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.