SRK to play a dwarf with an attitude in Aanand L Rai's film

Shah Rukh Khan is slowly and steadily detaching himself from the song-dance-action formula commercial films heavily rely on. Teaming up with directors such as Aanand L Rai and Imtiaz Ali are proof of that.

A mainstream superstar collaborating with a director (Aanand) who has subtly explored the Indian middle class in "Tanu Weds Manu," "Raanjhanaa" and "Tanu Weds Manu Returns" is an unusual combination, but also a very interesting one. Talking to the Hindu, the filmmaker said his movie with SRK follows the story of a three-foot-one-inch-tall man and his many misadventures in life.

"Mine is an ordinary character in extraordinary circumstances. It goes beyond India at one point but the seed is in Meerut. My films are more about the people than the place. So you will get to listen khadi boli and feel the temperament of the place...a dwarf with an attitude," the leading daily quoted him as saying.

Aanand is closely working with script-writer Himanshu Sharma, who is also up for the challenge (to pen an interesting story for the superstar). The makers are in no rush to begin the film and will only roll when Shah Rukh is ready.

"He (SRK) has great understanding of cinema and people. I connect very well with him. He is a star and can choose what he wants to do but now he is returning to this realistic space," Aanand said. He also reveal that the film is a love story of two incomplete people.

In other news, SRK has completed Rahul Dholakia's "Raees." It was earlier scheduled to release on Eid, the same day as Salman Khan's "Sultan," but the makers are now looking at blocking a different date. He also has portions of Gauri Shinde's project to finish, which stars Alia Bhatt in the lead.