February 2 was one of the busiest days for Shah Rukh Khan -- when he hasn't been shooting for a film, that is. From the time Kajol and he rang the bell at NASDAQ opening the New York-based stock exchange for business, he gave over a dozen television interviews for South Asian channels, attended an hour-long press conference, and loosened his tie and sat down for an interview with rediff.com
For over 20 minutes he talked about his passion, why he disliked revealing the secrets of his trade, and what it meant to work with Karan Johar.
"He [Johar] is not just a director or producer to me," SRK said. "He is a friend, he is family, and then, he is a world class director who knows how to put together a world class team."
In My Name Is Khan, directed by Johar, SRK plays Rizwan Khan, a man with a form of autism that makes him a much misunderstood person. The 9/11 events indirectly affect millions of people across the globe, and Rizwan is one of them.
The movie, SRK asserts, is not about terrorism but how it affects people.
Is doing a film like MNIK a risk for you?
I've done about 70 films to date -- including films featuring guest appearances. I realise that whenever I have taken chances, I have not necessarily succeeded. But whenever I have failed, I have not felt very bad. Whenever I've succeeded, I've felt much better than in a film when I have not taken chances.
On the whole, it is better to try something new, rather than do the same thing. There is no guarantee which film will work. I've always been like that. If you don't change often enough, you will not be able to evolve or do something new. Stagnancy, same place, comfort zone -- I've never believed in that. I come from Delhi and I play films off the cuff. But that does not mean I am flippant.
I often pay movie tickets and see films. Those [the audiences] are the only people I work for. I don't work for the director or the producer. I work for those, who pay Rs 12 or $12. And when I say that I am also aware that I want to work for them in a way, that god willing, I'm able to make them evolve also. It's not just, 'Oh you want this, so I'll give it.' No! I'll give this and a little more. So, in the next one expect a little more, I have been telling my friends and the audiences from my early years.
So, I'll do a Baazigar [in 1993] where I'm a negative guy. Everyone told me, 'Oh this won't work!' But it became a huge hit. And then everyone told me that doing a love story [Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge] for me after Baazigar won't work; but Dilwale is still running after 25 years. Everyone told me that Darr won't work. But my audience told me otherwise.
If I count the last eight films of mine, you will find yes, they are Hindi films; that's the only common thing in them. Otherwise, inherently, there is a new kind of hero; but I don't make a big thing about it.
Locations are very important for this film, isn't it?
The film is very expensive. It has been shot mostly between Los Angeles and San Francisco. I have shot many films in America starting with [Subhash Ghai's] Pardes shot mostly in and around Las Vegas [in 1997], and several films including Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna in the New York area.
[My Name Is] Khan is about journey, one man's journey to win his love back. We wanted the whole countryside and location of the country to play an important part. We wish we could have got the permission to shoot in the White House. We didn't, so we cheated, shot opposite [California Governor] Arnold Schwarzenegger's office in [the state capitol] Sacramento. This film would not have been anywhere else but set in America.
Do you ever go through a doubt or anxiety when working with a team that has produced a major hit?
I have no self doubt ever when I have said yes to something. I tell myself, 'This is it, this is the best that god made for me.' I am very spiritual about my work -- very, very spiritual. It sounds strange. I think of my work as the only thing I was made for. I think of my work as the happiest moment of life. When I am acting I am one with god, very strangely. I don't say it because a lot of people will find it weird. I have said in a documentary on me [made by the British filmmaker Munni Kabir]. With the huge connect I have with Allah, god, I am sitting here and saying, 'Wow, he has given me a chance to express in one lifetime, so many expressions of so many different people and people like me for it. And they pay me for it. Who gets a chance like this?'
I am so many people in a day and it is so wonderful. In the last 20 years, very few children [of my generation] have got a chance to live out the fantasy that I have. And thankfulness shows in my performances. I am only doing it to please everyone. It is never self centered. People think I am arrogant because of my sense of humour. I am very humble and down to earth. And people who know me know that.
Read more from HERE
49 comments:
"but Dilwale is still running after 25 years."
:-o. Do I need to update my calendar. I am 10 years behind. I am still in 2010. But I can see DDLJ will be still running in 2020 or 2030. Hahaha.
"I am often a low profile person. That's because, even for My Name Is Khan, people ask me, 'How do you prepare for it?' I'm not very thrilled answering that question."
Hahahaha. Is this directed to Aamir Khan?? :D
"I never look at the script. I never work with the scripts. I work with people, who make the scripts work."
Exactly what I thought. Seeing his recent works, I thought he never reads scripts before signing the film. He signs the films seeing the names. Some are his friends( K Jo, Farhan, Adi), while others are directors who have made a good film before. SLB - made Hum Dil De.... Shimit made Ab tak 56, Farhan Akhtar - Dil Chahta Hai, Gowariker - Lagaan. He is about to sign a VB film too. Ra 1 is going to be an exception i.e if he does not think 'Dus' was a good film. So I have a feeling he never reads the scripts, just works with people whom he trusts and his friends. If anyone has seen his NDTV interview where he talks about his early life, he says he was offered some 5 films and even though he wasn't interested to work in BW, one day he went and signed all those films. Luckily for him, some of them turned out to be good ones like Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman and it along with Deewana and Chamatkar helped him showcase his talent and get recognized.
Arre Shah - start reading scripts yaar! It is about time you told your buddies the film was worth working in or not! Having said that, I think he may mean that he will sign with friends but I doubt he is not at all involved in refining the script once the film is signed.
"I never look at the script. I never work with the scripts. I work with people, who make the scripts work."
Is SRK indirectly confirming that the reason he is not doing HNY anymore is because he does not think Farah can make HNY work ?
Also it is high time SRK starts reading scripts and work with competent directors than just with buddies. IMO he can play lead roles for another 5 years, and thats about 12 movies. I hope he will act in diverse roles in those 12-14 movies, before he graduates to do "Boom" kind of role.
Why is trying so hard to be the opposite of all that Aamir is? There is no need for posturing on either side.
What choice does SRK have otherwise ?
Well he can just wait and soon enough the 90s Aamir will be back with in with more Mela type films like Ghajini!!!! This is not a BC AD thing with the new era beginning after Lagaan.
Sure he can keep waiting and dreaming of a day when Aamir of 90s returns, which will never come by.. i think that's why they say BW is made of dreams :-)
@Illusionist
I dont think SRK's position in the industry is so weak that he doesn't have any choices !! If I remember correctly, all filmamkers from RH to AG to VB have been wanting to work with him...Whether he chooses to do so or not, is his prerogative !
P.S. If people can still tolerate BigB in Nishabd, i think SRK's fans will be more than happy to see him in films (def better than Nishabd) for a long long time :-)
VB is talking of SRK not Aamir, and Raju Hirani wrote every film with SRK in mind. Maybe it is Aamir's good fortune that he got the leftovers from the platter ;-)
Couldn't have put it better myself, Pardesi !!
@Minnie
OFC i know that SRK's fans are more tolerant. Else how can they throng into theaters to watch movies like KANK !
@Pardesi
Lets not re-write history so quickly. SRK was kicked out of 3Idiots !
Minnie - I will disagree with you here. Nishabd was a badly made film, but I thought Big B's performance in that film was one of the finest performance he has given after his comeback (i.e post Mohhabatein). The film wasn't very good though and faltered in the second half and the entire thing of narrating the story to Victor Bannerjee in the end didn't appeal to me. But I liked the first half and the performance of Big B very much.
But I agree with you that many good filmmakers have expressed their desire to work with SRK. He surely must have some talent.
@Illusionist
Actually I would prefer the word loyal instead of tolerant!! But, for people who dont know the meaning of the word "loyal" (kabhi Kadz, kabhi Madz), I guess trying to reason with them is an exercise in futility !
SRK was kicked out or not, but the first choice was SRK and not Aamir, simple fact.
@Minnie
"The fatal futility of fact" ??
- Henry James
@Illusionist
Again pure distortion of facts !! SRK chose to walk out of the project which is a lot different than saying he was "kicked out" !! Truth is a virtue often lost on SRK haters !!
Pardesi - I don't think it is right to say Aamir got what SRK left. Because SRK WOULD NOT have been here had Aamir backed out of DARR. Darr has played a HUGE ROLE in defining SRK's career and association with Yash Raj Films. Without Darr, there would not have been SRK in DDLJ. And that means a HUGE LOSS!!! In CDI too, SRK was the second choice. So SRK had his share of luck. Aamir is having his.
@Minnie
Ouch ! SRK haters ? I rest my case.
Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.
- Albert Einstein
Cauli - SRK was the first choice for CDI, check your facts. And leaving because you have issues with outfit, versus leaving because you are scared of what the role will do to your star image are two different thing.
RE : Chak De India
Exhibit A
VIDEO
One of the main reason why Aamir left Darr was, he did not like how Yash Chopra presented his character in Parampara film. OFC, the second reason was that he did not want a negative role. And in any case, whatever reasons one left the film, the other GOT lucky because the first left the film.
As for Salman and Chak de - I am saying it because I have read it before.
LINK 1
"I had an issue with the climax of the film. Adi in fact told me that he would make this [the film] into the biggest hit and you don't know what you are missing out on," he says
"People have loved Chak De! and…I was wrong…and this is the scary bit when an actor's thinking starts going wrong. Adi has made it the same way as he narrated it to me…and I am thinking how can this work dude…it can't work."
These are quoted as Salman Khan himself.
LINK 2 - NDTV
"Salman Khan may have been King Khan of Bollywood had it not been for some unfortunate decisions he took in his career. First, he refused to do Baazigar which became the film that 'made' SRK. Then he refused the role given to Saif Ali Khan in Kal Ho Naa Ho. And the biggest blunder for poor Salman, he refused to do the superhit film Chak De India."
Thanks Illusionist for that Chak de video where Salman clarifies he was offered the lead role in Chak de India.
@Illusionist @Caulfield
According to SRK, the movie was first offered to him by Adi Chopra, but due to lack of dates at the time he could not accept it. After that, the movie was offered to Salman who also refused. Then, Adi came back to SRK and said you just have to do it. That's when he said yes to it. If required, I can probably find "exhibits B-Z" to prove these facts !
The movie was written with SRK in mind, offered to him, but he was busy with Don, then they went looking for girls, offered to Salman, and then came back and Adi camped on his doorstep asking him to do it. Salman was offered the film but after SRK first refused due to time constraint. So of course there are Salman statements - he was offered it, BUT not first.
As for Darr, it is quite clear that Aamir wanted equal punches between him and Sunny, so much for what is script appropriate. He was protecting his stardom did not want to to be killed by Sunny but by Juhi, forget about the film and the role. Same happened with Baazigar when multiple people refused to do the film due to hugely negative character.
@Pardesi - Please provide source for your claim "The movie was written with SRK in mind, offered to him, but he was busy with Don, then they went looking for girls, offered to Salman, and then came back and Adi camped on his doorstep asking him to do it."
Thanks !
Ok. Salman was offered the role after SRK. But what I am trying to say SRK eventually did the film because Salman rejected.
And yes, even I would like to see a link of that.
Regarding Darr - The point again is SRK GOT LUCKY because AAMIR REJECTED the role. In both cases ( 3 Idiots and Darr), actors had different reasons to leave the film. What has that to do in deciding whether SRK or Aamir got lucky or not!!! SRK got Darr because Aamir left. Aamir got 3 Idiots because SRK left. Why they left - hardly matters.
Found another LINK
This one says Salman Khan was the first choice for Chak de India.
"Very few know that Salman Khan was the initial choice for the movie which finally became one of the biggest hits of Shahrukh's career."
http://sirishminapalli.blogspot.com/2007/08/my-meeting-with-shimit-amin-director-of.html
Me : how did it all happen..i mean who approached whom first...did u talk to aditya chopra or did he come to u ?
Shimit : nono Jaideep first came up with the story and presented it to Adi. And when Adi finalised it they approached me for directing it.
Me : i'm really happy that yash raj banners r coming up with such diverse movies as kabul express and now chak de.
Shimit : yeah
Me : so was Shahrukh ur first choice or did u go over few other actors.
Shimit : Jaideep wrote the story keeping Shahrukh in mind.
And B, C, D - Z to follow.
Exhbit B:
http://www.glamsham.com/movies/interviews/shimit_amin1.asp
What is CHAK DE! INDIA about?
Kabir Khan (Shahrukh Khan) knows what it's like to come back from the dead. The ex-Indian Captain has now come back in the avatar of the Coach of the Indian Women's National Hockey team - a team that exists more on paper and less in reality. The team is a rag-tag bunch of girls with their own agenda, who have forgotten what it is like to play for the love of the game. They have forgotten playing for what they are worth.
Salman Khan was the first choice for SRK's role?
No. Those are just rumours and I don't know from where they originated.
More to follow.
@Pardesi
Sorry cannot accept some blogger's narration/interview. Would appreciate some source from a credible news organisation. I am sure you understand our skepticism. Thanks !
Exhibit C (B was not a blogger's narration):
http://www.radiosargam.com/films/archives/3013/shahrukh-khan-kept-aditya-chopra-waiting-for-chak-de.html
Shahrukh Khan kept Aditya Chopra waiting for Chak De
Published by Webmaster at 05:29:40 pm on March 29, 2007
Way back, Adi wanted to make Chak De with SRK. Initially, SRK refused as he was busy with other projects.
Then Aditya Chopra went on an actor hunt for Chak De but that didn’t work for him. Finally, one night he went to SRK’s place at 2 am and said, “Ab kab karega tu? Tu bas haan kar de.”
He also asked SRK to sms his director and writers, so that they’d get charged and then work on choosing the leading ladies. This way the project of Chak De landed in SRK’s kitty.
@Cauli - since the issue is about career graph and whether reading scripts is what is important, I have to say that trying desperately to protect your star image is not what makes a film good. SRK proved this by doing Darr and Baazigar (and even Anjaam) and since Baazigar came before Darr he does not awe his success to Darr.
You are again misinterpreting me. All my comments were in reply to one statement of yours -
"Maybe it is Aamir's good fortune that he got the leftovers from the platter "
I am not at all arguing on who made a bolder step. Aamir or SRK. I am saying Aamir was first offered the role in Darr. Had he accepted that, SRK would not have become what he is now. DDLJ has played a huge role in it. And he got DDLJ because of Darr. So in a way that was lucky for him.
Again I repeat the same thing - Aamir left Darr (whatesoever the reason was) - SRK got it.
SRK left 3 Idiots - Aamir got it.
Reasons hardly matter because what matters is one left and the other came in. Why Aamir left Darr, and why SRK left 3 Idiots - are their personal reasons and opinions. Aamir did try to protect his star image. Does that mean he wasn't offered the role before SRK???
"and since Baazigar came before Darr he does not awe his success to Darr."
I think Darr was the reason of his success. It started his association with Yash Raj Films. After that he did DDLJ, DTPH, Mohhabbatein......all superhits. It all started with Darr which was first offered to AAMIR. Why Aamir did not do it is because of his personal reasons.
I hope you get it this time.
Secondly, Salman - CDI,
The first one - hard to believe a random blogger.
Second one - Shimit says it as a rumor as if he is completely denying Salman Khan was offered that role. Else he would have said Salman was offered but only after SRK said no. But instead he says - "Those are just rumours and I don't know from where they originated. " As if Salman was never offered the role. So Salman Khan is lying in the video. Wonder why haven't they started a case on Salman Khan for making a false statement!!!
Anyways, whether Salman was offered the lead as a first choice or second, he was offered once for sure. And he rejected it. Had he not, SRK would have again missed an opportunity. That is what I am saying in both the case (Darr, Chak De India).
Third Exhibit - The level of trust is the same as the link I posted -
http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/2009/salman-yash-raj-090709.html
Your link says - SRK was the first choice, mine says - Salman was the first choice.
It is upto you on what you believe.
Another link that says Salman was the initial choice -
http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/48150.html
"Initially, it was Sallu who had been approached for that role"
Another one -
http://www.glamsham.com/movies/previews/chakdeindia.asp
"The character of Kabir Khan was first offered to Salman Khan before it was given to SRK. "
Anyways, I don't know why am I posting these. The debate is hardly on whether Salman was first offered the role in CDI. I am simply saying Salman rejected the role once, before it went to SRK.
No - the debate is on WHO was offered it first I think. If the director himself says it was written with X person in mind then posting 15 links that say otherwise does not make that a lie. As for prosecuting Salman - that was a laugh riot for me. He was not prosecuted for woman beating, for protected wild-life killing and for killing a man while under the influence and driving! So now we want him prosecuted for saying what was not true? ROFL!!
The issue is NOT about who left a role, the whole issue is about whether reading a script makes a difference to what kind of film it will be. Did Aamir read the Ghajini script?
SRK resurrected the YRF banner, not the other way around. So it was hardly his benefit alone to do Darr. Rejecting a script because it is against your star image is JUST AS BAD AS NOT READING A SCRIPT, IF NOT WORSE.
"No - the debate is on WHO was offered it first I think."
I tried to clarify myself long ago that the debate was hardly regarding that. Here, this is what I said - "Ok. Salman was offered the role after SRK. But what I am trying to say SRK eventually did the film because Salman rejected. "
"If the director himself says it was written with X person in mind then posting 15 links that say otherwise does not make that a lie."
You DID NOT believe Raju Hirani (director), VVC (producer), Aamir Khan (actor) in the 3 Idiots controversy and believed Chetan Bhagat. And you are asking me to believe one statement made by the director. Even I think RH, VVC, AK were lying and it was a preplanned controversy, but same goes in this case. The director can lie here too. What's the big deal in that!!
"As for prosecuting Salman - that was a laugh riot for me. He was not prosecuted for woman beating, for protected wild-life killing and for killing a man while under the influence and driving! So now we want him prosecuted for saying what was not true? ROFL!!"
Hmmmm. This is what I wrote - "Wonder why haven't they started a case on Salman Khan for making a false statement!!! "
Atleast for beating a woman, wild-life killing, killing a man, there is a case file against him. And Salman in his case is saying it very openly that he was offered the role and had differences with Aditya Chopra regarding the script. Yet no one from Yash Chopra spake about it or did anything.
"The issue is NOT about who left a role, the whole issue is about whether reading a script makes a difference to what kind of film it will be. Did Aamir read the Ghajini script?"
No, reading script isn't the issue here. Except my first comment on this post, I don't think I even used the word script. Issue is - you are not believing SRK got lucky in Darr just like Aamir in 3 Idiots.
"Rejecting a script because it is against your star image is JUST AS BAD AS NOT READING A SCRIPT, IF NOT WORSE."
Come on. Rejecting a script is a personal opinion. Not reading the script is something else. I don't know how are you even comparing these two things.
Anyways keep ROFL.
"The issue is NOT about who left a role, the whole issue is about whether reading a script makes a difference to what kind of film it will be."
"No, reading script isn't the issue here. Except my first comment on this post, I don't think I even used the word script. Issue is - you are not believing SRK got lucky in Darr just like Aamir in 3 Idiots. "
Just checked. No I did not use the word script anywhere except my first comment.
I thought we were arguing on these two statements -
You said -
"Maybe it is Aamir's good fortune that he got the leftovers from the platter "
I said -
"I don't think it is right to say Aamir got what SRK left. Because SRK WOULD NOT have been here had Aamir backed out of DARR. Darr has played a HUGE ROLE in defining SRK's career and association with Yash Raj Films. Without Darr, there would not have been SRK in DDLJ. And that means a HUGE LOSS!!! In CDI too, SRK was the second choice. So SRK had his share of luck. Aamir is having his."
No idea, from where is the script coming in between. Now, I don't know with whom and what are you arguing?
Let Raju come out and say he wrote 3 Idiots with Aamir in mind and I will decide whether to believe him or not. He was saying the story is his, and the story is not his, nothing about Chetan Bhagat here - 1 million copies of that book were sold and the story read by that many and more people BEFORE Raju wrote 3 Idiots. It is a question of logic.
As for Shimit - you can choose to believe him or think he was lying. Do I care? I read tens of interviews at the time that said it was a film written for SRK and he was offered the role first - from SRK, Jaideep and Shimit. I am tired of finding stupid links from 2006 - so yes, you can believe what you want.
About script discussion - what is the topic of this thread? If the script was never an issue then what is the discussion about? Follow the entire discussion, not just the point where you inserted your argument in.
@Cauli - You have summarized the discussion very well. I am Illusionist and i approve your comment :-)
Ok. Fine. Aap jeet gaye. Mai haar gaya. I am sorry. I guess I can't say anything against SRK (Was it against SRK???...anyways). Did not know a simple fact that SRK got lucky in Darr because Aamir left can hurt someone.
Sorry again.
@Caulfield
I agree that Aamir leaving Darr turned out to be lucky for SRK. But no one can predict destiny....if it wasn't Darr, it could have been some other movie that would have catapulted SRK in the big league. His promising start in Deewaana had fetched him quite a few eyeballs amongst the industry bigwigs. Bottomline: talent and hard work cannot be suppressed for long! :-)
@ Illusionist
I am an ordinary citizen of this blog and I don't approve of autocracy :-)
@Minnie
Thanks for sharing your opinion.
@Caulfield
It is a gracious gesture on your part to apologize, irrespective of the fact whether it was required or not.
Now where is the "Pink in MNIK" review ? Have been waiting for it for 2 days.. please post one. Thanks!
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