 44-year-old choreographer-turned-director manages to spend maximum time with her one-year-old triplets.

"Most of the time, I am with my children. If I am shooting in a nearby studio like the Yashraj one, I bring them over to the shoot," explains Farah, who returns to the small screen as a judge on Sony Television's new reality show -

"Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega". PTI

I've been wanting this subbed and uploaded for quite some time now..

... so thank you to subber and uploader for the clip. You rock!

Does this mean we won't get to watch it on ESPN next year?? T__T

IPL Season 2 - Everyone Happy with Its Share of Pie
Tuesday, 26 May 2009

The month long twenty-20 extravaganza has come to end and it is now clear that the shifting of venue could not affect IPL Season 2. Starting from the franchisers to the broadcasters and every single stake holder, IPL Season 2 ended in a happy note. Everybody including the champs and the finalist and also those who could not quite make it to the top layer - all of them seemed to manage higher revenues, thanks to a re-worked deal between BCCI and Multi Screen Media (MSM) that owns Sony channels.

Since the very beginning it was marred in controversies. Finally the tournament had to be relocated for security concerns. Those who predicted that Indian Premier League outside India will die like fish outside water are now left with eggs on their faces. For not only every stake holder has made a profit this year, they also managed to increase their revenues despite the increased logistic costs.

And not only the Deccan Chargers and Royal Challengers that have made profits on the merit of their performance - every single team has been reported to have made a profit out of this year’s tournament.

Knight Riders, the team that finished off at the bottom of the league table, has managed to make the third-highest profit of Rs 25.8 crore in IPL Season 2. The highest profit maker of the season however, is Team Jaipur which has made a cool profit of Rs 35.1 crore at the second season of Indian Premier League.

The prize money for the winner is Rs 4.8 crore, Rs 2.4 crore for the runners-up and 1.2 crore each for the losing semifinalists; Rs 80 lakh for the team that finished fifth (Kings XI Punjab), Rs 70 lakh for the sixth placed (Jaipur), Rs 50 lakh for the seventh (Mumbai Indians) and Rs 40 lakh for the lowest one.

However, what has really helped the franchises accumulate such huge revenues is the sharing of the common pool of the broadcasting rights. According to the renegotiated contract with WSG, BCCI got about Rs 335 crore, which is straight 90% jump from the figure in the original contract that was signed for ten years.

BCCI’ s profit from last year’s IPL was Rs 350 crore, while Sony’s profits from ad-sales alone stood at Rs 270-280 crore for the last season. But this year, both the entities decline to divulge the exact figures. “We are yet to calculate the profits,” said a BCCI official from South Africa.

This year Sony has doubled its air-time rates to sell the 10 second spots for anything between Rs 3.75 lakh and Rs 4 lakh. While the MSM officials confirm the rise in the revenues, they too refuse to disclose the actual figure. “We have increased our revenues significantly over the last year, but can’t disclose figures,” MSM president (network sales) Rohit Gupta said.

However, it was the unlikely rise of the Royal Challengers to the prominence that sent the punters on tenterhook, while leaving the bookies all smiling. One bookie described the tournament as worse than race betting with no pre-tournament favorites having made it to the finals.

In all, over Rs 5,000 crore were exchanged during the championship, informs a bookie on condition of anonymity. With hardly any pre-tournament tips working in their favor, punters could make little money, while it was really the day for the bookies when Deccan Chargers beat the Royal Challengers in the final.

In a nutshell, it was Deccan Chargers that won the title, but each team tasted success-that is on the cash side.

On KR's dismal performance at IPL 2

Source
“The blame should completely rest on my shoulders. It’s my duty to overcome this year’s performance… how, when, who… too many details for an interview... I don’t like being a loser and I’ll pragmatically and passionately turn this around. Inshallah.”

KKR offload plan on table

Source
Tuesday , May 26 , 2009
by: SAMYABRATA RAY GOSWAMI

Mumbai, May 25: The “Manchester United” of the Indian Premier League may have pitched itself a notch too high.

The Kolkata Knight Riders, the IPL team owned by superstar Shah Rukh Khan and friends, is looking to offload 10 to 20 per cent of its shares, possibly by June.

The Calcutta franchise, which finished at the bottom of the heap this season, retains the highest brand value because of its star and glamour quotient. Shah Rukh reportedly had ambitions of turning the team into one of the top five franchises in the sporting world such as ManU and basketball giant Los Angeles Lakers.

For example, in spite of not making it to the semi-finals, KKR, Kings XI Punjab and the Mumbai Indians top the charts in online merchandise sales among international cricket fans, according to data released by online shopping company eBay.

But, sources in the hard-nosed world of finance said, the owners would have to rework the value of the team if they want to get a buyer.

“KKR needs to get real — they do not weigh as much as they used to last year. A mere association with Brand Shah Rukh is not enough to hike KKR’s valuation. In fact, his own brand appeal is not exactly at a peak right now. Investors look at the hard-core business appeal, not star value, when taking such decisions. SRK’s expectations are a bit unrealistic, so we have backed out,” said a source in TPG Capital, formerly Texas Pacific Group, which negotiated with the owners for a share of the Knight Riders pie.

Shah Rukh could not be reached for comment and no one was willing to reveal the value the owners had worked out for the franchise.

The actor, through his Red Chillies Entertainment, and friends Jay Mehta and actress Juhi Chawla, bought the Calcutta franchise for $75 million in January 2008. International valuation agencies have pegged KKR’s current value between $42.1 million and $22 million — a 45 to 70 per cent erosion.

However, compared to international norms, brand valuation is still a relatively subjective matter in India, say experts.

“A brand valuation exercise in India is typically a more subjective exercise compared to a business valuation exercise. This is primarily due to the limited availability of data required to apply the usual methods of brand valuation,” said a source in KPMG Corporate Finance, which was searching for buyers for Deccan Chargers, owned by Deccan Chronicle, in October 2008.

Eventually, the Chargers did not sell as there were no buyers ready to meet their “sky-high expectations”, said the source.

Shah Rukh, who has assigned Mumbai investment bank Ambit as his negotiator for stake divestment in KKR, is not ready to accept the steady devaluation of the team, said a source in Ambit.

“SRK feels KKR deserves higher value. Investors on their part are looking for a good deal in a recessionary market. But we are sure there will be a middle path and a deal will be closed by June,” said the source in Ambit. The source declined to elaborate further.

At present, private equity investors such as New Silk Route, Actis and Standard Chartered Private Equity are among those negotiating for a piece of the Knight Riders. British billionaire Mike Ashley — who owns among other businesses Newcastle United football club, which was relegated from the English Premier League yesterday — is also said to be a prospective buyer.

“Shah Rukh knows that the USP of the KKR brand lies in its perceived potential. He is keen to sell before it slips further,” said a source in the Knight Riders.

KKR, which spent about Rs 65-75 crore in outgoings this season, claimed to have posted a Rs 13-crore profit last season.

“Our outgoings are the highest among all IPL teams largely because of our massive support staff. KKR co-owner Jay Mehta is due to prepare a report on who among the support staff should be retained. A more compact team will reduce our spending and ease a bit of the financial pressure,” said the KKR source.

The KKR core group is expected to take a final call on the future of cricket director John Buchanan and his friends and family, who constitute the majority of support staff members, in July.

An interview that SRK-haters don't like watching...

...well, that's my opinion anyway since they always spout nonsense about him being this and that. Not that they'd believe anything he says however many times he says it. I dunno what they believe, or why they keep reading about him and watching clips on him and commenting paragraph after paragraph on all sorts of reasons of why they hate him so much.

I've never read a more ridiculous write-up than a comment from an SRK-hater on a rampage XD. Even while I'm being all pissed off about it, it never fails to make me laugh. Yeah, I'm a hot-tempered and an easily amused person.

Personally, I think they're bored coz they're not getting enough excitement from following their own idols, coz I could hardly find SRK fans who bother to write paragraph after paragraph on why they hate this and that star anywhere on the net... except in retaliation. Hey, you talk crap about our idol, we'll talk crap about yours. So, if you don't like it... don't start it.

Hyderabad won the final!!!

Okay, my final prediction came true at least. I dunno why I predicted Hyderabad's gonna win. I just think that Gilchrist's team was gonna come through, and they did!

Anyway, anything that won't make Mallya gloat too much is a plus for me LOL (I'm not so much into the guy for some reason ^^;).

There you go, IPL is finally finished. We didn't get our team to a place where we wanted it to go, but I think it's not just the management and team players who were at fault. The fans were too.

I think icon-worshipping is okay, but really... the fans carried it too far even from before the tournament (remember the burning of Mr B's effigy and SRK's posters?).

I have nothing against Sourav, but to be honest... his fans piss me off (and piss off quite a lot of others too if the discussions in KR website are to be believed).

I know he'd probably make a better captain than Mac and the manner in which he was ousted was terrible, even to a non-cricket savvy fan like me.

But calling yourself a fan and wishing that the team would fail because he's no longer captain? I have never come across this weird sentiment in fans of other teams... or fans of any team in any sports, period.

I understand that they're fans of KR because of Sourav. I'm a fan of KR because of SRK. I get that logic. But I frankly don't understand it when they vehemently screamed for the team to lose while Sourav IS STILL PLAYING! on the side of KR in the XI just coz they didn't get what they wanted (i.e. Sourav re-installed to captaincy). Whaaa...??

I hope those idiots will stand fast by their decisions to abandon the KR ship next year, regardless of whatever fate Sourav will face in the team, and stay firmly away from our team's matches. Their negativity is muchly unneeded in the furiously fast-paced format of Twenty20.

All in all... it's been a good experience following IPL 2. I love the entire IPL sporting environment. For an easily bored person like me, T20 is a nice thing to happen as I only need to follow it for one month.

More than a month, I bet my attention would start straying elsewhere and I'd only be back to following the game once the semis start XD.

So congrats to Hyderabad, and congrats to their fans for having a winning team this year. Hopefully our team gets to meet your team (or any team, really XD) in the final next year.

Chennai lost!

I knew it. Someone up there doesn't like my betting streak and is out to get me.

Okay, maybe I don't have the makings of a bookie after all. That's a good thing, on top of not being allowed to gamble, coz I won't be able to fritter my fortune away on IPL ..huh.

Now I dunno who to support. I was gearing myself up to cheer for Delhi coz it's my favourite to win the championship.

Errrr... KR is my team but I only predicted it to go up to the semis. KR is at last place this year but I'm not feeling murderous coz their points = 7 were not so far below the next guy (Mumbai = 11), whereas the difference between that next guy compared to the one above him at the time (Rajasthan = 13). If they had finished the match at points = 3, I'd have thrown pointy things at the KR website.

So what is so awesome about the final that even though my two favourites couldn't make it, I'm still blogging about it here?

It's coz the final is between the two underdogs of IPL 2008! Cool, huh?

Both were at 7th (Bangalore) and 8th (Chennai) last year, and now one of them is gonna win the cup! Proves that it pays to stick to your loyalty with your team all the way through. That means, poster and effigy burning activities are not a requirement for the KR supporters come IPL 3, are you guys listening??

Let's just pray that the KR management and team will improve next year and we can be the next underdog at the top of the IPL pile for 2010.

......................

On the SRK front, there's this hue and cry over his inability to perform at the IPL 2 Grand Finale and supposedly it's bad news to us SRK fans.

I dunno about the non-KR supporters SRK-fans, but I think I speak for a lot of us KR-supporter ones that if he were to go and dance at that party, there'll be some violent outrage from our quarter. It'd be like, "Does he want to make our KR more of a laughingstock than it has been??"

He will go and perform at that finale party when we've got to the semis. Better yet when we've got to the final. And not before. Get that?

......................

Some stuff I want to archive:

• Lalit Modi is as gung-ho and ambitious as ever. Read this as it might well be life-altering for the cricket fans around the world, esp in India where it's been said to be a religion
• What is the "The Warne" style of captaincy ?
• This is for the Indian fans who are left wondering whether IPL will become a wandering nomad or stay rooted in India
• Ha! Before this, a lot of people gave Mr B flak for daring to suggest that the foreign players be increased in IPL. Now the bulbs have lighted in several heads as well. It's true what they say, losers don't get to write history.
• A prediction came true for Gilchrist: 'We will win by six wickets.'
• Oy, somebody? Please have some sense and listen to this guy. No more crazy ideas that are not based on solid argument for next year, comprende?

"I think it was going to be tough for me to take the captaincy being an all-rounder -- especially after opening the batting, opening the bowling, and worrying about the fielding. To have the added burden of captaincy as well would have been hard on me. I don't think it would have been fair on me or the team. For Kumble it was a lot easier to lead the team as a bowler. He had an added advantage of being an Indian. He knows most of the players well and that makes his job easier. I think right choice was made. I was totally happy with that," Kallis told iplt20.com in an exclusive interview.

Location! Location! Location!

I've been a fan from the days of KKHH, but this is the reason why I feel such a connection to SRK now. No one can tell me it's not my business when I'm fussy about his comings and goings... coz he is a Datuk of my country. I'm intensely patriotic, so I take any slight towards him quite personally... although I don't go rabid and irrational about it like some do.

I feel responsible towards him because I'm a fan and because, irrespective of some opinions claiming that he shouldn't get it, I do think he deserves the title as he has done a great service in promoting the name of my country all over the world.

I dare those who challenge his Datukship to present us their service in promoting Malaysia the way he has done. I doubt they can rise to the challenge, not because they're not capable of attempting it, but simply because they don't have the same coverage he does.

If 3.2 billion people know SRK and want to find out more info on him, they'd see the name MALAYSIA plastered all over the place and mentioned in international interviews too. And that's a fact.

It's quite a high whenever I hear him say the name of my country. He's the only very well-known public figure to have ever done so, and quite often too. Not even my countrymen and our politicians utter it with the same tone full of love and pride like he does.

I'm mesmerized everytime I watch a clip of him talking about Malaysia. It can be 2 lines, but those 2 lines remain in my psyche that day as the most amazing thing I've ever experienced in my entire life.

I'm pasting this one here coz of the 'Happy New Year' mention. I wonder if it's still possible that they'll shoot the entire film in Malaysia. Does he know that the Eye of Malaysia has shifted to Melaka? There's a canal boating adventure running through the city now and Melaka has been bestowed World Heritage City by UNESCO too. Even I get excited and go all touristy with my whole family everytime I go back to my hometown nowadays.

I dunno if the film will require Melaka as its backdrop, but if it does then I think it'll be really cool. I was so excited during the Langkawi Island-parachute sequence in Don, imagine how exciting it'll be if a film with SRK is shot in my birth state! That's so.. orgasmic, man.

I'll keep you posted on further update about the location.


Source: Shah Rukh Khan conferred with Malaysian title Datuk
By indiaabroad Saturday Dec 6 5:15 PM

Melaka (Malaysia), Dec 6 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan Saturday became the first foreign actor to be conferred the title of Datuk, akin to a British knighthood, at a special ceremony here.

Shah Rukh responded by announcing that he would shoot an entire film, tentatively titled 'Happy New Year', in Malaysia next year.

'There is a film I am planning some time in August and September and will send a team down to look around,' The Star Online quoted him as saying.

He would also help develop the Malaysian movie industry that has had directors like Phani Mazumdar and Ritwik Ghatak making films.

On how he felt about his Datukship, the actor said that it was an honour not only for him but also for all actors from India.

'I am very happy that I have found a big space in the hearts of people here,' he added.

Resplendent in a black baju Melayu, samping and songkok, the traditional Malaysian attire, he received the state award from Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob, the royal constitutional head of the state.

The 43-year-old actor held the estimated 1,000 guests at the investiture spellbound as he received the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM), conferred on him in conjunction with the 70th birthday of the royal chief October 11.

Shah Rukh was tied down by a busy work schedule and could not fly in from Mumbai to receive the award in October or on the later date, Nov 29.

He arrived at the venue, Dewan Seri Negeri, at 10.55 a.m. and kept smiling and waving to his fans as he was escorted into the hall, Bernama, the official Malaysian news agency reported.

The actor was the focus of attention of the local and foreign photographers as well as guests who clicked away on their camera phones from their seats in the hall.

At the end of the investiture, the guests took the opportunity to have photographs taken with Shah Rukh.

He has received over 40 awards in the entertainment and film industry including, the Screen Award, Zee Cine Award, NDTV Award and International Indian Film Award.

He had acted in the Hindi film, 'One 2 Ka 4', that has scenes shot in Malaysia, including at the A Famosa Resort in Alor Gajah near here.

At a joint news conference with the chief minister, Shah Rukh Khan repeatedly thanked Khalil and the Melaka state government for the award bestowed on him.

'Thank you to the Melaka government for this prestigious award. I was so honoured to receive this award that was given by a country that does not even understand my language,' he said.

He said Melaka has many beautiful places and he will come back to shoot a movie here.

'Melaka has beautiful scenery and I will promote this country to the world for hosting a shooting here,' he said.

Shah Rukh said he was excited and flattered wearing a baju Melayu and samping when he received the award.

He sounded disappointed that he could not stay longer here this time and said he might bring his family on a holiday.

The baju Melayu he wore was sponsored by Sovereign Wear Sdn Bhd and the Melaka state official samping made of songket was sponsored by the Institut Seni Malaysia Melaka.

The royal chief's wife, Toh Puan Zurina Kassim, and Melaka Chief Minister Mohammed Ali Rustam and his wife, Asmah Abdul Rahman, were also present at the investiture.

Shah Rukh noted that Malacca is a beautiful state that possesses many locations ideal for moviemaking.

He suggested the state set up at least one or two floor studios and labs here in order to attract moviemakers.

Shah Rukh is immensely popular among the Malaysians, besides other Indian actors like Saif Ali Khan and Salman Khan.

Their popularity goes beyond the estimated 2.6 million Indian diaspora that forms eight percent of Malaysia's 28 million population.

Viveck Vaswani: Shah Rukh has worked free of charge for DMG

Source
With Shahrukh Khan finishing the final portions of DULHA MIL GAYA and Sushmita Sen and Fardeen Khan also lending a helping hand on quick notice, film maker Viveck Vaswani is a happy man.

"I am amazed at the professionalism of my lead stars", smiles Viveck, "They have shot round the clock for the film. It was a tiring shoot for days at stretch but they never gave up! Each of them wanted the film to reach the finishing line ASAP."

There have also been speculations that Shah Rukh hasn't charged any fees for his work in DULHA MIL GAYA. "You have heard it right. Shah Rukh has worked free of charge for me in this film. In fact all my actors in the film have done it for love not the money", quotes Viveck with a definite sense of admiration in his tone.

Other than the 'qawalli' for which Shah Rukh Khan shot along with Sushmita Sen and Fardeen Khan, he also shot for a music video and trailer/TV promos.

Viveck punches the final blow on his detractors, "With Shah Rukh finishing shoot for the film, it's a strong signal to all out there that rumours will always be rumours and facts will always be facts. So many out there thought that DULHA MIL GAYA will never be completed but see, we are announcing the release date now."

And what's the release date? "18th September", confirms Viveck, "The date has been finalized after much deliberation. We are making good progress on the post production of the film and are quite positive about meeting the deadline."

Also starring Mohit Chadda, Tara Sharma, Johny Lever, Parikshat Sahni, Bina Kak, Howard Rosemeyer, Suchitra Pillai, Viveck Vaswani himself and debutant Isshita Sharma, DULHA MIL GAYA is written and directed by Mudassar Aziz. Lalit Pandit is the composer while choreography is by Ahmed Khan and Howard Rosemeyer.