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What it takes to be the 'King of Bollywood'
Film journalist cum author, Anupama Chopra's book King Of Bollywood takes a look at the evolution of the Indian film industry through the dramatic rise of Shah Rukh Khan's career. Anupama says that the book aims to give its reader an introduction into the industry and, for her, that was only possible through whom she considers the biggest superstar and the ambassador of Bollywood.
Film journalist cum author, Anupama Chopra's book King Of Bollywood takes a look at the evolution of the Indian film industry through the dramatic rise of Shah Rukh Khan's career. Anupama says that the book aims to give its reader an introduction into the industry and, for her, that was only possible through whom she considers the biggest superstar and the ambassador of Bollywood.
"I definitely think he is the face of Bollywood… he is the emblem of so many things in the industry. I thought through his story and his body of work I could tell a lot more stories and that's why I selected him. I was very fascinated about the dramatic rise of SRK in Bollywood and his connection with the new world of today, his connection with this new evolved face of Bollywood. So I wanted to explore all of that. I wanted to do a book that was a portrait of the industry through the life and times of SRK."
Anupama says that the four years she spent in the company of SRK while writing the book gave her an insight into the man that very few even in Khan's closest circle may have not got to see. Chopra says that no one would know the fact that Shah Rukh's dad, Taj Khan, wanted to try his luck in Bollywood. "I didn't know that his father had also come to Bollywood to become an actor. He was a very good looking, very handsome man. And he spent about a year in Bombay trying to make a career in Bollywood but never managed to make it. And it's a very strange sad story… And then for his son to make the same journey 40 years later…"
King of Bollywood also looks back at what can be called the King Khan's debut film which not many know about. "I learnt that Shah Rukh's first movie was a small hinglish film called In Which Annie Gives It those Ones by Arundhati Roy in which SRK plays a very tiny role which is very funny," says Anupama, "The film is not available on DVD or anywhere so I had to go all the way to the archives in Pune to get access to it. It was just fascinating to see him that young and playing this itsy role!"
Anupama says this was the first time that she also got to hear of the lows of Shah Rukh as an actor. "He also spoke very openly about his lows and highs with Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani. You know the kind of lows he went through as a person and an actor at that point… How the extent of that failure affected him as an actor...for me all of those were very interesting things."
She hopes this book helps people to get a better understanding of the man and the industry. "He is extremely courteous and polite. I have never seen him be rude to anyone, let alone a fan. The only thing that bothers him is if he is disturbed when he is eating. He wants to eat peacefully… I think that's the only time when I have seen him get a little bit irritated. I also asked him about how he feels when he sees thousands of fans screaming out to him. And he said 'I never understand why they love me so much. I want to make sure they go away with something. That they go away with a good time. So for me it's always an attempt to make them have a good time… a memorable time' … and I think that's what he truly wants and feels."
Having travelled all over the world to lecture at various institutes, Chopra says that it was natural for her to have SRK as the focus of the book considering the reaction he gets from his international audience. "Somebody like SRK is very easy to love. Here you have this man who is global in his persona, who exemplifies in his Rahul and Raj character, the best of Indian culture which is what the NRIs want to see. It's all about loving your parents, about joint families, about being rich but still maintaining values. So I think his brand of cinema is a wonderful, comfortable, lovely, fluffy, warm kind of cinema. It's very reassuring and hip cinema. These are kids who are living in US and UK who can't relate to some dodgy looking production but they understand his kind of cinema where they all are wearing DKNY jackets and driving cars. He even makes infidelity look good!"
Chopra says King Khan has a very interesting take on why he hasn't set his sights on Hollywood. SRK told her 'Let me be very honest. I don't have a career in Hollywood because no one has offered me a role!'
"I guess he thinks 'I don't have what it takes to be a global star from Hollywood but I have what it takes to be a global star from Bollywood and I'm very proud of it.' He is very realistic and honest about it and that's what you will find in this book - an honest account of the life and times of superstar of the country!" explains Anupama.
King of Bollywood also looks back at what can be called the King Khan's debut film which not many know about. "I learnt that Shah Rukh's first movie was a small hinglish film called In Which Annie Gives It those Ones by Arundhati Roy in which SRK plays a very tiny role which is very funny," says Anupama, "The film is not available on DVD or anywhere so I had to go all the way to the archives in Pune to get access to it. It was just fascinating to see him that young and playing this itsy role!"
Anupama says this was the first time that she also got to hear of the lows of Shah Rukh as an actor. "He also spoke very openly about his lows and highs with Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani. You know the kind of lows he went through as a person and an actor at that point… How the extent of that failure affected him as an actor...for me all of those were very interesting things."
She hopes this book helps people to get a better understanding of the man and the industry. "He is extremely courteous and polite. I have never seen him be rude to anyone, let alone a fan. The only thing that bothers him is if he is disturbed when he is eating. He wants to eat peacefully… I think that's the only time when I have seen him get a little bit irritated. I also asked him about how he feels when he sees thousands of fans screaming out to him. And he said 'I never understand why they love me so much. I want to make sure they go away with something. That they go away with a good time. So for me it's always an attempt to make them have a good time… a memorable time' … and I think that's what he truly wants and feels."
Having travelled all over the world to lecture at various institutes, Chopra says that it was natural for her to have SRK as the focus of the book considering the reaction he gets from his international audience. "Somebody like SRK is very easy to love. Here you have this man who is global in his persona, who exemplifies in his Rahul and Raj character, the best of Indian culture which is what the NRIs want to see. It's all about loving your parents, about joint families, about being rich but still maintaining values. So I think his brand of cinema is a wonderful, comfortable, lovely, fluffy, warm kind of cinema. It's very reassuring and hip cinema. These are kids who are living in US and UK who can't relate to some dodgy looking production but they understand his kind of cinema where they all are wearing DKNY jackets and driving cars. He even makes infidelity look good!"
Chopra says King Khan has a very interesting take on why he hasn't set his sights on Hollywood. SRK told her 'Let me be very honest. I don't have a career in Hollywood because no one has offered me a role!'
"I guess he thinks 'I don't have what it takes to be a global star from Hollywood but I have what it takes to be a global star from Bollywood and I'm very proud of it.' He is very realistic and honest about it and that's what you will find in this book - an honest account of the life and times of superstar of the country!" explains Anupama.
source: www.indya.com
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