Virile. Vulnerable. And so wicked. Shah Rukh Khan banters around with SUBHADRA DEVAN.
"I GET up in the morning, give one shot, one look, and do one fighting jump, and I am happy with that." The quote about a mundane morning comes in a smooth baritone from the figure, whose torso is cut like a diamond in a black Armani suit.
Bollywood's leading man Shah Rukh Khan (picture) gracefully slips into a warm brown fabric armchair, which matches the colour of his eyes, on the Tag Heuer stage at the Olive Restaurant of Hotel Genting to give mortal Malaysians some insights from the Don himself.
Against his smooth teh si-colour skin, the crisp white black-polka-dotted shirt glows. His polished black shoes sparkle. There is a whiff of a spicy, woody scent.
It is the morning of the Sunday of the Zee Cine TV awards and Shah Rukh is up, for the umpteenth time, for India's Best Actor award in a show televised live from Malaysia to an audience of millions the world over.
He sits on the edge of the chair, smoking a Wills Classic cigarette, giving rapid-fire answers to a myriad of questions. Even if he wants to talk about his morning routine in the bathroom, you listen and take notes.
Shah Rukh speaks with some self-deprecation about awards, films and life.
"Acting is like writing a poem or painting a picture. You don't stop just because you've made Mona Lisa...
"And you don't know if you've made a Mona Lisa. You cannot gauge, give paradigms or give marks to your own work.
"You cannot say, oh I've done the greatest film in the world. The world has to say that and after the world says that, many a time you don't know (if) it's your greatest film.
"It's a misnomer (this best actor award), that the world can turn around and say lovely shot... and I don't think so.
"I'm like, maybe I can do something different. Not better but different."
With more than 50 films under his neat black belt, Shah Rukh goes on to say that "you don't always have a sense of achievement" and that's why the award is called the actor of the year.
The affable guy thinks he has done well in the career he chose. "I am just a hardworking actor who's having a good run.
"I don't like this term 'best'. I think it's not good. If a girl is acting well, or a guy is doing well, then I wish them the best. I say, don't work too hard.
"I don't get too deep into what others are doing... I'm too involved in my own life. I'm a little selfish when it comes to work. I just do my thing."
When asked about his smoking despite reports that he was India's anti-smoking hero, he shot back:
"People will write all kinds of stuff. You know, you're a journalist. A lot of stuff is written and this is one of those items. I never gave it up."
The self-confessed workaholic feels that one should always keep working. As an actor, "you should always be coming up with something to surprise your times".
"Many a time, people may have given up on an actor (but) after his new film (they say), that wasn't bad."
He seems rugged enough to be at home with the lyrical impulses of the soul. Shah Rukh has acted as villain (as in Darr), romantic hero Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayengein and romantic comedian (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Baadshah). And he has won accolades for all three types of acting.
Bad, good or funny, Shah Rukh Khan - whose name is rarely divided into three parts when spoken - is a household name to billions around the world.
But, "there are no roles in Hollywood for me. I think I'm not good enough for Hollywood," he says.
With one eyebrow cocked, Shah Rukh explains: "If I were to do a film in Hollywood, then it has to be about a 40-year-old who is brown, who's short, has lots of hair and is an Indian."
He adds that "it's not up to him to decide if he wants to work in Tinseltown".
"And I'm too old to restart a career somewhere new. I am too well enconsced where I am to move. And nobody from there has ever called me.
"I can't just turn up there (in Los Angeles) and say I want to act in one your films. Aishwarya, and others, yeah, they are wanted. And in my age group, Hollywood has many actors, so I don't think they need me but I've never been offered so I've never thought of it really."
You wonder if he has thought of expanding his celluloid resume with art movies.
"Well, I've done Paheli (his own production company's 2005 film and nominated for an Oscar).
"I was told to do Water (Deepa Mehta's film on widowhood) but I had no time.
"I really have no demarcation between art and commercial. But it needs to be offered, you see, I can't write it myself.
"Now, I will be doing one film a year on women-oriented issues because I like women, so I'll do a film which says things about such issues without being in your face.
"This year, I am doing a film about women and field hockey, Chak De India. It is about the Indian women's hockey team coming to the World Cup in Australia. The problems they face with regards to freedom of choice in their field.
"So I'll do that (one women's social commentary film) but yeah, Water could have been a good women-oriented film, yes."
As Shah Rukh says this, he is bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet, his muscles taut against the fabric of the trousers.
So how does this I-have-no-time-to-waste guy keep fit?
"I don't know. I have bad habits - I eat very little, don't exercise regularly.
"I lead a simple way of life, so I eat very simply. That sort of helps."
Almost Zeus-like he maybe to Hindi movie-goers, but when seated not three feet away, there is a sense of vulnerability about Shah Rukh. In the Nasreen Munni Kabir documentry, The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan, he spoke about losing his parents when he was in his teens.
In this interview, he mentions his wife and children a number of times and said he will spend the next two months just with his family.
"I want to take my son especially to see the World Cup but to travel so far just for a few days is difficult, and to take small children..."
Adding to that sense of loss is the fact that at 42, Shah Rukh has had two spinal surgeries and one knee surgery.
"I do pull-ups for my arms and other exercises to strengthen my back. If I don't exercise, do weight training, the back - mainly the left side - starts packing up.
"I get bored with physiotheraphy, ayurvedia and yoga. They are good but I'm too impatient with all that.
"I will be taking two months off work, next month, to sort off rehabilitate. I don't carry heavy weights anymore."
He hopes he doesn't have to do anymore surgeries adding that the stunts are easier to do these days "because we have wire work". "Earlier you just jump. So that does help and I've grown older."
When asked about any rivalry for the king of Bollywood title, Shah Rukh replies with a smile: "I have no sense of competition.
"Lots of people ask me if I am competing with anyone. I'm not. I don't need to. I have my own space because I have been working a long time.
"And mine is a wonderful space to be in."
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/Sunpeople/Sunday/CoverSto ry/20070407193938/Article/index2_html
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