Posted:
| A new Khan rises | |||||
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| After Rang De Basanti and Fanaa's success, Aamir Khan once again poses a threat to Shah Rukh Khan | |||||
| SOMASHUKLA SINHA WALUNJKAR | |||||
| Posted online: Sunday, July 02, 2006 at 0000 hours IST | |||||
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It's too early in the day to crown him the new king in Bollywood boulevard. Aamir Khan might have been the only actor in 2006 (and given that half the year is over) who seen the colour of success andhas two huge hits firmly tucked in his CV (Rang De Basanti and Fanaa which have set the cash counters both in India and abroad ringing with a vengeance), but the original King Khan (that's Shah Rukh) is waiting in the wings for his big ticket flick, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna to hit the marquee in August. Fanaa has earned $4.3million at the box office in its first four days and Rs 14 crore in the first 10 days in north America, putting it on a par with Rang de Basanti according to industry estimates. Khan, who's also a choosy endorser (he lends his name only to Coca Cola, Titan and Toyota Innova) and is known to be "selective about films" has clearly decided to be more visible. Suddenly the reclusive Khan is everywhere: interacting with fans at multiplexes, lending support to Narmada Bachao Andolan, venting his anger on national television about Fanaa's ban in Gujarat and espousing an actor's rights, attending film parties with wife Kiran Rao in tow, driving Innova, and advocating the use of Titan and Coke. And now he's even been signed by Mani Ratnam for his next film which is expected to go on the floors in October. The normally media-shy actor admits that while he's "thrilled with all the success" his reasons for staying away from the "media was strictly professional. Mani and I were keen to work with one another for a long time. In fact, he had approached me earlier too, but things didn't work out. However, it's happening finally." Another film he's just agreed to do is the remake of the Tamil hit Ghajini, directed by Murugadoss. "It's the first time I am acting in a Tamil remake and I am excited about it. It's not one of those typical masala films imported in Bollywood. There's solid substance in this one."
Unless Shah Rukh overshadows Rang De Basanti and Fanaa with Karan Johar's Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, looks like 2006 might well belong to Aamir Khan. |
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