Ageing Shahrukh Khan plays father

It seems that Badshah of Bollywood Shahrukh Khan has now crossed the age of sweet lover boy and trying to play the characters according to his age. Despite his entertaining performances in past movies like Om Shant Om and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, critics pointed out SRK’s growing age and ageing wrinkles on the face. Now, Shahrukh Khan is playing the character of father in a couple of upcoming films.

Shahrukh Khan who had played the character of a lover boy ‘Raj’ in Karan Johar’s directional debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai a decade ago, will be seen as the father of a young lad in My Name Is Khan. In fact, Shahrukh Khan feels it is okay for him to be shown as the father of a teenager.

Karan himself confirmed that Shahrukh Khan is playing father to a teenager in My Name Is Khan. Director Karan Johar who is also a good friend of Shahrukh told that playing father was never an issue for Shahrukh or him. Further Karan added, it shouldn’t be an issue at all. Karan said, Shahrukh’s son Aryan is almost 11 year old. In my first film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, when Shahrukh was 30, he played a college student. Actors should not worry about these things. I don't think they should allow these aspects to interfere in accepting roles based on such things.

Shahrukh Khan plays the character of Rizwan Khan in My Name Is Khan. Rizwan is suspected to be a terrorist after authorities mistake his disability for 'suspicious' behaviour post 9/11. Shahrukh all time favourite co-star Kajol essays the role of Mandira, a Hindu single mother with whom Rizwan falls in love. The cast and crew of My Name Is Khan have recently returned from a schedule in the United States. The final stint of shooting will be in Mumbai this September.

In addition to My Name Is Khan, Shahrukh Khan is also playing dad to a grown-up child in Anubhav Sinha's Ra1. As the superstar of Bollywood has entertained cinelovers in various types of roles for almost two decades. Let us see, how Shahrukh justifies his new avatar as a father in the coming films.

SRK, Aamir bat against multiplex row

Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan appeared together to address the Press on issues revolving around the film industry’s inability to release films in national multiplex chains on equitable playing terms.After posing together for photographers and exchanging pleasantries, they addressed the media.Aamir Khan said that no filmmaker wants to make flops.

“Nobody knows what makes a hit or a flop. We enter the industry to make good films knowing well that this is a volatile business. It’s important that multiplex chains understand this." He went on to speak about revenue sharing terms between producers and distributors on the one hand and exhibitors on the other.

Sharing the same opinion, Shahrukh Khan said: “We haven’t come here to keep viewers away. We make films and the pipeline to present them before viewers exist.”The bone of contention between the producers- distributors and multiplex owners is the revenue sharing model, with producers demanding a 50 per cent of the earnings while the multiplex owners want to stick to the current model of 40 to 48 per cent depending on the film's performance.

Both the actors said that they had come together to find a solution to the problem as the film industry wanted to end the crisis as soon as possible.“All we are asking for is a fair and healthy share. All the members of the industry should benefit equally from the profits. It should be a partnership of equals,” said Aamir.

Denying reports that producers had compared multiplex owners to “mafia”, Shahrukh said the two parties were in a “marriage without the possibility of a divorce”. “We are like a family but perhaps a part of the family is doing wrong,” said the actor referring to the multiplex owners' stand on profit sharing.Objecting to the multiplex owners' argument that they would not bear the loss of a bad film, the actor said, “The multiplexes have no right to rate our creativity. It should be left to the audience to decide the fate of a film.

We are the employees of the audience and not the multiplexes.”Shahrukh said that the entire industry was open to talks with multiplex owners 24X7.Also present at the Press conference were producers Yash Raj Chopra, Mukesh Bhatt, Ronnie Screwvala and several others.

Shahrukh Khan as Mogambo in Mr.India 2

Shahrukh Khan who became a popular Bollywood star thanks to his negative roles, will probably go back to 'bad boy' role, playing the most lovable negative role of "Mogambo" that was immortalized by Amrish Puri in Mr. India in the year 1987. Shekhar Kapoor, the director of Mr.India is planning a sequel which will have Shahrukh Khan stepping on the shoes of the late Amrish Puri.

It is not known whether Shahrukh Khan has given his consent yet, but it is also true that both the director and actor are keeping a low profile about the developments. Shekhar Kapoor who was thinking of making Paani is concentrating his efforts in making Mr.India 2 now.
Why SRK? Here is what a source claims.

“This film will also star Anil Kapoor and Sridevi as in the original but the script has been turned to make it more villain centric. Today, there are very few villains who have the towering personality required for the Mogambo type of role, which was played with flourish by the late Amrish Puri in the original.

And who better than Shah Rukh, who has excelled in negative roles like Baazigar and Darr, to play the role?” He continues "It will be the role of a lifetime for Shah Rukh. There will tremendous curiosity about how he enacts it. Yes, the film Mr India is a big name by itself but people will flock to the theatres more because Shah Rukh is getting into the shoes of Amrish Puri than for the film itself".

Shah Rukh Khan To Speak At The India Today Conclave

Bollywood's global superstar, Shah Rukh Khan, is all set to speak this Saturday at the India Today Conclave in New Delhi.Reports the reputed magazine "Actor, film producer, TV host, owner of Indian Premier League team, Kolkata Knight Riders, Shah Rukh Khan is one of India's greatest all time superstars.

The actor, who has made movies as varied as the nihilistic 'Darr' (1994) and the huge diaspora hit 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge' (1995), is known for his risk-taking roles. He has most recently played a reincarnated superstar in 'Om Shanti Om' (2007) and an ordinary middle class clerk in 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' (2008). Currently working on My Name is Khan with director Karan Johar, his box office magic spreads far beyond the borders of India.

Awarded a Padma Shri by the government, the 43-year-old is a 'Datuk' in Malaysia, a bearer of the French Government's 'Order of the Arts and Literature', and also has a wax lookalike at the Madame Tussauds museum in London."

As per the tentative schedule, Shah Rukh Khan will speak during - Session Bollywood: Can Art Overcome Hate? The time slot will be 17.00 - 18.00 hrs IST on March 7, 2009.

Anushka to judge Shahrukh’s Angels

Shahrukh Khan’s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi co-partner Anushka Sharma will be donning the judge hat for the upcoming reality show, Knights and Angels to be hosted by VJ turned actor Purab Kohli. As the new innings of IPL is round the corner, SRK is gearing up for the new series and all set to choose a team of six to cheer up his team up to the victory.

Anushka with other judges like ace choreographer Shiamak Davar and cricketer Sourav Ganguly will judge the 6 finalists on the basis of their energy, style, chutzpah, poise, personality, attitude, grace, rhythm, and fire.

First time Anushka is judging any show and it is expected that she will grace the show with her vibrant smile and positive attitude. Speaking at the launch Sourav Ganguly said, "I have never been a judge before. It's equally exciting and nerve-wracking for me and I'm really looking forward to a whole new experience. Shahrukh and Juhi have promised to guide me and I assure my Knights that we will find those 'Angels' that will cheer us to victory."

The competition will be among 24 girls that have been short-listed after an extensive audition conducted across different cities in India.

Irrfan reveals the best thing about Shahrukh

That ace actor Irrfan Khan and Bollywood's global superstar Shahrukh Khan shared a great rapport on the sets of Bill, is a news known to one and all, but off screen too, their friendship is slowly building up into a genuine affection and respect towards each other.

Irrfan Khan reciprocated the favour done to him by Shahrukh (giving him a lead role in his home production) by doing a cameo for SRK's Red Chillies television show, Ghar Ki Baat Hai, thus dispelling all rumours that he is not very pleased by the fact that SRK is being given the prime position in the promos of Billu. In fact he is looking forward to doing more films with King Khan in future!

Irrfan is highly appreciative of Shahrukh Khan and says that the best thing about him is that even though he is at the top, he is not at all insecure. That's what makes Shahrukh different from others. And so, SRK was not afraid of giving him the plum footage, in a role which gave Irrfan a lot of scope to showcase his acting talent, while he himself played an extended cameo, as it was the demand of the script.

Never once did Shahrukh try to steal Irrfan's thunder, and went out of his way to see that Irrfan's character (which is so vital to the film) was developed and highlighted properly in the film.
Well, that's what makes a confident, secure superstar!

Shahrukh Khan to return as Don

The sequel to Farhan Akhtar’s Don is very much on with Shahrukh Khan in the role of the elusive don again. For a long time Farhan and his partner Ritesh Sidhwani have been dilly-dallying with the idea of making a sequel to their 2006 movie which, though not a superhit, had a good run at the box office.

A part of the producer duo’s ambivalence was due to the fact that Amitabh Bachchan , the original don, was set to act in the sequel of Don (1978) to be produced by the sons of the producer of the 70s movie. But since that project doesn’t seem to be happening, Farhan and Ritesh’s company Excel Entertainment has decided to go ahead with the sequel to their film.

Unlike the 1978 original, in Farhan’s movie it is Vijay who dies but the don remains alive and even slips through the fingers of the cops at the end. In the sequel, the story will be carried forward with the same characters.

Excel Entertainment will reportedly sign SRK, Priyanka Chopra , Arjun Rampal and Boman Irani for the sequel. It’s still unclear whether Isha Koppikar , the don’s moll, will act in ‘Don 2’. The movie is likely to go on floors in January next year. Presently, SRK is busy with the promotion of his home production Billu Barber .

After the film’s release he will undergo a surgery on his shoulder. In April he gets busy with the new IPL season of his Kolkata Knight Riders. And after that he will shoot another schedule of Karan Johar’s film My Name Is Khan .

'Billu Barber' becomes 'Billu'

The title of Shah Rukh Khan's forthcoming release 'Billu Barber' has been changed to 'Billu' as the "barber" in the title had invoked the wrath of an association of hairdressers, who felt that the term in the title was derogatory. Shah Rukh Khan, the producer of the film, has spoken to representatives of the Salon and Beauty Parlors Association about the problem.

It is learnt that the term 'barber' would be removed from all the hoardings of 'Billu barber'. "Posters and hoardings belong to the production, which is Red Chillies. It is a little expensive to try to change the posters, so, that we couldn't have done," he a news channel.

Khan said though there is nothing wrong with the title, they did not want to hurt anybody's sensibilities.

Shahrukh's bakbak

There are promotions and there are promotions dearies, but when it comes to promoting their own movies, no one does it better than the dosts Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan.

After Karan’s coffee-style grilling of his Dostana stars, now Shah Rukh has done the same for his forthcoming Billu. He has sat down Irrfan Khan, Lara Dutta and Priyadarshan and made them go Bak Bak Bak for a very special TV episode to be aired on Zoom.

The episode is so hilarious — in keeping with SRK’s razor sharp humour — that it had everyone in splits. So much so that when King Khan requested everyone to get up and dance, Lara and Irrfan burst into a jig but the only ‘spoil sport’ was Priyan who refused to get coaxed.

Don’t miss this exciting encounter on Zoom as an SRK special called ‘Billu Ke Bak Bak’. Wonder what hair dressers’ association will have to say about this one.

Priyanka is a sexy mover

It took Shah Rukh Khan to push aside the curtain and reveal the shower singer in Bollywood hottie Priyanka Chopra! That the actress can, well, act, dance with hot moves, is undeniably sexy... is known.

What SRK reveals with his Friday release Billu is that Priyanka can sing as well... and not ordinary love songs with simple lyrics, but she can belt out hip-hop numbers that would impress any West Coast rapper. She’s a rap music lover and can do any number on the US charts with ease... the ‘Yos’ and ‘Aaahaans’ included. Add to that her sexy moves... and what you have is somebody who could give Rihanna reason to worry.

SRK, being SRK, noticed all this when he filmed Don with Priyanka and when it came to picking someone who would gyrate to Pritam’s English hip-hop number Rockin’ & Reeling in his home production Billu... the Bollywood Badshah knew Priyanka was the girl. Anahita Shroff dressed the hot actress in hotter shorts and a snug top. And Shah Rukh got into the frame himself to do a bit of grooving on this heavy duty number.

He, of course, is not very musically inclined and admitted that he doesn’t know whether this is a pure rap song “or what is loosely called a bit loungy and hip-hop mixed with reggae”. But when he heard the track, he knew Priyanka should do it.

“I have been out with her, at home, and danced with her... and she is a natural mover to this kind of music,” he said. “This kind of music resides in her heart, her body and her iPod. I am like, wow, when I see her just move to the groove... she looks really sexy in it. She’s quite a rock star, actually.”

Slumdog debate: Shah Rukh slams critics on poverty jibe

Slamming the critics of Oscar nominated 'Slumdog Millionaire', Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said that the poverty highlighted in the
movie is a "reality" and wondered why people in India tend to become cynical when something good is happening.

"Isn't that (poverty and slums) a reality? If you (critics) have a problem with the word slumdog, why don't you look positively and see that there is a word millionaire or crorepati also," Shah Rukh, who returned from Los Angeles yesterday after a month-long schedule of Karan Johar's 'My name is Khan' told reporters.

Critics felt that the movie sells India's poverty to West and some others had raised objections to the word's ‘slumdog' on grounds that people living in Indian slums were being referred to as 'dogs'.

"I have just returned from the US and people there have become crazy about the film and its music. The film's sound is also too good apart from a good story and screenplay. The film deserves all awards," Khan, who has read the original book as well as the script said.

Also, the actor said that he does not regret declining Anil Kapoor's role in the film.

"I can’t regret something which I could not have done. I don't think I would have done justice to the role of a game show host like Anil Kapoor, he said at the launch of his company's foray into television content last night with 'Ghar Ki Baat hai' on NDTV Imagine.

SRK said that during the period which Danny Boyle shot the film, he was already hosting 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' (KBC) and later 'Kya Aap Panchvi Pass Se Tez Hai'.

"I am still contracted for a new season of these shows," he said.

SRK said Oscars and Golden Globe awards are a symbol of international recognition.

"I love awards and I hope to feature in a film comprising Indian cast and crew some day which will go to win these awards," he said adding "the success of 'Slumdog Millionaire' worldwide is an incentive to all Indian filmmakers."

SRK goes under the knife

Shah Rukh Khan, the actor, who underwent a difficult and painful back surgery some years ago, is now destined to go under the scalpel again for a tear in the shoulder muscle. He suffered the injury in Mumbai when shooting a stunt scene for Mudassar Aziz’s Dulha Mil Gaya. But, as if keeping in mind the old adage ‘no pain, no gain’, SRK continued shooting with occasional physiotherapy from his old friend Dr Ali Irani. Then, instead of resting, he flew to LA where he had a month-long schedule slated for Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan. The LA winter did him in. He was taken to a hospital in pain where an MRI showed up the tear in his left shoulder. Now the actor is back and looking at undergoing a shoulder arthroscopy to repair the tear in his supraspinatus muscle.

Talking to this paper, SRK who dragged on in LA through the pain just so that Karan Johar’s shooting schedule might not get disrupted, admitted, “I was advised surgery, but pulled through on temporary medical assistance until I could not bear the pain any longer. I have to now go in for surgery in the next few days.”

He has no choice because the next schedule of My Name Is Khan requires the Bollywood Badshah to be fighting fit and performing all kinds of stunts. His doctors, of course, have advised him otherwise. “Inshallah, I’ll be fine,” smiled the hero.

Meanwhile, the Bollywood Badshah remains undaunted at the prospect of surgery. At the Asia West Pacific Regional Physiotherapy Conference organised by Dr Ali Irani of the Indian Association of Physiotherapy, he kept medicos, some 800 physiotherapists, delegates from 23 countries and students in splits by referring to all the injuries he has faced.

Said Shah Rukh, “Thanks to my injuries, I know every part of my body, all the muscles, the tendons. My body has pieces of metal in it.” His interaction with physios began from the age of 15. “I was playing soccer at Delhi’s Ambedkar Stadium and developed a lower back problem. That was the end of my professional sporting career. I would have preferred it to the one in showbiz,” he said. “Indias are used to medicines of hakims and vaids. Invasive therapy is not the order of the day. Physiotherapy for most means massage. I love massage though,” he said smiling.

Billo Barber song Jaaon Kahan

Billo Barber Song - Mar Jani

What luck! Aamir & SRK in a film

This is a coup for any director in Bollywood. Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan in one film! Take a bow, Zoya Akhtar — you’ve managed to do that in your debut film.

The long wait for cinema audiences everywhere is now over with Zoya’s Luck By Chance (produced by Excel Entertainment and Reliance Big Pictures) hitting the screens on January 30.

Interestingly, the Khans play themselves in the film, but regretfully don’t share screen space and appear at different times individually. SRK interacts with Farhan and Aamir with Konkona. Both superstars have excellent relationships with Farhan and Zoya and both wanted to support this film.

Even though Aamir doesn’t do cameos, he readily agreed because he is familiar with the set-up having worked with producer Ritesh Sidhwani and director-actor Farhan in Dil Chahta Hai. Also, Aamir who works on bound scripts only, had already read Luck By Chance’s script when Zoya took it to him for feedback some years ago. So that was also okay.

“Initially, we were in a fix wondering how to talk to him, knowing his stance on cameos, till dad called me up to say he had spoken to Aamir,” explained the petite Zoya. Once dad Javed Akhtar succeeded with Aamir, SRK was easy to approach. “I personally spoke to Shah Rukh. But I won’t like to take the credit alone, because both actors did it out of friendship for Farhan and Ritesh. There is a lot of respect between all of us,” she added.

The film has Bollywood as its backdrop with Farhan playing a struggling actor opposite Koknona. “This is the first original story that gives you an insider’s journey of the film industry. A struggler’s experience,” said Ritesh. And here’s another little secret: Aamir shot for the film when he was in the midst of Ghajini and had the tonsured look; so, the consummate actor agreed to wear a wig for Zoya!