Shahrukh wants Indian cinema to break sha

"I think it is the time that our film industry get recognised on it's own merit. It is time that Indian films and film makers and the audience do not have to be on the periphery of world cinema," Shahrukh said here last night.

"I think and I believe we are as good as it gets. I want everyone to know that and that would happen if we all believe that we are not just an exotic nation of snake charmers but a media literate and educated upcoming economy," the actor, whose film 'Paheli' is vying for an Oscar nomination, said.

Shahrukh, who was on his way to Los Angeles to lobby for the Oscar nominations, said Indian films had so far got only "a small opportunity and a little window globally".

"Our effort is to make it a world-wide phenomena."

Interacting with a group of Indians at the Nehru Centre here, Shahrukh, who turned 40 last month, said that a long road lay ahead before him and winning laurels at home was more satisfying than getting an Oscar.

Admitting that Paheli, directed by Amol Palekar and starring Rani Mukherjee in the lead female role, was not a "huge" commercial success, Shahrukh said the film dealt with a "woman's right to make a choice".

'Paheli', based on the novel by leading Rajasthani writer Vijaydan Detha, is the story of a ghost who falls in love with a woman, then takes the form of her husband to be with her.

A brief preview of the film was shown on the occasion before Shahrukh addressed the gathering and fielded questions from the audience.

Copyright 2005 by MusicIndiaOnLine.com