Posted:
SRK has had enough of Aamir's comments
By: Tushar Joshi
Date: 2009-02-11
SRK breaks his silence on Aamir's comments about him being PR-savvy
There are many things on Shah Rukh Khan's mind at the moment. His latest release is in the midst of controversy; next week, he goes into surgery; following which, the self-confessed workaholic will have to take a break from work.
For now, he's resting in Mannat, avoiding stepping out completely. He even had a channel fly in the live audience to his home to film a show that he'd committed to.
We chatted informally in his study at his residence. Here are excerpts from the chat...
Aamir said you don't market your films well, you only do PR, so have tried to do things differently with Billu?
Why is there an assumption that I would listen to what Aamir Khan thinks about me? In his mind, a lot of things he has done are right for him. But obviously, it's not the universal truth. So with due respect to his wonderful mind, I don't accept it. I do what's right for my film. I think every film has its own breathing space, it's own way of working and I think Billu only has this much space in that I've done what was needed for it.
Why do you think he feels that way about your marketing skills?
I think the case with Aamir is woh kehte hain na, naya-naya musalman hota hai? Toh woh naya-naya producer bana hai. Aamir, the producer, has a lot to do. He's produced one film (Lagaan) and a couple others that too in partnerships with people. We've been producing for a long time and we have discovered what is right and what is wrong. There is a certain public awareness you need to create for a film, depending on the film itself. It can't be ke mein Billu Barber hoon toh logon ke baal katna shuru karoon ya chadd jaoon unke sir pe. I think Ghajini was marketed very well. Actually, as much as Aamir knows the difference between marketing and PR, I don't know the difference. I am still the old-fashioned guy who thinks PR is a dirty word, and maybe so does Aamir, that's why he said it. But the fact that I speak to people I have known over the years is because of a personal relationship rather than a professional need, which makes people like me a little more.
Aamir said you've been talking about yourself for the last 20 years and have always pleased the media. Did you read about that?
Mein shehar mein toh tha nahin, toh jab sher jungle se baahar jaata hain to bahut log bahut kuch bolte aur karte hain. Sometimes I feel thoda zyada bol diya usne, but I don't hold it against him. I really don't live my life analysing anyone else's motives or remarks or decisions. I've always said am like a horse with blinkers on. You can market a film very well but it may tank, it happened with Asoka. I think Paheli was beautifully done. I went to the Oscars and did my thing, no one else has done this apparently; and I am taking the word of publicists there. I don't analyse Aamir at all. I don't have the time for it. I think I prey on his mind, but then I prey on everybody's mind, it's okay.
Did you think of calling him to clear matters?
No, I don't call him up. In fact, I don't call up anyone. He didn't call me up to say this, did he? It doesn't affect me. But I told him when he spoke about the dog reference that my children didn't like it. So he came home and said sort of a sorry to my kids. He very sweetly told them, "I love your dad, he's my friend and I didn't realise it..." But he didn't convince my kids. They really liked him, now they don't. Though I keep telling them, 'usko bhi pasand karlo yaar, koi baat nahin.' When I meet him I'll tell him those are two fans he has lost for sure. I had a lot of jokes about the dog bit, but my wife told me not to tell them. My wife has told me for the last 24 years, 'nobody understands your sense of humour. So just shut up, keep it to yourself.'
Are you avoiding the Filmfare awards because of the backlash you received last year?
I had decided last year itself that I would not do it. I mean, why waste your money on me when I can't come and entertain people by being funny. Might as well get someone else. I had always assumed that you can always joke about your friends, but I think I had assumed wrong. I've also realised that people aren't that easy about success and failure as I am. Maybe I am that easy because I've seen a lot of positive sides. By God's grace, I have become used to success so much that I also take failure in my stride.
Did you and Bhushan Kumar of T-Series have disagreements on how to promote Billu?
We've had a long association with T-Series for about nine years now, right from Chalte Chalte. Normally, people who associate with me for such a long time understand where I am coming from. We have a good equation, but yes, there are things we don't agree on. Bhushan understands the music is part of the film, so I know where he is going to do what, but I give him a lecture every two months and reprimand him, and I can do that as he is younger than me. However, the fact that the songs are doing well is because of him, he chose the right songs, he believed that the Deepika song Love Mera Hit Hit Soniye would do well. I can never have had a serious fight with him. I will continue to reprimand him anyway.
Will you be doing the next season of KBC?
Yes, I would love to do it. They have my dates. I don't know about the details yet, but it's a show I enjoyed being a part of. I will be meeting with them very soon to work out the formalities.
Billu releases february 13
https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2009/feb/110209-Shah-Rukh-Khan-controversy-Mannat-Aamir-Khan-Billu-Lagaan-Filmfare-awards-Bhushan-Kumar.htm
By: Tushar Joshi
Date: 2009-02-11
SRK breaks his silence on Aamir's comments about him being PR-savvy
There are many things on Shah Rukh Khan's mind at the moment. His latest release is in the midst of controversy; next week, he goes into surgery; following which, the self-confessed workaholic will have to take a break from work.
For now, he's resting in Mannat, avoiding stepping out completely. He even had a channel fly in the live audience to his home to film a show that he'd committed to.
We chatted informally in his study at his residence. Here are excerpts from the chat...
Aamir said you don't market your films well, you only do PR, so have tried to do things differently with Billu?
Why is there an assumption that I would listen to what Aamir Khan thinks about me? In his mind, a lot of things he has done are right for him. But obviously, it's not the universal truth. So with due respect to his wonderful mind, I don't accept it. I do what's right for my film. I think every film has its own breathing space, it's own way of working and I think Billu only has this much space in that I've done what was needed for it.
Why do you think he feels that way about your marketing skills?
I think the case with Aamir is woh kehte hain na, naya-naya musalman hota hai? Toh woh naya-naya producer bana hai. Aamir, the producer, has a lot to do. He's produced one film (Lagaan) and a couple others that too in partnerships with people. We've been producing for a long time and we have discovered what is right and what is wrong. There is a certain public awareness you need to create for a film, depending on the film itself. It can't be ke mein Billu Barber hoon toh logon ke baal katna shuru karoon ya chadd jaoon unke sir pe. I think Ghajini was marketed very well. Actually, as much as Aamir knows the difference between marketing and PR, I don't know the difference. I am still the old-fashioned guy who thinks PR is a dirty word, and maybe so does Aamir, that's why he said it. But the fact that I speak to people I have known over the years is because of a personal relationship rather than a professional need, which makes people like me a little more.
Aamir said you've been talking about yourself for the last 20 years and have always pleased the media. Did you read about that?
Mein shehar mein toh tha nahin, toh jab sher jungle se baahar jaata hain to bahut log bahut kuch bolte aur karte hain. Sometimes I feel thoda zyada bol diya usne, but I don't hold it against him. I really don't live my life analysing anyone else's motives or remarks or decisions. I've always said am like a horse with blinkers on. You can market a film very well but it may tank, it happened with Asoka. I think Paheli was beautifully done. I went to the Oscars and did my thing, no one else has done this apparently; and I am taking the word of publicists there. I don't analyse Aamir at all. I don't have the time for it. I think I prey on his mind, but then I prey on everybody's mind, it's okay.
Did you think of calling him to clear matters?
No, I don't call him up. In fact, I don't call up anyone. He didn't call me up to say this, did he? It doesn't affect me. But I told him when he spoke about the dog reference that my children didn't like it. So he came home and said sort of a sorry to my kids. He very sweetly told them, "I love your dad, he's my friend and I didn't realise it..." But he didn't convince my kids. They really liked him, now they don't. Though I keep telling them, 'usko bhi pasand karlo yaar, koi baat nahin.' When I meet him I'll tell him those are two fans he has lost for sure. I had a lot of jokes about the dog bit, but my wife told me not to tell them. My wife has told me for the last 24 years, 'nobody understands your sense of humour. So just shut up, keep it to yourself.'
Are you avoiding the Filmfare awards because of the backlash you received last year?
I had decided last year itself that I would not do it. I mean, why waste your money on me when I can't come and entertain people by being funny. Might as well get someone else. I had always assumed that you can always joke about your friends, but I think I had assumed wrong. I've also realised that people aren't that easy about success and failure as I am. Maybe I am that easy because I've seen a lot of positive sides. By God's grace, I have become used to success so much that I also take failure in my stride.
Did you and Bhushan Kumar of T-Series have disagreements on how to promote Billu?
We've had a long association with T-Series for about nine years now, right from Chalte Chalte. Normally, people who associate with me for such a long time understand where I am coming from. We have a good equation, but yes, there are things we don't agree on. Bhushan understands the music is part of the film, so I know where he is going to do what, but I give him a lecture every two months and reprimand him, and I can do that as he is younger than me. However, the fact that the songs are doing well is because of him, he chose the right songs, he believed that the Deepika song Love Mera Hit Hit Soniye would do well. I can never have had a serious fight with him. I will continue to reprimand him anyway.
Will you be doing the next season of KBC?
Yes, I would love to do it. They have my dates. I don't know about the details yet, but it's a show I enjoyed being a part of. I will be meeting with them very soon to work out the formalities.
Billu releases february 13
https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2009/feb/110209-Shah-Rukh-Khan-controversy-Mannat-Aamir-Khan-Billu-Lagaan-Filmfare-awards-Bhushan-Kumar.htm
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