Shahrukh Khan: Driven by the Devil

Fans had better not put him on a pedestal or think they own him. Shah Rukh Khan gives but does not necessarily share. "I am not a hero. I am like a cigarette: experience at own risk. But many people turn around and say, 'you owe it to society'! I don't owe a damn to society. What I owe them is, you pay me and I will entertain you. I will sing, dance, make you laugh or cry. If you watch me on video, I don't even owe you that much. I have no social or moral obligation or value judgements."

To telescope the 90s' star soul, bookmark Khan. Packaged to suit inconsistent times, intelligent, opportunity-driven, with a set of priorities and the freedom to choose.... He can be pilloried and praised for the same thing - giving so much of himself. But the mantra of Yeh dil maange more is pure strategy.

"If you don't talk openly about yourself, you become an enigma. My strategy is to talk so much that nobody wants to pry into what I actually am. So what I really am is a complete secret." It is an intelligent strategy that succeeds. There are few questions that he will not field. Is he gay? Well, many think so because, "I am more comfortable with men than with women but I will only have a woman masseuse...."

The search for an audience began on a painful note. A back injury, while playing football deflected the Delhi schoolboy's goal to be a sportsman and he took up drama with Barry John's Theatre Action Group. His first public stage appearance was as the Wizard of Oz in a St. Columbus School version of the play. "Barry is my guru in terms of whatever I know. Another teacher I owe is Brother Eric D'Souza. He put me in many plays."

Television had already made this Delhi-based actor popular, only to lose him to films with just the right touch of drama. Dil Aashna Hai happened when he finally realised that the dogged caller to Delhi was not some crank but Hema Malini, calling to offer him a role in her first film. She had seen him in serials like Circus and Fauji. "When my mother died of cancer I just wanted to take a break and came to Mumbai for a year. I thought I would go back after a couple of films. I still haven't...."

As people ebb and flow around him, whether at Film City or at Mehboob Studio in Bandra, he introduces present company to co-star, directors, M.F. Husain; friend to everyone who stops to chat. Politeness is never at odds with shades of reserve or mirth. As long as you treat him with respect, the courtesy will be returned…. "I have always been an arrogant and pompous actor, not a person. And there is a difference. It's been 10 years now and nobody seems to understand that. They all think I am very arrogant but I am very proud of what I do and I take great pride in how I act." And risk is an overrated word. "If someone says this is not good stuff to do, I would go and do it."

The devil rides the hunger to prove himself…. "Whatever I do and sell, I do it with pride, with a lot of hard work, so don't envy my stardom. If you can do it, go ahead, spend five days with me and at the cost of what I give, try it. I am very proud of what I do...."

What if everything were to be taken away from him now? For once, the answer doesn't roll off easily. Clutching his arms, he smiles and then, "I would be devastated. I don't know what I would do."