Articles: Shahrukh Khan - Page 9

'A lot of people wanted to believe I was going to be nervous'

Khan with his first contestant, Prasenjit Sarkar

What was shooting for the initial episodes like? From a viewer point of view, you seemed a little nervous, which is very unusual for you. I've never been nervous doing my job. It's like saying, when the first three scenes of my film run, I seem nervous and the rest (of the film) is okay. I guess everyone very clearly, pointedly wanted to look at it (KBC). Even right now, KBC has not gone out of scrutiny (laughs); people are still scrutinising it. If you are going to scrutinise things, you are going to see what you believe is the reality. I think a lot of people wanted to believe I was going to be nervous. That I was going to be disturbed about being compared, I'm going to be... it goes on and on and on. I think whoever felt I would be nervous found me nervous. Whoever thinks I am over the top will find me over the top. Whoever thinks I am sweet and nice will find me sweet and nice. I'll tell you honestly, when you do a film or an enactment or a performance, the way a viewer sees it is, somewhere down the line, a projection of what the person feels. People sometimes want to be like the star. Sometimes, people feel the star is just like me. I guess KBC was something which, of course, had been built up by the media as a case in point where I'll be nervous and I'll try to match up with the previous host or I will try to outdo... I get to hear people say they don't like me hugging; I get people who say they like me hugging. The truth is -- I do what I enjoy doing on that show. It's very impromptu and it's very natural. Maybe in the 50th episode, I'll be nervous again (laughs). But I don't know... it will depend on how people see it. Overall, most of the people have told me I smile a lot, so I think they are seeing the smile. I wasn't nervous. Of course, there is always the stress of doing something new, whether it is a film or a television show or a live show. In the first few shows, you try to even out the rough edges. That's a professional thing. It's like what I do as an actor. And those edges and the technicalities, I think I will smoothen out.

I think I have been doing the job long enough not really to be a nervous wreck.

'That one hour is to make you a bigger star than Shah Rukh Khan'

It was fun watching you with Santosh -- Rachna Sharma's mother (Episode 8). Sorry, you know, I am bad at names, I forget names. That does not mean they are not important to me. This is the teacher from Jind, right? Yes. Ya, ya. She was good. Many times, when people come on the shows, there are four emotions very clearly there. They are very uptight. They are very nervous because they are carrying the whole burden of, perhaps, like the lady said in the beginning -- I don't know whether she said it on the show or not, I think she did -- she said, you know, I am carrying the burden of this whole small township. And I am a teacher. And, see, it's... it is very nerve wracking. I don't know if you guys can come and see (the show) while it is being shot -- you have a movie star sitting in front of you; you have 500 people sitting around you; you have never perhaps been on television in your life; you've never worn makeup -- at least the kind they expect you to wear; you have been waiting for two-and-a-half hours with butterflies in your stomach, wondering if you will make it from the fastest finger first section to the hot seat. And when you do, then there is this whole chance that your life could change or you could completely be embarrassed. Under the circumstances, some people get very uptight and Rachna was one of them. But I think it is my fault; I should have been able to put her more at ease though I think it would take a few sittings with her to do that (laughs). She was a little on the strict, uptight side... And then, she was very nervous. At the end of the show, she came up to me and said I'm feeling bad that I behaved the way I did with you. And I would like to say that you are a gentleman and you have very good values. I was a bit rude to you. (When a KBC contestant chooses to leave the show with the money he/ she has won, instead of tackling a question to which they do not know the answer, Khan had asked them to hug him instead of saying 'I'm abandoning the game.' When Rachna decided to leave the game, she said so and added that she had no desire to hug Khan. The celebrity host hugged her mother, Santosh, instead and gave the cheque to her.) A lot of my people, while watching, they got very angry. How could you allow this, they asked? You must tell them not to show this. But my logic is that one hour is to make you a bigger star than Shah Rukh Khan. That whole idea is that.

I may never see them again. Most probably I won't. Neither will they ever see me live again. Neither will have an opportunity like this. So I hope they can carry back these 45 minutes, half an hour, one hour that they spend at KBC feeling they were the biggest stars in the country, or at least that they were bigger than Shah Rukh Khan.

'Tell me some way to make people smile a little more'

What do your wife and kids think of the programme? They like it. I have never seen my kids wanting to see any of my stuff so diligently. They finish their homework at 9 now. Earlier they used to finish their homework at 10 o'clock and go to sleep. Now they finish their homework at 9, so they sit at the dining table and they find me quite funny. My wife thinks it's nice. She is quite critical at times about stuff and she feels it's really, really, really nice. The thing is, I think there are a set of people who like the show a lot more, which makes me really, really happy. Kids are taking to it. You know, normally, at the end of the show every night, I get about 40 to 50 SMSes from very different people who say 'we have not seen KBC before but we really like it because it is very funny and very relaxed. We enjoy the questions as much as the banter that you have.' I'm quite happy I have been able to entertain, to bring KBC back into the limelight, bring it into news. See all these are now part and parcel of commercial success. We have to do this I guess. But what makes me sad is when you hear people just harping on the numbers.

There was a radio channel that was giving me suggestions as to what to do to make the TRPs rise. And I was like, 'oh, I never did it for the TRPs. Please tell me some way to make people smile a little more. I'm sure not very many people can do that.'

'My kids ask me, papa what are we, Hindu? Muslim? We are both na?'

A lot of young people hesitate to get into inter-communal marriage, on account of various pressures, family, societal etc. As a Muslim married to a Hindu, what is your advice to young lovers? Well, just marry. We did a film called KANK, which people were sort of slightly disturbed with. But the message was this: you marry only for the sake of love and friendship. You marry because you think he/she is a good person to wake up with, be with. He is my friend or she is my friend, and you know, religion, discipline, communities, mohallas, relatives, and parents, everybody has a viewpoint, but you got to remember that finally it's about your life with someone, and if you think someone is right for you, you need to go ahead and do it. I think the educated youth of our country and everywhere else, I think communalism and religion and inter-caste is becoming a thing of the past. It is only left as an agenda for politicians now. And you have to remember as a youngster, that even if you intend being a politician, do not make this as your agenda at least for your marriage. Just go ahead and do it. When I meet youngsters now, I think nobody is really bothered. Like my kids ask me, papa what are we, Hindu? Muslim? We are both na? They are quite happy about it yaar. They know the difference, and the difference makes them realise that there is really no big difference! Because mom and dad both seem to be quite cool, and we like them each. In my house when kids can grow up like this I am sure youngsters, if they grow up with this belief that religion should only be considered as a discipline, and nothing beyond that.

I am Islamic by birth, I follow that religion, that's a discipline. I should do things because it disciplines your life in a certain way. Somehow the things culturally have changed, and you need to grow out of them and accept that change and know that okay, you don't need to be doing this because this happened only five hundred years ago because there was a need for this kind of discipline then, and is no longer required. So you got to read it and understand religion. And if you understand religion you will understand one thing, that there's no problem in inter-caste, inter-communal marriages.

'I haven't got any comments from Mr and Mrs Bachchan'

To return to Kaun Banega Crorepati, what is the nicest thing you have heard from the film industry about the show? And the worst? See, I have been getting messages from co-actors and actresses who I have worked with. Like Mr Yash Chopra calls me every night (laughs) to tell me bahut achcha hai beta. Adi (Aditya Chopra) calls me. Karan calls me. These are friends so I meet them every day so, of course, they have a little bias with me. They have a little pro-me extra. But they love it. They think I have changed the whole methodology of presenting the show. And they are very thrilled with it. And they are very happy that is something in television, or in the media, that shows how I am personally rather than just acting out things. Maybe now people will stop saying that I act same to same in every film because I am very different in KBC (laughs). But, apart from that I think you know like... Preity will suddenly call me. They call me quite regularly. Or SMS me after every show. Or Rani will SMS ke that we are rolling on the floor with laughter. So a lot of people who've from the film industry... But I am working. So I only get network after 7 pm but I do get messages at night from a lot of my friends, a lot of my colleagues. Strangely, I really have not got... one message was very negative. Except for that, I haven't got a negative message in the last 500 or 600 SMSes that I have received. What was that? I don't know... Some journalist, somewhere, deep down, deep recesses of some area has sent me a message that I am copying Mr Bachchan which was as far from the truth as it could possibly be so I assume he is seeing the wrong show. Have you got any comments from Mr or Mrs Bachchan?

No, I haven't got any.

'I've got a lady to speak like my wife'

Whose comment has meant the most to you? You know, if I were just starting out in this career, you know, these things would be answerable. Personally speaking? There are a 140 people working on this show. And they turn around and they tell me, it's great to work with you Mr Khan. And I think that's a nice comment because you know, at your job place, if the people you are working for and working with -- like a Siddharth Basu or a Sameer or a Sharmishta Roy, the ADs or the camera men... I think the best compliment I have had is that when I start the show, the cameramen need to move their body away from the camera because they start laughing and the camera shakes. Siddharth told them listen, the first directive when he saw the first show and there were a lot of shakes in the camera the first direction we need to have is that the cameramen will not shake when Mr Khan is speaking even if you find it funny, please move your body away from the camera. I thought that was a nice compliment You always end the show with a call that you get from your wife... I sometimes end it. You know, sometimes when the guy has just lost a lot of money, I don't feel personally like making a joke at the end of the show. I get a little... we're taping some shows where the guy has sort of lost... had a big crash... what is known as a big crash in our terminology and I'm like, listen, I don't want to be sitting in front of him and cracking a joke about my wife's call. So I try to avoid it that time and just say ghar jane ka waqt aa gaya. But sometimes, ya... There's one episode where we have, where my wife... You get the voice also... Oh? Really?

Ya, but you don't really hear her speak. So I got a lady to speak like my wife.

Amitabh wants to replace Shah Rukh in 'Dhoom 3'?

by Debasis Jana

If the rumourmongers are to be believed, Amitabh Bachchan is keen to play the bad guy in 'Dhoom 3'. However as per latest, Yash Raj Films has already set to cast Shah Rukh in the role. A close source says Amitabh Bachchan has even approached Aditya Chopra asking him to sign him up instead of SRK. As you know, Abhishek Bachchan will not be cast in 'Dhoom 3'. So 'Dhoom 3' will have no Bachchans, and Big B in no cost wants to let SRK take the cake away alone. As per source, Amitabh has said to Aditya that he's young and able enough to do the role that Shah Rukh Khan is supposed to do, and his age should be no barrier for the stunts. However Aditya is not happy, as he wants Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan in the film and not Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan. Let's see whether Aditya Chopra can refuse Big B or not.

http://www.indiatarget.com/cgi-bin/detailnews.cgi?id=4340

"I will never enter politics," Shah Rukh!

by Debasis Jana

Shah Rukh Khan yet again revealed his unwillingness to join politics. Earlier, whenever the issue of he can join politics has come in fore, the Bollywood king has always dismissed it very politely by saying "politics is not my cup of tea".

In a recent interview, when asked, Shah Rukh made his stand even more clear. "I will never enter politics," said Shah Rukh.

Does he think politics is a bad word? "No, no, it is not that. I think appealing people should be movie actors, should not be politicians," he quipped.
Recently there was rumour that superstar Amitabh Bachchan would contest the next presidential election as a Samajwadi Party candidate, however Amitabh Bachchan has rubbished off the rumour outright.

In India , filmstars are turning politicians and politicians are becoming filmstars is a very common feature. However filmstars are now maintaining a safe distance from politics is a very good development for politics as well as films also.

http://www.indiatarget.com/cgi-bin/detailnews.cgi?id=4338

Shah Rukh lost to Ram Gopal Varma!

by Debasis Jana

Shah Rukh Khan was keen to remake 'Sholay', however before he made his decision out; Ram Gopal Varma announced his decision of remaking the Ramesh Sippy classic. "I would have done 'Sholay', but somebody's beaten us to it," said Shah Rukh recently in an interview.

"However, I'm okay. I don't mind," he added. It's not the first time however; Ram Gopal has made Shah Rukh feel out of track earlier also. Couple of months ago, Ramu had signed up SRK for a film titled 'Time Machine'; Kareena Kapoor was to play female lead opposite SRK, but before the shooting starts Ramu told SRK wouldn't fit the role best and till any suitable replacement comes in, the project would be kept under wrap. Nobody knows whether the 'Time Machine' will ever take off.

http://www.indiatarget.com/cgi-bin/detailnews.cgi?id=4341

Shah Rukh Khan rules out joining politics

20th Feb 2007 17.20 IST
By Agencies

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has yet again revealed his unwillingness to join politics.

Earlier, whenever the issue of SRK joining politics has come in fore, he has always dismissed it very politely by saying "politics is not my cup of tea".

In a recent interview, when asked, SRK made his stand even clearer. "I will never enter politics," the King Khan said.

Does he think politics is a bad word? "No, no, it is not that. I think appealing people should be movie actors, should not be politicians," he quipped.

Recently there was rumour that mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan would contest the next presidential election as a Samajwadi Party candidate, however Bachchan has rubbished off the rumour outright.

http://apunkachoice.com/scoop/bollywood/20070220-3.html