King Khan to act in Arab movie?

"It would be a different experience for me to work in an Arab film. And to any such offer from an Arab film-maker, I would say 'Assalamu Alaikum', without a second thought," the Bollywood superstar said, after being honoured by DIFF yesterday.

Shahrukh, who has been selected as one of the artistes from India for the DIFF salute this year, was speaking to reporters after the ceremony at the Madinat Jumeirah Theatre.

What about Hollywood? "I am yet to receive an offer from Hollywood," Shahrukh replied, adding, "however, if an offer does come my way, I'll surely take it. But I 'll not waste my time chasing Hollywood directors and producers for that," Shahrukh retorted. Indian cinema is expanding and its universal acceptance is increasing with every passing day. Shahrukh said he would try help the Indian film industry to grow and produce better movies.

As for Dubai, the actor said it felt like a second home to him, especially because of its people and culture. Shahrukh added: "The honour from DIFF is my first international award. Dubai is a wonderful city and I am happy to be here. The growth of Dubai is unbelievable. The infrastructure here is suitable for shooting of films."

Addressing a large number of his fans from the subcontinent and the Arab world, Shahrukh said: "The Indian cinema is playing a major role in connecting the people of Pakistan and India. The younger generation in both countries are more understanding and this is helping reduce tensions."

On a query whether he had any problems with yersteryear superstar Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh said: "We share a very close relationship. All such allegations are baseless. Bachchan is a great actor and I have to go a long way to go to reach his position. It's really disrespectful to create such baseless allegations."

On his family life, he disclosed: "It's not been easy for me to balance the family and professional life. My family, especially my children, had problems initially in adjusting to the difficult demands of my profession. However, they are very understanding now."