Actresses today have no dignity- Farah khan

FARAH KHAN, who is now getting ready to direct her third venture Happy New Year for producer Shah Rukh Khan tells that she had shot SRK like Ramgopal Varma shoots his heroines…

Was it always your dream to be a director?

I confess that I had joined the industry as Mansoor Khan’s assistant in direction on the sets of his film Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander only to learn the ropes of the trade as a director, almost a decade ago. However every evening, I used to ask all the dancers to practice the steps that I had devised, to know in what way the dances were different from the ones choreographed by Saroj Khan. One evening, director Mansoor noticed the session.

How did you bag your first assignment?

I shot to fame as a choreographer with the slow motion number Pehla Nasha thanks to Saroj Khan by default. It so happened, that Saroj had left Mansoor’s unit high and dry one day and flown down South to do choreography for a South Indian film, leaving Mansoor Khan with no other alternative but to ask me to step in and rescue him by taking up the choreography for his film. A choreographer was born that day.

Is it true that your mother had acted as Salman Khan’s father Salim Khan’s heroine?

Yes. Not many are aware of the fact that my mother had actually acted as the heroine opposite Salman Khan’s father Salim Khan four decades ago. In fact I, Sajid Khan and Salman Khan had almost grown up together during our childhood and our families have known each other for donkey’s years.

Why do you say that it would be tough for you to direct a film for any other producer after working with King Khan?

I feel that Shah Rukh is the best. After working with an actor like Shah Rukh Khan, it is very difficult for me to work with any other actor. Just imagine I had to take a three second shot and I had told Shah Rukh Khan that I’d require 98 cameras for it. Shah Rukh spent 20 lakhs and got those 90 cameras flown in from London. Though I had told him not to splurge unnecessarily as we could easily do away with it, Shah Rukh told me that he did not believe in compromising on quality.

Is it true that Main Hoon Na was titled The Outsider initially?

Yes. It is interesting to note that the working title of Main Hoon Na before it went on the floors was actually The Outsider, for almost two years. I had written the script in English and every time there was any untoward incident on the sets, Shah Rukh would say Just Trust me. When Abbas Tyrewala started translating the dialogues, there was this line Main Hoon Na coming up in the place of Just Trust Me. When I told Sajid that the title of my film would be Main Hoon Na he told me that it sounded like a Sudhir Mishra film. Karan said that Main Hoon Na was a horrible title while Shah Rukh told me bahut kharab title hai. However I insisted on the title since I wasn’t into K titles like Karan and Ekta Kapoor. My gamble paid off and every one agreed that Main Hoon Na was the apt title after I went ahead and recorded the title song with Anu Malik as the composer.

What do you think about the actresses of today?

Frankly I feel that the actresses of today do not have the poise and the dignity which the girls in 70’s have had. In Om Shanti Om, Deepika fitted the role well, like Hemaji in the 70’s. To prepare Deepika for the role, we gave her voice training and dance classes, besides the three month training in acting course with Anupam Kher.

How tough was it for you to get Shah Rukh Khan to shed his excess weight and get into his six pack abs for Om Shanti Om?

Shah Rukh asked me to give him three months and he worked hard and told me that if he did not get at least six packs he would not remove his shirt in front of the camera, though I felt that at least once he should do an item song. I think it is a great change- over at the age of 42 when others become too old. I shot Shah Rukh like Ramgopal Varma shoots his heroines.

What do you like the best about being a director?

I enjoy being a director the most because as a director, I get to decide each and everything connected with the film, including recording only the songs which I want. I feel that direction is the most fulfilling job. The worst job is writing for the simple reason that it does not come easy to me.

Which episode of Tere Mere Beach Mein touched you the most?

The best thing about Tere Mere Beach Mein was that nothing in the show was actually scripted. After we decided on the theme of each episode, I asked questions randomly

I was touched by the episode on Hrithik. There is this comfort factor with each of my guests which I think will not come if they do not have a personal equation with you. Trust factor works a lot in a talk show like this. If they feel that they are uncomfortable answering any particular question, I readily offer to edit it out, because the idea is that the audiences should identify with what the stars had gone through in their lives and have a connect.

Tell me about your kids!

I have two daughters and one son. I have named my son Czar. Czar means an emperor. I have named my two daughters Diva and Anya. Diva is an Italian word for prima Donna, the main singer in the opera. Anya means inexhaustible in Sanskrit and graceful in Russian. Diva and Czar are similar looking but not identical. Its is said that one in two million triples are identical My daughters are maa ki laadlis and are chipkoos whereas my son is dad”s laadla. He is elder by two minutes.

SRK-Bebo come together in Ra 1

After being was paired with Shah Rukh Khan in Ashoka, Bebo was completely smitten by the actor’s charisma. even though the film didn’t do well, they remained fast friends after that and Kareena readily did item songs for both Don and Billu. Now finally, the two of them will be coming together again in SRK’s next ambitious project Ra 1.
The sci-fi fantasy will be directed by Anubhav Sinha (of Tum Bin and Dus fame). It’s been in the pre-production stages for a while, but is expected to go on the floors early next year. Our source said, “SRK’s always wanted to do a science fiction film, which is why he was keen on doing the film Robot with south director Shanker. However things did not work out between them. Now he’s incorporated many of the creative ideas that he had given Shanker into Ra 1 where he will be seen in a larger-than-life role of a superhero. Kareena will play his love interest, and the two stars’ dates have already been finalised.”
Ra 1 will have loads of special effects and some portions of the film will also be animated. The budget for SFX alone is said to be more than Rs 25 crore.
Ravichandran is renowned for his penchant for introducing top heroines from other languages to Kannada films, like Juhi Chawla (Premloka) , Khushboo (Randheera), Poonam Dhillon (Yuddhakanda), and more recently Namitha (in Neelakanta and Hoo).
When contacted by this newspaper, Ravichandran admitted that they had approached Nayanthara, but was reluctant to disclose the amount which had been offered to her. “The story demands a star like Nayanthara and I am confident that she will definitely accept once she hears the script,” declared an upbeat Ravi.
It’s over to Nayanthara now!

Bollywood glamour will add to India Couture Week

It will be a six-day star-studded extravaganza. The second edition of the HDIL India Couture Week will see top notch Bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt and Saif Ali Khan walk the ramp for the fashion pageant that kicks off here Sunday.
The Oct 11-16 event will see superstar Amitabh Bachchan walking the ramp for designer duo Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla's inaugural show. Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Govinda, Ajay Devgan and Katrina Kaif are expected to walk the ramp for Salman Khan's Being Human show Oct 13.
Then, filmmaker Karan Johar is making his fashion debut at the event. The maker of super hits like 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham' has teamed up with designer Varun Bahl to showcase men's couture range on the last day.
Since Karan Johar's muse is Shah Rukh Khan, the Bollywood superstar will sashay down the ramp along with his wife Gauri Khan.
Bollywood's young brigade Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan are also expected to walk the ramp.
The couture week is an initiative of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), which annually stages two editions of the hugely successful Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) in New Delhi.
Other designers participating in this event are Monisha Jaising, Pallavi Jaikishan, Varun Bahl, Manish Malhotra, Manav Gangavani and Suneet Varma.
Unlike WIFW, the couture week is not a business-driven event but more a celebration of the Indian cultural heritage in a grand manner. Hence emphasis is given more to ramp decoration and creating a grand ambience to give an extravagant touch to the event.
'This is not a buyer-oriented event. Here the emphasis will be more on individual clients rather than on large buyers. We expect individual clients to conduct one-on-ones with designers to place their orders,' FDCI president Sunil Sethi said.
'Couture is all about extravagance and this gives an opportunity to the designers to add to their creativity by lending more drama and grandeur to the ramp,' he added.
Talking about the celebrity quotient, Sethi said: 'This year, the glamour quotient is at the peak in the couture week. These couture czars will surprise you with their collections while Bollywood celebrities will mesmerise you on the ramp.
'Full entertainment is guaranteed here.'
Apart from the glam and glitz, the event will also be a testing time for Monisha Jaising to prove her skills as a couture designer as she is mainly known for her pret line.
However, Sethi is confident about her skill-set. He said: 'She is one of the finest designers of the country and I am sure she will present a scintillating collection.'

When an insecure SRK wouldn't let Gauri wear skirts, T-shirts

Star wife Gauri Khan is known for flaunting stylish clothes, but very few know that her superstar husband Shah Rukh Khan barred her from wearing skirts and T-shirts while they were dating because he was insecure about her.

"I wouldn't like it if Gauri left her hair loose. She's so beautiful that I used to stop her from wearing mini skirts or T-shirts. But I promised her the minute we get married, I'd never behave in such a rotten manner," Shah Rukh told his friend Farah Khan on STAR Plus' chat show "Tere Mere Beech Mein".

The 43-year-old stressed that he was insecure about Gauri till he got married in 1991 because "I didn't know if she belonged to me like I belonged to her".

And now Gauri is not only seen as one of the most stylish women in Bollywood, Shah Rukh says their son Aryan considers her the most beautiful lady, even above Hollywood star Angelina Jolie.

"Today, if she returns from a party wearing a long skirt even Aryan asks her not to wear it as he doesn't like her in long covered clothes," added Shah Rukh.

Shah Rukh will always be my idol: Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra has thousands of fans, but who is the actress’s all-time idol? The man she admires most is adored by millions across the globe as well… who else but superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

“Shah Rukh Khan is my idol and has always been. He has been a favourite actor of course, but I really look up to him also as a person . Looking at where he came from and how he became who he is today, I find it extremely fascinating,” Priyanka said in an interview.

“He started with theatre, did plays, got a break in TV - he turned from a regular college kid to a mega superstar… and all that completely on his own with no help from anybody in the film industry. I admire a lot about him and I think it’s just fantastic,” said the actress who has bagged the youth award icon for entertainment.

In the past, Priyanka has teamed up with Shah Rukh for Farhan Akhtar’s “Don” and did a cameo in a song with him in Farah Khan’s “Om Shanti Om” and also in “Billu”.

Priyanka and Hrithik Roshan bagged the youth icon awards in the entertainment field at the inaugural edition of the India Youth Icon Awards at an awards ceremony in Gurgaon Friday.

The actress is currently on cloud nine after getting rave reviews for essaying 12 roles in Ashutosh Gowariker’s “What’s Your Rashee?”, which also stars Hurman Baweja.

“It’s been great feedback so far. People are enjoying the film…I had an author-backed role which included playing 12 different characters - very difficult to do. And it feels fantastic to be encouraged and be told that I pulled it off well,” she said.

The 27-year-old actor said she was extremely nervous before the film’s release Friday.

“My biggest worry was - ‘Oh God! Will I ever be able to pull this off or not?’. Since most people who get to play multiple roles in a movie get it after a lot of experience, I was nervous. I have spent a short span to do roles as difficult as the one in ‘What’s Your Rashee’, but as an actor all I can say is that I do my work with as much honesty as possible and the rest is destiny,” she said.

If “What’s Your Rashee?” hits the jackpot at the box office, it will be her fourth consecutive hit in a row after “Fashion”, “Dostana” and “Kaminey”.

But she is unmoved. “Hits and flops are a part of the business, isn’t it?” she said.

Asked how she handles success at a young age, the former Miss World said: “I have always been grounded. I have an incredible passion for what I do (acting). I don’t know how to do anything else, I don’t want to do anything else and I love what I do. There’s nothing else that affects me.”

What about growing expectations from audiences and critics?

“It scares me when my films release. I wonder if people will like it or not. That for me is the most important thing. But at the same time I think: what’s the point of living a life without any expectations? You will just stagnate, become complacent - that’s not the kind of person I am. I like striving, I like things that challenge me; I take up difficult films and difficult roles to challenge myself,” Priyanka said.

“I like it when people say things like ‘Fashion’ was a female-centric movie and yet it was successful and that ‘Kaminey’ was an all-boys film, still my part was really appreciated, and ‘Dostana’ was majorly on gay guys, and it ended so well. I enjoy that - I like the fact that I can take up different scripts.

“It’s just that I like to take up challenges,” she added.

Priyanka’s next will see her paired with Uday Chopra in Yash Raj Films’ “Pyaar Impossible”, where she will play the beauty and the latter a geek.

Dost Dost Naa Raha: King Khan has no time for Farah’s film!

Shah Rukh Khan it seems is preferring to shoot Anubhav Sinha (Dus, Cash) directed action thriller Ra.1 rather than going in for Farah Khan’s Happy New Year after he completes My Name Is Khan. Both Ra.1 and Happy New Year are being made under the King Khan’s home banner Red Chillies Entertainment.
A source reveals, “SRK was earlier in two minds whether to go on floors first with Farah’s film or Anubhav Sinha’s. But apparently he has made up his mind to do the action adventure movie Ra.1, which has a superhero backdrop. It will begin shooting from early next year and will be extensively shot on foreign locations. Shah Rukh has already begun preparing for the role by working out on his physique and is again aiming to acquire 6-pack abs. He was also recently quoted stating, “I want to put on my tights and my kids blanket on my back. I want to do this film for my children. I’ve always wanted to make a superhero film, but I never had six-pack abs. Now that I have them, I want to do this. It’s not an animation film, as many people believe; I would like to clarify that. It’s a live action film.”
Farah Khan’s film, our source adds, will now go on floors in end of 2010.

I can’t afford an IPL team: Rani Mukerji

She took tips from Shah Rukh Khan to understand cricket for her role in “Dil Bole Hadippa”, but Rani Mukerji has no intention of following her good friend’s footsteps by bidding for an Indian Premier League (IPL) team.

“I can’t afford it… I don’t have so much money. There is no chance that I can buy an IPL team,” Rani told IANS in an interview here.

“Right now I don’t even think that I can take up so much responsibility because everything of that sort (owning a team, etc) means more responsibilities. I am quite happy doing what I am doing right now,” she added.

IPL is quite popular among Bollywood stars — while Shah Rukh owns Kolkata Knight Riders along with Juhi Chawla, Preity Zinta has Kings XI Punjab and Shilpa Shetty bought stakes in Rajasthan Royals along with boyfriend Raj Kundra.

Salman Khan too is reportedly going to bid for a team this year.

Leave alone IPL, Rani says a big “no-no” to venturing into other facets of filmmaking, such as production or direction, like some of her superstar colleagues.

“Again with production comes a very big responsibility and so is with direction and I don’t think I am ready for that as of now,” she said.

What’s on her mind right now is having a blast during the ongoing Durga Puja.

“I am just hoping I can have a great time with my family and celebrate Durga Puja as I used to celebrate it as a kid. This time luckily I have kept no commitments during that time; so I am just hoping that this year I’ll have a blast,” Rani said.

Asked if she had any plans of visiting Kolkata for pandal hopping, the actress said: “I’ll be in Mumbai… I always celebrate Durga Pujo in Mumbai only.”

Unlike other A-list actresses, Rani is not brand conscious when it comes to her wardrobe. And she has no brand preferences either.

“There’s nothing special…basically I love wearing good clothes. I walk into a shop and I buy anything I feel I’ll look good in. In any case, having a toned body always feels great.”

Her latest outing “Dil Bole Hadippa!” may have got mixed responses from both audiences and critics, but that has not deterred the actress’s confidence.

“I have always done different things. I’ve done a ‘Black’ that somebody would think twice before doing and now this (’…Hadippa!)… I take up challenging roles as that really excites me as an actor.

“For me it’s very integral that I choose a character which is special for the audience as well as me,” Rani said.

What was SRK doing on the sets of ‘Blue’?

Everyone on the sets of Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd.’s “Blue’ was in for a pleasant surprise yesterday afternoon when none other than Shah Rukh Khan dropped on the sets to meet Akshay Kumar!

The team of “Blue’ was shooting for a special number “Fikrana’ and the BLUE theme song with Akshay Kumar and Zayed Khan.

While the crew was in the middle of the shoot, SRK walked on to the sets and greeted Akshay Kumar. The crowds went berserk seeing the two super stars together. The duo then stepped into Akki’s vanity van where they spent nearly 15-20 minutes chatting with each other.

An eyewitness says, “We knew SRK was shooting nearby, but no one expected him to come on the sets of Blue. He surprised everyone including Akshay. They both even posed together for photographs!”

“While we were shooting for Blue on Floor 1 at Filmcity, SRK was shooting on Floor 12 for an automobile commercial. Though the distance is considerably large, Shahrukh Khan actually walked down all the way to meet Akshay. That was simply incredible!” says a source from the production team.

Looks like a new friendship is brewing in B-town!

Brush your teeth SRK style

Shah Rukh Khan seems to be the Badshah in real life too. King Khan is all set to become the brand ambassador for a toothpaste brand very soon. He is mulling over many ads and is riding high with lots of moolah.

Our khabroo states, “SRK has endorse more than 25 brands and has been earning good around 3 to 9 crore from ads itself.”

“He will be soon seen as the brand ambassador of a toothpaste in a unique way. SRK till now has endorsed suiting, watch, perfumes and many more things; this will be a new addition to his pocket. Yes he is paid a good amount for the same too,” adds the source.

So guys don’t be surprise if you see the Badshah of Bollywood endorsing his new brands in his movies too.

SRK, Hrithik attend Arjun Rampal’s restaurant launch

Shah Rukh Khan was there with wife Gauri, Hrithik Roshan came with wife Suzanne and Karan Johar was in attendance too. Model-turned actor Arjun Rampal got Bollywood celebrities in the capital for the launch of his restaurant Lap in Samrat Hotel.On this red-carpet event Friday evening, Imran Khan was also there with his girlfriend Avantika.
Rampal said: “You have to become a member to know how incredible this place is. It’s for people to enjoy. India can proudly say, we have a place to party. It’s about privacy, a place to discover yourself.”
Top-notch designers like Rohit Bal, J.J. Valaya, Reena Dhaka and Tarun Tahilyani were present too.

Shah Rukh Mil Gaya!

It is common knowledge that Shah Rukh Khan will make a guest appearance in Dulha Mil Gaya, produced by close friend, Vivek Vaswani. But did you know his guest appearance lasts for an hour, in the two and half hour film? The buzz is that Shah Rukh is not happy with his role getting extended so much so, that he didn’t want to complete shooting for the film.

However, producer Vivek Vaswani has rubbished these reports and informed that they have not added or subtracted any scenes with Shah Rukh. Whatever was narrated to him has been filmed. He has 17 scenes and three songs. One of the music videos is yet to be shot with the entire cast. Since Shah Rukh is doing Dulha Mil Gaya as a favor for a friend, he is being credited as a guest appearance. Vaswani also thinks that getting credited, as a guest appearance does not depend on the length of the role. He gives the example of Sunny Deol in Damini. Similarly, he feels that while Shah Rukh is not part of the main cast, his role is equally powerful as that of the others. SRK will be seen promoting the film along with the other cast members.

SRK- It was Detention, not Publicity

King Khan has denied that his detention at the Newark airport was a drama. The superstar who returned from the US on Tuesday has been attacked with rumors that he is blowing the issue out of proportion in order to gain popularity for his upcoming film, My Name is Khan. He has brushed them aside saying that he is too big a star to resort to such methods.

He isn’t angry over the incident but he believes that the airport officials overdid the questioning a bit. What hurt him the most was the officials constantly asking him, “Your name is very common. Can anyone vouch for you to enter here?” He feels that people should not be treated on the basis of colour or nationality. However, this incident won’t stop him from visiting the US again. In fact, he would love to frisk Hollywood actresses Megan Fox and Angelina Jolie if a “tit for tat’ policy had to be followed.

I don’t think anyone is in my league: Madhavan

Versatile actor R. Madhavan, who has mega projects like “Teen Patti” with Amitabh Bachchan and “3 Idiots” with Aamir Khan in his kitty, says he doesn’t see any actor as his competitor since there is no one in his league.

“I consider myself my biggest competition. I don’t think anyone else is in my league at all in terms of what I’m doing. I have done eight Hindi films in eight years and somehow people remember all the names and the characters I played in them. By and large it is an achievement. I’m happy with that,” Madhavan, whose latest film “Sikandar” releases Friday, said in an interview.

His first Hindi movie was “Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein” in 2001, followed by “Dil Vil Pyar Vyar”, “Ramji Londonwaley”, “Rang De Basanti”, “Guru”, “Delhii Heights” and “Mumbai Meri Jaan”. His last Hindi movie was the hit spooky thriller “13B”, which released earlier this year.

The 39-year-old also maintains that he has never gone by the book and worked on his own terms in the industry.

“I’ve always done things that are opposite. I started off with TV. People told me that if you start with TV, you will never become a film star. When I became a Tamil hero, they said that now you will never become a Hindi actor. I did everything.

“I don’t think there is any hard and fast rule in the industry and even if there is, then there is a lot of fun to break it,” he said.

Madhavan was in the capital to promote forthcoming film “Sikandar”, which narrates the tensions in Jammu and Kashmir through the eyes of children.

Talking about his role, he said: “The film is about two children and their loss of innocence and how they get it back. I’m playing an army officer who believes that there should be peace in Kashmir at any cost and is really ruthless about it and very passionate too. He might not do everything by the book, but does whatever is right.”

In real life Madhavan wanted to join the army, but couldn’t fulfil his wish. So, did he live his dream through this film?

“It is never the real thing, you are just living a dream. Being in the armed forces and acting like one in the forces are two different things. But it was fun,” he said.

Directed by Piyush Jha, “Sikandar” is set in Kashmir and stars child actors Ayesha Kapoor and Parzaan Dastur along with Sanjay Suri.

Asked what the USP of “Sikandar” is, Madhavan said: “The best part of the film is the beauty of Kashmir that has been very aptly captured by the cameraman. I think it’s very sad that a beautiful place like that is torn by violence.”

Any plans of returning to television, especially at a time when big stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan don’t hesitate in stepping into the small screen as well?

“No plans. Shah Rukh and Amitabh are superstars and they get an obscene amount of money for the shows…so when I reach that status and people offer me that kind of money and I actually need that money then I will think about it. Right now I’m just happy doing films,” said Madhavan.

Dulhe Ka Divorce follows Dulha Mil Gaya?

Viveck Vaswani’s Shah Rukh Khan starrer Dulha Mil Gaya is finally set for a November 13th release date. The film marks the return of Main Hoon Na jodi of SRK and Sushmita Sen, after a gap of 5 years. The film however revolves around four main characters of those of- Shah Rukh Khan, Sushmita Sen, Fardeen Khan and Tara Sharma, and is directed by Muddassar Aziz. Now news has come in that Viveck Vaswani is working on his next movie titled Dulhe Ka Divorce.

Our source reveals, “Viveck has tentatively titled his next as Dulhe Ka Divorce. Shah Rukh Khan has been a part of most of his projects, and it was in fact Viveck who got him his first major break in Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman. He simply loves SRK and if there is a role fitting him, SRK will definitely be on board for this one too. But there will be newcomers cast in the main leads.”

There was also a buzz that Dulha Mil Gaya would premiere in USA, but in the wake of Shah Rukh Khan being frisked at the US airport, it won’t happen. Vaswani states in this regards that he had planned the premiere in Trinidad, since the movie has been extensively shot in Trinidad and Tobago. So there was never any question of the film premiering in USA and that it will be releasing simultaneously all over.”

Will visit US only for fans: SRK

After being detained for two hours at the Newark Airport in the US Saturday morning, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said he does not feel like visiting America again.

“After yesterday’s incident, I don’t feel like stepping on American soil any more, but I will continue with my US visits only because of my millions of fans who reside in that country,” Khan told reporters Sunday, ruling out seeking an apology for the incident which was denied by US officials.

“I was treated shabbily just because I happened to have Khan as my last name… because of my name being Khan…It is a Muslim name and I think the name is common on their checklist,” said Khan, who has also figured in US magazine Newsweek’s list of 50 most powerful people in the world.

Meanwhile, US Customs and Border Protection spokesman Elmer Camacho denied that Khan was detained because of his name or Asian identity.

“The allegations are incorrect. We inspected Khan because his baggage had not arrived..its a normal procedure. His documents and papers were checked, which were found to be in correct order,” Camacho said.

Khan was detained at the airport for about two hours Saturday before the Indian mission intervened and secured his release.

He was heading for Chicago to attend Independence Day celebrations along with Bollywood celebrities Saif Ali Khan, Katrina Kaif and Bipasha Basu.

Shah Rukh buys 20 mn pounds apartment in London

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has reportedly bought a 20 million pounds apartment in a posh area of London.
The actor, who was recently awarded a doctorate by the University of Bedfordshire for his contribution to Indian cinema, is a regular visitor to the city and spends a good amount of time there with his family.

He had been hunting for a house for a long time and has finally zeroed in on an apartment in the Park Lane area of central London, reports theasiannews.co.uk.

Shah Rukh, who is right now busy with the shooting of “My Name Is Khan”, sealed the deal on his recent trip, said reports.

He also owns properties in the UAE.

My Name Is Khan creates a hurricane

The entire cast and crew of Karan Johar’s Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer My Name Is Khan, is back from San Fransico, USA. It is learnt that now they will be shooting soon in Mumbai for the last portions of their film, which incidentally is a hurricane scene. Presently for the same, a huge set is being constructed in Filmcity Goregaon, Mumbai.
Our industry insider reveals, “At the Josh Maidan in Filmcity the set being constructed is of a dam that is measuring around three feet in depth and is 135 by 240 meters in size. Then apart from that, a church and few small houses around it shall be constructed soon. There are plans to shoot a hurricane sequences showing these places such as the church and the houses getting completely submerged and devastated under it.”
The source further added, “After this sequence is shot, the film’s talkie portions will be complete and only the post-production will be left. The makers hope to release the film by January 2010 end.”

Shah Rukh can be an outstanding director: Karan Johar

Their last outing together was a damp squib, but Karan Johar hasn’t lost his faith in Shah Rukh Khan. He has once again teamed up with him and Kajol for “My Name Is Khan” and says the superstar is not only good at emoting but is capable of directing a film too.

“He had written reams of notes on how he wanted to interpret his character (in ‘My Name Is Khan’). And to him it was no big deal. He’s ready to direct a film any time. He will be outstanding at it,” Karan, whose last directorial venture “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna” fell flat at the box office, told in an interview.

For “My Name Is Khan”, Karan is bringing Shah Rukh and Kajol together on screen after a long time and he says they bring out the best in him.

“I’m blessed to have them in my film. I don’t know what it is about them. It’s just magic. They build an inexplicable energy on screen. When I direct a scene with Shah Rukh and Kajol, I know I’m doing my best work,” he said.

“My Name Is Khan” is about a Muslim who suffers from the Asperger syndrome, a form of autism that impacts social interaction abilities, and he is arrested as a suspected terrorist in post-9/11 Los Angeles after authorities mistake his disability for suspicious behaviour.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: “My Name Is Khan” has no lip-sync songs?

A: No, none. The songs are all in the background. In LA, we had fans coming to us to ask if there was any track like “Suraj hua madham” in “My Name Is Khan”. This time there’s no “It’s the time to disco” and “Where’s the party tonight”. But there’s guts, soul and heart in the music. I’ve a huge comfort zone with my composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. That’s the only way good work can be done.

Q: Apparently, Javed Akhtar refused to share lyrical credits with Niranjan Iyer?

A: Javed-saab is a father figure and our rapport goes way beyond work. Niranjan has written the dialogues and two songs in “My Name Is Khan”. Javed-saab was gracious enough to let Nirajan write the rest of the songs. And when I insisted, Javed-saab had to write one song that only he could and he very kindly agreed. He’s also written the lyrics of my production “Wake Up, Sid”.

Q: How was it directing Shah Rukh and Kajol again?

A: I am blessed to have them in my film. I don’t know what it is about them. It’s just magic. They build an inexplicable energy on screen. They instinctively understand each other’s acting. When I direct a scene with Shah Rukh and Kajol, I know I’m doing my best work. These two characters in “My Name Is Khan” had to be Shah Rukh and Kajol.

Q: You almost didn’t get Kajol?

A: She had to read the script. That was it. She said yes. I wouldn’t want any actor to say yes to my film just because he or she is a friend. I want my actors to really do the role. I’ve great friendships, but I don’t want any actor to compromise on his or her basic tenets on cinema.

Q: Was Kajol weighed down on location by her motherly duties?

A: Not at all. I’ve worked with Kajol in various stages of her life. I’m working with her again eight years later. When we worked the last time, she didn’t have a daughter. So, of course, she’s a different person. Today, I find her calmer more focused on her work than ever before. Kajol manages to be fantastic wife-mother and actress.

I find Shah Rukh and Kajol alike in their attitude to work and family. They’re both so much into their spouses and kids. When the shot is over, they rush to their respective family. On location in LA between shots they spoke to each other about their respective families.

Q: How was Shah Rukh?

A: Time and again I’m blown away by Shah Rukh. How can he think of so many things about his character when he has so much on his plate? He has done monumental research on his autistic character. I was zapped by how much he knew on the subject. And he brought all the knowledge on the sets.

He had written reams of notes on how he wanted to interpret his character. And to him it was no big deal. He’s ready to direct a film any time. He will be outstanding at it. His understanding of human nature and emotions can never be matched by me.

Indians and Pakistanis, we’re all the same: Shah Rukh Khan

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

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

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

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

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

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

Invited by a Pakistani journalist to visit Pakistan, said: “I also do wish to go there – my family’s there.”

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

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

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

When cartoons went looking for Shah Rukh in San Francisco

His fan following across the world is anybody’s guess. But what came as a surprise was that two cartoon characters roamed the streets of San Francisco looking out for Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who was shooting in the city.
While shooting there for “My Name Is Khan”, Shah Rukh was visited by two green coloured, flubber-like characters Chouw and Mouw who had roamed across the city searching for the actor.

The characters barged into Shah Rukh’s van and when they were stopped by the security, they started screaming for the actor who stepped out and surprised the unit by identifying them as his friends from India.

Chouw and Mouw also got him a gift, which was confiscated by the security, who looked at it suspiciously. The gift box contained a switch that Shah Rukh hit to unveil Videocon’s green lava-like new logo over the Golden Gate Bridge.

“I am delighted to receive such a wonderful gift from my friends Chouw and Mouw in the form of the new Videocon logo…I am confident, my best friends Chouw and Mouw will be loved by all and they are sure to capture millions of hearts and create smiles across the world. My best wishes to Chouw and Mouw,” Shah Rukh said at the location, according to a statement released here Wednesday.

Being the central characters of the new ad campaign, Chouw and Mouw depict positive dimension of change. They are shown in different situations transforming the lives of people. While Chouw is the bigger, giant looking character with a kind and empathetic heart, Mouw is tiny and small but clever and street smart.

Produced by Karan Johar, “My Name Is Khan” is about a Muslim (Shah Rukh) who suffers from Asperger syndrome, a form of autism which impacts social interaction abilities and he is arrested as a suspected terrorist in post 9/11 Los Angeles after the authorities mistake his disability for suspicious behaviour.

Also starring Kajol, the film is scheduled for a 2010 release.