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Karan Johar: SRK is the biggest brand of India
Karan Johar and Shahrukh's friendship goes back a long way spanning over a decade. They've seen each other through the up and downs on each of their lives and over time their friendship has only grown stronger in an industry where relationships come with a time line attached to them.
Karan Johar and Shahrukh's friendship goes back a long way spanning over a decade. They've seen each other through the up and downs on each of their lives and over time their friendship has only grown stronger in an industry where relationships come with a time line attached to them.
Karan told us what he thinks of Shahrukh as a host and as an actor as well as the changes he has noted in him. Following is an excerpt from the interview:
How do you think SRK is fairing as the host of KBC?
I've seen most of the episodes barring one and what strikes me initially is that he is made himself immediately a people's person. I think the entire vibe of the show was very official and wonderful but I think from the time Shahrukh has taken over, it has taken a human element and his interaction with the people from the crowds around has been so Shahrukh centric because that's the person he is. He is a people's person and he is so warm, friendly, affectionate… so human. And I think he has brought all those elements to the show and I think that is and will be the USP of the show – that he has made a game show into a mild reality show.
What do you think of his transition as a hero to a host?
I think he has always projected very larger than life characters - very human, romantic, emotionally charged characters on celluloid. I think he has brought the goodness of the Rahuls and Rajs and the Amans into his new demeanor as the host of KBC. I think, eventually, all the values and traditions and the rightness and goodness that he has portrayed on celluloid, he has also brought into the show. I think that Shahrukh Khan - the host of KBC is an extension of that lover boy image that he is known for over the decades and I think that goodness and value system will take him a long way as a host.
What changes do you find in Shahrukh as an actor?
I think SRK started off as an amazing actor with his roots in Delhi theatre and Delhi stage. I think he always came as a performer. He was always an actor. An actor is always an actor. I think you can get better and go from strength to strength but you have to always have that basic needs and he more than fulfills that. I think what he has done is made himself into a brand and a star. In fact I think today he's more than a star.
How would you describe Shahrukh as a person? Do you find any change in him?
More than his on-screen presence I think what's most wonderful about Shahrukh is how he has projected his off screen presence. I think he is a star not because of his performances on celluloid… not because of his brilliant moments on the silver screen. He is a star because of his off-screen projection as a father, as a husband and as a human being. And he is not necessarily putting on this presence because that's just the way he really is. He is an icon in that respect. He is an iconic husband… he is an iconic father and I think that completely translates even in a game show and it comes across. I think he is the huge super star and the biggest brand of India because of his off screen persona and that the extra bit he has that no one else does.
What is your first memory of SRK?
I think the first time I met Shahrukh was on the sets of Karan Arjun. I was very weary of meeting a star and my father had gone there to sign him for Duplicate. My father had asked me to come as he wanted me to start doing the rounds. So I said 'Yea ok but I've heard he's is this big arrogant star from Delhi and tries to throw himself on everyone with what he has to say… that he is very opinionated arrogant super star'. Anyways so I went there with my father and I remember he was shooting the video for the song Jaati Hoon Main with Kajol so I remember calling her and saying please support me and I'm very nervous as I'm meeting Shahrukh for the first time with my father today. I hadn't ever done that you know… I haven't done the studio rounds before. And my first reaction was 'God he can talk!' He spoke nineteen to a dozen and he was so warm. And what struck me then was what I see even on the show today – he was so wonderfully respectful to my father and my father wasn't the biggest or most successful of producers at that point of time. I have always looked up to people who gave my father that respect and he was so respectful to my father that I fell in love with him the first day I met him. I would say that day I spent with Shahrukh just went on and grew and emerged as one of the strongest relationships of my life. I now say he is a part of my family and I look at him as an elder brother but looking back I think I figured that out in the first week of knowing Shahrukh Khan and I think that's his magic and that's his power.
How do you think SRK is fairing as the host of KBC?
I've seen most of the episodes barring one and what strikes me initially is that he is made himself immediately a people's person. I think the entire vibe of the show was very official and wonderful but I think from the time Shahrukh has taken over, it has taken a human element and his interaction with the people from the crowds around has been so Shahrukh centric because that's the person he is. He is a people's person and he is so warm, friendly, affectionate… so human. And I think he has brought all those elements to the show and I think that is and will be the USP of the show – that he has made a game show into a mild reality show.
What do you think of his transition as a hero to a host?
I think he has always projected very larger than life characters - very human, romantic, emotionally charged characters on celluloid. I think he has brought the goodness of the Rahuls and Rajs and the Amans into his new demeanor as the host of KBC. I think, eventually, all the values and traditions and the rightness and goodness that he has portrayed on celluloid, he has also brought into the show. I think that Shahrukh Khan - the host of KBC is an extension of that lover boy image that he is known for over the decades and I think that goodness and value system will take him a long way as a host.
What changes do you find in Shahrukh as an actor?
I think SRK started off as an amazing actor with his roots in Delhi theatre and Delhi stage. I think he always came as a performer. He was always an actor. An actor is always an actor. I think you can get better and go from strength to strength but you have to always have that basic needs and he more than fulfills that. I think what he has done is made himself into a brand and a star. In fact I think today he's more than a star.
How would you describe Shahrukh as a person? Do you find any change in him?
More than his on-screen presence I think what's most wonderful about Shahrukh is how he has projected his off screen presence. I think he is a star not because of his performances on celluloid… not because of his brilliant moments on the silver screen. He is a star because of his off-screen projection as a father, as a husband and as a human being. And he is not necessarily putting on this presence because that's just the way he really is. He is an icon in that respect. He is an iconic husband… he is an iconic father and I think that completely translates even in a game show and it comes across. I think he is the huge super star and the biggest brand of India because of his off screen persona and that the extra bit he has that no one else does.
What is your first memory of SRK?
I think the first time I met Shahrukh was on the sets of Karan Arjun. I was very weary of meeting a star and my father had gone there to sign him for Duplicate. My father had asked me to come as he wanted me to start doing the rounds. So I said 'Yea ok but I've heard he's is this big arrogant star from Delhi and tries to throw himself on everyone with what he has to say… that he is very opinionated arrogant super star'. Anyways so I went there with my father and I remember he was shooting the video for the song Jaati Hoon Main with Kajol so I remember calling her and saying please support me and I'm very nervous as I'm meeting Shahrukh for the first time with my father today. I hadn't ever done that you know… I haven't done the studio rounds before. And my first reaction was 'God he can talk!' He spoke nineteen to a dozen and he was so warm. And what struck me then was what I see even on the show today – he was so wonderfully respectful to my father and my father wasn't the biggest or most successful of producers at that point of time. I have always looked up to people who gave my father that respect and he was so respectful to my father that I fell in love with him the first day I met him. I would say that day I spent with Shahrukh just went on and grew and emerged as one of the strongest relationships of my life. I now say he is a part of my family and I look at him as an elder brother but looking back I think I figured that out in the first week of knowing Shahrukh Khan and I think that's his magic and that's his power.
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