Don't clash with Salman, SRK tells KJo

By Subhash K Jha

If Karan Johar has decided not to let his production We Are Family clash with Salman Khan's Dabangg it is because Shah Rukh Khan advised Karan to avert a clash.

Apparently Shah Rukh felt doubly protective towards We Are Family since it involved two of his closest friends Karan and Kajol. In fact when Shah Rukh came to know Kajol was expecting he went out of his way to accommodate his dates for Kareena in Ra.1 with We Are Family.

Says the We Are Family director Suddharth Malhotra, "Dabangg and Shankar's Robot are releasing on Eid. So we have the Bollwood's Rajnikanth (Salman) and Rajnikanth on the same day. It just made no sense for us to release with them.We are coming a week earlier, araam se."

It's not just Karan Johar who has gone out of his way for Shah Rukh Khan by doing a bit of shooting for SRK's Ra.1 in London. SRK too has gone out of his way for his buddy Karan's film We Are Family.

Throughout the making of the film Kareena's dates collided with Ra.1. Every time Shah Rukh relented and let Kareena get on with Karan's picture show.

Says a source. "When Shah Rukh got to know that Kajol was expecting he understood that Karan and his director Siddharth Malhotra's film needed to be shot with as much speed as possible.

He repeatedly let go of Kareena's dates for Ra.1 for the sake of We Are Family.In fact he will now let go of Kareena's dates for the promotion of We Are Family, since Kareena will not have Kajol to support her in the marketing."

So grateful and happy is director Siddharth Anand that he wants to show the first print to Shah Rukh.

Says Siddharth, "Both Karan Johar and I are very eager to show We Are Family to Shah Rukh who proves that he is indeed part of the family. We also want to show it to Soorajji (Barjataya) as soon as the print is ready."

Sooraj who has become ultra-reclusive in recent months has agreed to watch the film next early next month.

Says Siddharth, "Soorajji will be the first to watch We Are Family. My film is just 1 hour 55 minutes long. I hope I make him proud."

Says Siddharth Excitedly, "Soorajji's Maine Pyar Kiya and Karan's Kuch Kuch Hota Hai are my two favourite films. When I saw the first I wanted to be part of Hindi movies. When I saw the second I wanted to direct a film. We Are Family is a homage to both Sooraji and Karan.

It's also a homage to my father (Prem Kishen) who's a big fan of Elvis Presley. In fact my father used to sing Elvis' 'Jailhouse Rock' live for me. He still does. That's how that track has found its way in We Are Family."

Karan Johar purchased the rights for Elvis Presley's 'Jailhouse Rock' for Siddharth's film.

"We used just the leading refrain of Elvis' song. The rest of the track has been composed differently by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, And we got Anuskha Manhchandani, Akriti Kakkad and Suraj Jaggan to do sing for Kajol, Kareena and Arjun Rampal.The number just brought the house down when we shot it. Who danced the hardest? Me!"