Tuesday, May 31, 2011

SRK's Ghajini moment?


One wondered why Shahrukh Khan's most ambitious project RaOne is named after the villain in the film, and not the super hero G1 that he plays (G stands for his wife Gauri and One is his position in the industry as per witty and immodest star). 

SRK tried to solve this for us. He gave examples of Sholay, Mr India and Sadak, saying that the villainous characters Gabbar Singh, Mogambo and Maharani (Sadashiv Amrapurkar's character in Sadak) in these films became extremely popular, larger than life and they are remembered till now. Hence he decided to name his film after the film's villain who is called RaOne. But Shahrukh, you forgot the most apt example - and the most recent film of all that belonged to your arch rival - Aamir Khan's Ghajini. Wasn't the super successful film Ghajini named after the villain in the film? Was the amnesia deliberate?

I'm No. 1 in the industry: SRK

Shah Rukh Khan isn't called the Badshah Khan for nothing. After his team's favorable performance in the IPL, Shah Rukh is confidence personified, and he still has something to tom tom about - himself!

Yes, at a recent event where Shah Rukh Khan launched the first theatrical promo of his much ambitious project Ra.One, SRK went on to say that he plays the superhero 'G1' in the movie. And just what does G1 stand for? The witty and immodest SRK explained, "G stands for Gauri and 1 is my position in the industry!"

Shah Rukh added, "Ra.One is a father-son love story. It's a family entertainer like most of my films are, and is meant for kids and adults alike. We have released the promotions nine months before the actual release of the movie because we would like the audience to know who G1 really is. So our entire endeavour is to introduce G1 to the masses in the best possible way. I want them to know the superhero and everything he is capable of."

SRK's 'Always Kabhi Kabhi' is also all set for release. With Morani's daughter Zoa all set to debut in that one, and with Morani allegedly being involved in the 2G scam, does SRK regret any decision. Shah Rukh simply says, "My equation with the Moranis hasn't changed at all. We remain good friends even today." Well, we guess, such controversies do happen Always Kabhi Kabhi.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Im-No-1-in-the-industry-SRK/articleshow/8666363.cms?prtpage=1

Don't Drag Me Into 2G Scam: SRK

Shah Rukh Khan has clarified his relationship with the founder of Cineyug Films Karim Morani who is in jail for his alleged involvement in 2G scam. He also requested mediapersons not to drag him into the whole issue.

The superstar said the arrest of Bollywood bigwig Karim Morani will not affect his personal and professional relationship with the financier.

He also rubbished suggestions that Cineyug, which is owned by Morani, had transferred funds to Kalaignar TV through his production house Red Chillies Entertainment.

"I have personal relations with several people in the industry. Cineyug has been part of the industry much before I came in. Lot of actors and actresses are friendly with the Moranis who are good people. The matter is sub-judice and the law will take its own course. We are all law abiding people," SRK told reporters here.

"On personal level, equations don't change," he added.

The actor said Morani stepped in as the associate producer of his film Ra.One because his close friend and associate producer Bobby Chawla fell ill. "Some one had to fill in, so I asked a friend (Morani) and he did a great job," he said.

Morani's Cineyug Films is known for organising Shah Rukh's world tour and Morani's daughter Zoa Morani is making her acting debut with the superstar's production venture Always Kabhi Kabhi, slated to hit the screens June 17.

When a reporter said the CBI probing the financial transactions of Cineyug in the last five years, had stumbled upon information that Morani had routed funds to Kalaignar TV through Red Chillies Entertainment, Shah Rukh said," I don't think anybody has said that. Don't sensationalise the issue and involve me in it."

The actor hoped that the case concerning Morani would be sorted out before the release of Ra.One later this year. Replying to a question that Morani had asked Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to buy stakes in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Shah Rukh said he had never approached any body to buy stakes in his IPL team. "I got to know her recently," he said.

Shah Rukh also spoke about his upcoming movie Ra.One and said that he has done more than 75 per cent stunts in the movie himself. "The stunts were extremely difficult. When I look at the shots, I myself get very surprised. I don't believe if I have done them," he said.

Source: http://movies.ndtv.com/KIFA-Special/StoryPrint.aspx?ID=ENTEN20110176807

SRK close to nab the pirate!

Shahrukh Khan is one actor who can induce light moments despite the seriousness of any issues. However, this time King Khan is very upset about the item number from his movie 'Ra.One' getting leaked online. The superstar has managed to trace the person responsible and the truth might be soon out. 

SRK is being extra caution about the security and updated the team to be careful. "I have been depressed after I came to know about it. Thankfully, the leaked song is not the final copy but the previous one which we recorded. We have also traced the IP address and will get to the person soon," he concluded.

So, SRK better be careful this time as even Dabangg Khan is worried about 'Ready' and the high rate of piracy existing in the country!


Source: http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/ENT-srk-close-to-nab-the-pirate-2149978.html

'G.One', G for Gauri and One for my position in the industry, says SRK

Shahrukh Khan was overwhelmed during the launch of the theatrical promos of his ambitious project 'Ra.One'. The superstar revealed the fact that he is not the 'Ra.One' in the movie but 'G.One' which is a positive character. 

On asking what 'G.One' stands for, King Khan who was at his comic best said, "G stands for Gauri and one stands for my position in the industry (he chuckled)."

"We will reveal Ra.One soon but right now people need to get into the psyche of G.One which will be played by me. Its introduction of new technology and hence we will disclose things one by one," he concludes.

SRK claims 'Ra.One' to be a family entertainer and tried to make a commercial movie about a father son relationship.

Source: http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/ENT-g-2149982.html

80% SRK is real

Shahrukh Khan is leaving no stone unturned to promote 'Ra.One' which is one of the most anticipated projects of his career. While, with other superheroes films in the industry comparisons are bound to happen to which SRK asserts that 'Ra.One' is not made to overtake any film but just to entertain his fans. SRK has performed many stunts on his own in 'Ra.One' and claims one of the train sequel to be the most tiring scene for him.  

King Khan seems to have done his homework well before entering into a heroic genre and said, "I love comic and superhero films. I am very inspired with 'Krrish' and 'Drona'. I felt I was too old to play a superhero but thought to try and worked hard on the movie. I am keen to watch 'Krrish 2' and hope it does 100 times better."

While talking about stunts the superstar said, "I have performed almost 75% to 80% stunts on my own. It was very difficult at times and it's more difficult to hold on to such critical situations. I have lost about six to seven kilos of weight while shooting for 'Ra.One'."

So, it seems that with his intense efforts, SRK is all set to break the records created by other superheroes of B'town.


Source: http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/ENT-80-srk-is-real-2150004.html

SRK says Morani's arrest won't affect relations

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Tuesday said that the arrest of Bollywood bigwig Karim Morani in the 2G scam will not affect his personal and professional relationship with the financier.

He also rubbished suggestions that Cineyug, which is owned by Morani, had transferred funds to Kalaignar TV through his production house Red Chillies Entertainment.

"I have personal relations with several people in the industry. Cineyug has been part of the industry much before I came in. Lot of actors and actresses are friendly with the Moranis who are good people. The matter is sub-judice and the law will take its own course. We are all law abiding people," SRK told reporters in Mumbai.

"On personal level, equations don't change," he added.

The actor said that Morani stepped in as the associate producer of his film Ra.One because his close friend and associate producer Bobby Chawla fell ill. "Some one had to fill in, so I asked a friend (Morani) and he did a great job," he said.

When a reporter said that the CBI probing the financial transactions of Cineyug in the last five years, had stumbled upon information that Morani had routed funds to Kalaignar TV through Red Chillies Entertainment, Shah Rukh said," I don't think anybody has said that. Don't sensationalise the issue and involve me in it."

The actor hoped that the case concerning Morani would be sorted out before the release of Ra.One later in 2011.

Replying to a question that Morani had asked Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to buy stakes in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Shah Rukh said he had never approached any body to buy stakes in his IPL team. "I got to know her recently," he said.

'Chammak Challo' song from Ra.One leaked on the internet

Shah Rukh Khan must be a stressed man. The audio of the much awaited song 'Chammak Challo' from his super hero flick Ra.One has already been leaked on the internet. It's a rough cut of the song which is supposed to be the best track of the album.

'Wanna be my Chammak Challo' sung by the Senegalese-American R&B sensation Akon, is a very hip and happening track with Punjabi beats. It's a very catchy number. The song has already become a rage among internet users with many of them sharing it on social networking sites.

The song choreographed by Ganesh Hegde is picturised on Kareena Kapoor, and will show her in a desi avatar with a nose ring and jhumkas.

Source: http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/2011/05/31/15843/index.html

Monday, May 30, 2011

'Ra.One' to be entered in record books


Shah Rukh Khan will enter his film in the Limca Book Of Records by circulating the longest fan mail in the world

In a unique promotional strategy for Shah Rukh Khan's next Ra.One, the superstar has planned to start the longest fan mail for the film. It will earn an entry in the Limca Book Of Records.

SRK will also unveil the film's promo across five cities in India soon. Says a source, "He plans his film's promotional strategies himself and in tandem with his team. 

Now he has planned the events in such a way that before the sci-fi thriller releases, every Indian city would have heard of the film."

First of its kind
The source adds, "From today, he kicks off an inter-city tour that stars, normally do just a month before the release.
 
But, in a first-of-its-kind strategy, SRK will be travelling to five cities every month. He will span 25 cities in five months. While SRK travels solo for this tour Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal join him for the other tours."

Shah Rukh kicks off the promotional tour in Mumbai today at Wadala. "He will then travel to Chandigarh, Indore, Delhi and Ahmedabad. 

He will sign autographs and start the longest fan mail which will be circulated in all the cinemas and will continue till the release of the film."

The film releases on October 26 .
Source: mid-day

LEAKED! Akon’s Chammak Challo For Ra.One!!!!

Chammak Challo from SRK’s Ra.One leaked

Kareena Kapoor's item song 'Chammak Challo' which international star Akon has composed for SRK's 'Ra.One' has already made its way to the net.

Shah Rukh Khan's ambitious home-production Ra.One is already creating a lot of buzz, much before its release in the latter half of the year. But the latest on the film is that one song from the film has been leaked and already made its way to the internet. The song we are talking about is the same number which international star Akon was to compose for the film.

While it is a rough cut of the song, which may undergo more polishing before it makes it way to the audio CD; it pretty much gives the feel of the song. Also Akon's song is the same number on which Kareena Kapoor will be doing an item number in the film. ' Wanna Be My Chammak Challo ' is the track name and buzz is that Shah Rukh wants this one to be the most happening item-number. Ganesh Acharya has choreographed the number.

What's surprised us is the fact that how come the song made its way online, even before its audio release is anywhere in the scene. Also there is buzz that Akon will be composing two versions of Chammak Challo – one for the film and another for his personal album. Whether the leaked song is from the film or the album is still unknown though. As compared to Munni and Sheila , Chammak Challo is less heavy in terms of its arrangements but has a catchy feel.

Are you excited enough to listen to the track? Well we are not promoting piracy and giving away the site address. But then we can't stop Google search either!


Sunday, May 29, 2011

Leaked song: Akon's number "Chammak Challo" from Ra. One

I guess we wont be able to hear this song until the movie promo comes out as this is an unofficial leaked song that was available online. The song is currently blocked from hearing. Very rightly so.

But for those who gave the song a hear, the song will definetely be a rage.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is Akon's song in SRK's Ra. One. This song is picturised on Kareena Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan. Read Akon's interview here where he talks about his first Hindi song Chammak Challo and also a news article about Kareena following a diet plan for Chammak Challo. So this seems to be the song for Ra One.

The song is quite catchy. It reminds me a lot of Akon's hit Smack That. One thing is for sure, the song is going to rule the music charts for some time.


source: http://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainmenttags/ra-one/leaked-song-akons-number-chammak-challo-ra-onenot-available-anymore

Akon’s first Hindi song

Singing is a part of art, and Indians understand music a lot, as there is a wide range of music in this land itself," says Akon. We caught up with Akon to talk to him about Bollywood, India, his first Indian song and much more.

Indian fans
I was surprised to know how many fans I have here in India, especially in North and South India. They love me so much! So, I decided to tour in Bangalore, Delhi and Gurgaon. I will be playing hit chart numbers, as per audience demand. I wish I could perform all over the country, but because of time issues, i can't. The next time I perform in India, it will be in the rest of the cities, for sure.

Bollywood
Firstly, thanks to Shah Rukh Khan, who introduced me to Bollywood. I am very happy to be a part of it now. It's an amazing industry, with a great audience. In India, you have a large audience. Some day, I would love to act in Bollywood movies too, though I am not sure of the kind of movie to be in.

Chummuk Chullo
For my fans in India and all over the world who understand Hindi, I have sung a song in my new album called Stadium. The song is called Chummuk Chullo. It was very challenging to sing the song, especially the pronunciation, but it turned out well.

Favourite Indian singers
I like Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan a lot. They are really big talents over here. India has a wide range of artists. I have collaborated with Adesh Shrivastava too, and it was a great experience.

Inspiration
I usually get inspired when I am travelling. I have recorded so many songs while I am travelling. In my next album, Stadium, you will heard a lot of travel songs. I am sure Indian tourists will connect with my songs.


Source: http://stargold.startv.in/superstar/NewsDetails.aspx?nid=1618

DON 2 has nothing to do with original

He may have got plenty of help from the Salim-Javed storyline of the original Don (1978) while scripting Don: The Chase Begins Again with Shah Rukh Khan, but for the sequel, Farhan Akhtar admits he's starting afresh. "Because it was a remake the story had to be somewhat similar. But for Don 2, it was like starting with a clean slate. I had the opportunity to do whatever I wanted to with those characters," says Farhan.

But it is his next release as an actor, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD), that is getting his attention these days. "Zoya's (director, sister Zoya Akhtar) film is releasing on July 15, and we want to leave no stone unturned. So Don 2 is on hold for a while, even through all the preparatory work is done. It will release in December as planned," says the actor-director.

Ask him if Don 2 may get lost in the crowd, given Bollywood's packed schedule for December and that SRK's Ra.One would appear at the same time, Farhan retorts, "Ours is a much awaited film, and there's been a healthy buzz about it even without a single promo on air. I don't think it's risky at all. The year-end is a great time to release a film."http://www.hindustantimes.com/images/HTEditImages/Images/farhan-akhtar.jpg

ZNMD, meanwhile, has been racking up comparisons to Farhan's cult directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and Hollywood hit The Hangover (2009). "Of course ZNMD will be reminiscent of Dil Chahta Hai. It has three guys, a car that's playing an important role, and one of them finding love along the way on the road trip. But it's unfair to compare them, because the stories are completely different, and so are the characters. As for The Hangover, I didn't know they had a copyright over bachelor trips," he laughs.

Farhan also lights up at the mention of ZNMD's extended shooting stint in Spain. "It didn't feel like a staged road trip because we actually did travel that much," he says, adding, "We shot at about 107 locations and stayed at 12 to 13 different bases."

He's even sung a song in the film, but that didn't feature in Farhan's recent Pond's Fun in the Sun concert in the city, where he belted out hits from Rock On!! (2008). "I wanted to play songs that people were familiar with. Maybe once the music releases, we'll plan an event of this sort," he says hopefully.


'It's best to just ignore rumours'

It was alleged in sections of the press that Farhan Akhtar was having an affair with one of his assistant directors. Enraged at that time, he had decided to take legal action. He had said, "I'm surprised and upset by the complete disregard of the sense of ethics and lack of sensitivity. The article is nothing but misleading and the statements and insinuation made by the author have no basis in fact."

However, Farhan has now decided against filing the case. "Not only will I have to keep going to court, but I'll also have to keep seeing them constantly, which is not something I'm interested in," he says, adding, "This is not the first, but it's been getting more and more ludicrous every time it happens. I felt they had gone too far this time."

The actor-director justifies his earlier outburst by saying, "Whatever rumours have been published earlier, people have had the courtesy to ask me for my side of the story.

"This time, they didn't even bother to do that. Anyway, I think it's best to just ignore it now."

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Karan Johar's birthday bash!

Karan Johar was not too happy about turning 39 recently and wanted to have a quiet birthday watching the cricket. However Shahrukh Khan decided against this and held a big party for the director at his home in Mannat, Mumbai.

Priyanka Chopra, Hrithik and Sussanne Roshan, Rani Mukherji, Shahid Kapoor, Preity Zinta, Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Arjun Rampal, Imran Khan and Karishma Kapoor were just some of the stars that attended the birthday bash.

It was not just Bollywood's A-listers that showed their love for the director but fans around the world wished the director happy birthday via twitter. Karan Johar showed his appreciation thanking fans for their love, he tweeted "Thank you all for all the love on my birthday!!! I feel truly blessed and very humbled...huge hug to all of you!!"

Karan Johar is getting back in the directors seat as his next film Student Of The Year is set to go on the floor in July. The film stars debutants Alia Bhatt, Siddharth Malhotra and Varun Dhawan in lead roles.






Source: http://bollyspice.com/view.php/7171-karan-johar-s-birthday-bash.html

'Genius' Shahrukh knows what the audience wants

Not many are aware that Shahrukh Khan knew his 'Always Kabhi Kabhi' director Roshan Abbas since their theatre days together in Delhi. More than two decades back, Roshan was Shahrukh's junior in theatre and the first time director has been impressed with the 'baadshah' of Bollywood ever since then.

"There are two things that I find incredibly tremendous about this man. One is his focus and another is his creativity," RJ turned filmmaker shares his own reasons behind such high regard that he holds for Shahrukh Khan, "He is someone who always looks for what audience wants. This isn't something which is coming to him today; he has been like that forever."

Narrating an example of his creativity, he adds, "I remember how after he became a star, we did some chat shows together. At times we didn't even have a script in hand but he still managed to do things impromptu. I used to ask him a few things and he used to reply to them in his characteristic funny manner."

The same creativity ran into the making of 'Always Kabhi Kabhi' as well. Once the script was locked, cast finalised and production plans put together, work also began on how to present the film to the audience.

"Shahrukh came up with some brilliant ideas at the very inception of the film," says Roshan, "He is a genius."

With Giselle Monteiro, Ali Fazal, Zoa Morani and Satyajeet Dubey in principal roles and also starring Satish Shah, Lilette Dubey, Vijay Raaz, Mukesh Tiwari and Manoj Joshi, 'Always Kabhi Kabhi' releases all over on 17th June.


Source: http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/67127.html

Shah Rukh Khan gangs up with Tom Hanks

He isn't called King Khan for nothing! When the entire Bollywood clan is busy crowding facebook and twitter, Shah Rukh Khan has upped his game by joining the ranks of A-listers like Tom Hanks and Cristiano Ronaldo in the special invite-only A- web service, even becoming the first Indian to join the celebrated web gang.

Jim Carrey, Enrique Iglesias, Steve Martin, Kevin Spacey, John Cusack and Keith Urban are among the other hotties on the elite Whosay.com, which caters exclusively to celebs across the globe to syndicate their social media and provide them with a common platform to tweet and facebook. "It's a VIP service for the famous," spilled our source. "It gives celebrities new control over their presence on the social media, so when you see someone posting via Whosay, you'll know it's authentic."

After Los Angeles, New York, and London when Whosay decided to launch in India, they felt SRK would be perfect star to kick-start their service. "Last month, Whosay invited him to use this platform. After his last film My Name Is Khan, SRK has become a global name." 

Wonder which other Khan will follow SRK into this exclusive club?


Source: http://gulfnews.com/arts-entertainment/celebrity/shah-rukh-khan-gangs-up-with-tom-hanks-1.812766

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Here's what to expect from Don 2 teaser

The world is waiting for the first teaser of Don 2, but what if we bring it to you right here and right now? As always, you get it here first on Bollywood Hungama. Don't be surprised! You may not be able to see the promo of Don 2 so soon but you may picture it in your mind.

A close source who happened to see the sneak peek of Don 2 teaser trailer a few weeks ago informs us, "Don 2 is a true sequel to make, cause to make a sequel to an original story like Don it is very difficult to keep up to the expectations of the first film. The teaser surely does live up to that expectations and what a teaser it is. Don 2 looks bigger in terms of visuals and content and action. We always wanted to know how Farhan Akhtar is going to do it but after the trailer it seems Farhan and Shah Rukh Khan have hit the nail bang on and hard."

The source gave
Bollywood Hungama the first exclusive sneak peek into the next big thing coming from SRK, Farhan and Excel Entertainment, "The teaser kicks off with SRK in jail in his dreadlocked look. There are cuts of SRK's introduction and a background song that signifies that he is back. It's the theme of Don playing in your ears as you see the action ripple the big screen. There are explosions and SRK jumping off a tall building and Priyanka Chopra coming in small clips here and there. It's a one minute teaser where you also see SRK standing on a small power jet boat with wind hitting his hair introducing the fearless Don aka Shah Rukh Khan. The trailer ends with explosion and smoke coming out SRK's mouth, a continuation from the last shot of how Don ended."

One thing's sure from the above Don 2 trailer description: There is no smoke without fire and Don 2 surely looks a sizzling date at the box office that's going to burn the celluloid with its grandness of action sequences and explosions. Can you guys visualise it?


source:
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2011/05/25/7510/index.html

Always Kabhi Kabhi Cast Gets A Sneak Peek At Ra.One

Shah Rukh Khan showed the first rushes his next big release, Ra.One to the cast of his home production Always Kabhi Kabhi.

The actor is known for holding exclusive pre-release screenings of his upcoming movies for close friends and family members.

This time he made an exception and gave the young guns of Always Kabhi Kabhi Zoa Morani, Giselli Monteiro, Ali Fazal, Satyajit Dubey and also director Roshan Abbas, a sneak peek into Ra.One.

This happened when they were shooting for the film's song Antenna.

Says a source, "The shooting of the song got over at 2 am and SRK was heading home. Satyajit asked him about the experience of shooting a big and expensive film like Ra.One. Acting impromptu, Shah Rukh invited all of them to his vanity van. Roshan did try to dissuade the kids saying that SRK might be tired but he called them in and showed them the songs and major portions of the sci-fi thriller."

Roshan Abbas says, "The kids were blown away after they saw the rushes. The sheer size and scale of Ra.One is overwhelming! Ali says it was like entering a space shuttle."

So were the kids also beleaguered by King Khan's presence on the sets of Always Kabhi Kabhi? Roshan says, "During the shoot SRK deliberately stayed away. He did not want the new actors to be overwhelmed by his presence. But in the last month, he met and interacted with them. He told them to enjoy this moment and do their parents proud! On one occasion Shah Rukh mentioned that while growing up, he was glad to have his mother's support. She called him her Dilip Kumar."

SRK retires hurt after he’s booed at IPL game

It was touted as the clash of the tournament. On Wednesday night, as Wankhede played host to a match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians, many saw it as the ultimate faceoff between two iconic Mumbaikars- Shah Rukh Khan and Mukesh Ambani.

And while the Ambani clan turned up in their all-blue regalia, cheering for their team, the KKR stand was shorn of its brightest star.

Shah Rukh Khan was not there. In fact he was far away, in the cosy confines of Mannat, watching the match on his giant LCD screen with good friend Karan Johar and other close friends.

And while the world was led to believe Khan was celebrating his best buddy's birthday - K Jo turned 39 last night - we were told by some of his closest friends that SRK's absence had a lot to do with a bruised ego as well.

Speaking exclusively to Mumbai Mirror, SRK's close friend and Juhi Chawla's husband, Jai Mehta, said, "The last time Shah Rukh turned up for a KKR match in the city, he was booed by a large section of the crowd. It hurt him badly."

The match, which was held at Navi Mumbai's D Y Patil Stadium on May 19, saw KKR give Pune Warriors a sound drubbing.

Hurt, Shah Rukh Khan has vowed never to turn up for any KKR match in any of the city stadiums

It was a high-pitched contest, because it saw Sourav Ganguly playing against his former home team for the first time.

While all those who expected fireworks between Ganguly and SRK were disappointed, a section of the crowd did not take SRK's win sportingly.

Mumbai Mirror has learnt that the Badshah confessed to his closest pals that the booing and the jeering from his "own people" left him bruised. "After doing so much for this city, this is not what I expected," he reportedly told his friends. "And he has vowed never to turn up for any KKR match in any of the city stadiums," Jai Mehta added.

This is not the first time that SRK has exposed his vulnerable side. Some time ago, the star swore off micro-blogging site Twitter, after being hit by a volley of abusive messages.

"Twitter broke my heart," he said, "I need to cut myself off from negative energies."


Source: http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=15&contentid=20110526201105260507408192e1146a8

SRK comes to meet his lucky charm Priyanka before crucial IPL match!

Actor and IPL team KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan arrived at the Mehboob Studios in Bandra to meet his lucky charm and dear friend actress Priyanka Chopra who was shooting for a film.

SRK who wore the KKR shirt looked chilled and calm and was seen requesting Priyanka to wind up early so that she could join the KKR team at the stadium for the crucial contest versus Mumbai Indians. 

It is said that Piggy Chops along with actor Hrithik Roshan is believed to be lucky charm for SRK's team KKR.


Source: http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/ENT-just-inn--srk-comes-to-meet-his-lucky-charm-priyanka-before-crucial-ipl-match-2133951.html

SRK had an exemplary journey in the industry, says Anupama Chopra

Eminent film critic and writer Anupama Chopra's new book 'First Day First Show' has already become a success with Shahrukh Khan's write up in its introductory page.

In an exclusive interview with the IANS, when Anupama was asked why did she chose Shahrukh to pen down the foreword for her book, the writer candidly articulated that the superstar's journey in the industry has been a very challenging and special one, and it is he who could summarize the changes in the film industry better than anyone else.

While addressing IANS, Anupama said, "I asked him to write the foreword because he is somebody whose career I have followed very closely and who in a sense to me is one who actually exemplified the journey. The three Khans have really spearheaded Bollywood. So for me he was the best person to encapsulate how much things have changed."

Anupama had earlier written King Khan's biography that was titled as 'King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan and the seductive world of Indian cinema'.

About 'First Day First Show'
Anupama's new book 'First Day First Show' is all about the changes that have crept into the film industry, in the last 20 years.

'First Day First Show' is a collection of the author's very own former write-ups.

Talking about her new book, Anupama said, "It's the collection of the work that I have done. The idea was to put the articles together so that it shows how much Bollywood has evolved in the last 20 years. It sort of becomes the history of modern Bollywood. It's to see where we were in 1993 and now it seems like another world."

My relationship with film fraternity is very professional, says Anupama
Though Anupama has been happily married to the famous moviemaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra and as such is close to B-town celebs, the writer makes it very clear that her work has never been influenced by any of her associations in the industry.

Speaking about her association with the film industry, Anupama said, "My relationship with the film fraternity, apart from my husband, of course, is very professional. It's not that I am close friend with anyone. So I can tell you with all honesty that I have never been a case of being biased."


Source: http://www.totalfilmy.com/feature/20110525/srk_had_exemplary_journey_industry_says_anupama_chopra-33173.html


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Watch: Shah Rukh Khan's first video blog

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has fulfilled a promise to fans and posted his first video blog on Twitter on Wednesday in which he talks about his daughter's birthday and Kolkata Knight Riders' loss to Mumbai Indians in a recent IPL match.

Khan rates the recent events in his life on a scale of one to 10 in the video blog and talks not just about his daughter Suhana's birthday celebrations but also promotes his upcoming film Ra.One in the one and half minute clip.

Khan, who appeared on the video in a tan shirt wearing sunglasses, rates Suhana's birthday 11 and said he gave her a pink lipstick while one of her friends gifted a pink iPad and a white bikini.

But he rued KKR's loss to MI on May 22 and exclaimed "Minus 8, minus 8, Minus 8! I wanted to do hara-kiri" while talking about his IPL team's five-wicket defeat at Kolkata. But Khan said he still hoped that KKR will make up for it in the next match.

On Ra.One, Khan said "I am going to release the Ra.One trailer maybe by this month end or in the first week of July. I hope you all like it, I will give it 7 out of 10, and three I would keep with me coz as you know I am very humble. I want to win you with my humility. Being on the video 5 out of 10, 5 from my side and if you like it will do it more often."

Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/watch-shah-rukh-khans-first-video-blog/154293-8-66.html

SRK's First Video Blog!

Shah Rukh Khan has posted his first video blog on Twitter, where he talks about everything - from family to movies and cricket.

In the 1 minute 32 second long video, the King Of Bollywood talks about celebrating his daughter Suhana's birthday, marking it on a scale of 1 to 10. He says, "give it 11 it was awesome, little girls dancing. I got her a pink lipstick and one of her friends gave her a pink ipad and a white bikini, so she was thrilled."

As the owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders, SRK says 'he wants to kill himself' after the loss against the Mumbai Indians but still hopes that KKR "will make up for it in the next match."

The superstar loses no time in promoting his new superhero movie Ra.One on the blog too. He is heard saying, "I am going to release the Ra.One trailer maybe by this month end or in the first week of July. I hope you all like it , I will give it 7 out of 10 and three I would keep with me coz as you know I am very humble. I want to win you with my humiltiy. Being on the video 5 out of 10 ..5 from my side and if you like it will do it more often."

Keep watching this space for regular updates on his blog!

Source: http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?section=Movies&Id=ENTEN20110176364&keyword=bollywood&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&nid=108129

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Shah Rukh writes a foreword for a new book


Shah Rukh Khan has written a foreword for Anupama Chopra's forthcoming book on Bollywood First Day First Show. He writes, "She takes us into the lives of the stars, and into the struggles of those who never make it to centre stage; she lets us participate in the making of legendary hits like Sholay and Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge... she shows us the glamour as well as the murky links with the underworld. There is also the odd story of the royal bodyguard of Bhutan who became a scriptwriter; of the embarrassed Pakistani soldiers at Wagah border who could not allow their favourite Indian superstars to shoot."
source: mid-day

Monday, May 23, 2011

Matrix and SRK ‘Kill the Cash’

Matrix has launched its latest TVC for the Matrix ForEx Cards starring Shah Rukh Khan and key players from the Kolkata Knight Riders team. The commercial follows Matrix's tie-up with the KKR team for Indian Premier League Season 4 as Principle Sponsor. The TVC, created by Equus Red Cell, was released on-air on May 19, 2011.

The TVC first attracts attention for the use of the 'Don' theme. Swapan Seth, Founder and CEO, Equus Red Cell, divulged that the forthcoming release of the movie played a role in taking the 'Don' route. In a conversation with exchange4media, he said, "We thought the theme would generate greater curiosity. In fact, it was SRK who kindly offered it since he loved the idea and the film."

In the ad film, SRK and his team players are arrested for 'killing cash'. Much like the movie, the commercial also includes a chase sequence, followed by an interrogation, where 'Don' and his team members speak on why cash had to die. Sharing more on what led to the use of this thought process, Seth said, "The idea of humanising Cash was interesting. Then to create a murder, a chase, an arrest and consequent interrogation of SRK and the KKR Knights was all a juicy plot."

The TVC is planned to be on-air for at least another four weeks. In an earlier conversation, Matrix officials had informed that the brand was looking at spending around Rs 18-20 crore in the campaigns around KKR. The campaign would be seen in print as well.

Matrix has been niche in the manner it has advertised, but associating with a platform as large as the IPL would take the brand to a broader level of connecting with consumers. This was the reason to partner with KKR and the IPL in the first place, and this latest commercial is another step in that direction for Matrix.

Source: http://www.exchange4media.com/e4m/news/fullstory.asp?Section_id=1&News_id=42218&Tag=34712

SRK's bear hug for Sachin Tendulkar

Who? It's King Khan - About Whosay.com/iamsrk

Shahrukh becomes first Indian to join special invite-only web service used by A-listers like Cristiano Ronaldo and Tom Hanks
 
Shah Rukh Khan has joined the virtual league of international celebrities like Tom Hanks and Cristiano Ronaldo.

He is the first Indian member of a special invites-only website that allows famous personalities to syndicate their social media, providing them with one common platform to tweet, talk to fans on Facebook, etc.

Only for the famous
The website, called Whosay.com caters to popular athletes, artists, stars, wrestlers, etc across the world.
 
The social media service is for famous personalities where they can connect to their fans on various networks authorized by the website.

International celebrities actively using Whosay are Tom Hanks, Jim Carrey, Cristiano Ronaldo, Enrique Iglesias, Steve Martin, Kevin Spacey, John Cusack and Keith Urban.

Power to control
Says a source close to Shah Rukh, "Whosay is a VIP service for only famous people. If you are a popular personality you can contact the website for an invite.

It gives celebrities new control over their presence on social media. When you see someone posting via Whosay, you'll know that it's authentic."

After Los Angeles, New York, and London when Whosay decided to launch themselves in India, they felt who better than Shah Rukh Khan to be the first Indian to start using their service.
 
The source adds, "Last month, Whosay invited him to use this platform. After his last film My Name Is Khan, Shah Rukh has become a global name.
 
In addition to photo and video hosting, the services include automated copyright branding and a private mobile app allowing the social media updates to be easily controlled."


source: http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2011/may/230511-Shah-Rukh-Khan-Cristiano-Ronaldo-Tom-Hanks.htm

Sunday, May 22, 2011

SRK Wishes Speedy Recovery To `Superhero' Rajini

Special:Rajinikanth

Calling him `superhero', Shah Rukh Khan has prayed for speedy recovery for the Tamil superstar Rajinikanth.

"Suddenly felt awful yesterday while driving back from the match to know Rajni sir is unwell. He is our superhero...insha allah he will be well soon," Shah Rukh said on micro-blogging site twitter.


Read more at: http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_Story.aspx?id=ENTEN20110176033&keyword=&subcatg=&cp

SRK: I am still waiting to be a superstar

Shah Rukh Khan, who has been busy with his movies Ra.One and Don: The Chase Continues, took some time out to promote his new production Always Kabhi Kabhi, its young cast and debutant director Roshan Abbas.

SRK addressed a press conference and talked about the film, today's youth and why he doesn't think he's a superstar.

The film is titled Always Kabhi Kabhi. What is it that you 'Always' do and what is it that you do 'Kabhi Kabhi'?

I am an actor. So I 'Always' lie, and 'Kabhi Kabhi' say the truth (Smiles).

Could you identify with the film?

Roshan has done an excellent job with the film. He did a thorough research. I could easily connect to the youth genre. The way today's school-going kids deal with their lives has completely changed. 

There were things I could not do when I was in school. So I couldn't identify with a lot of things in the film. But I learnt a lot from it. The lead actors romanced pretty girls in the film, which I never got the chance to do.

Did you dream of becoming an actor when you were in school?

I never thought that I would become an actor or come to Mumbai and become successful. I wished to become an actor. I also wished to become a sportsman. There were some dreams that I could not fulfill for certain reasons.


Source: http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-shah-rukh-khan-on-always-kabhi-kabhi/20110519.htm

Bachpan ke din...

Shah Rukh Khan is truly the Baadshah of Bollywood, not just for of his stardom, but because he knows how to keep promises. In spite of a knee injury, SRK made sure he attended the music launch of his upcoming film and obliged the media with questions:


Pic/Satyajit Desai

Time's the teacher
Every morning I wake up to a new experience and a new lesson. Sometimes I wake wake up feeling like a nobody and I feel humble the whole day. When I make people smile, I feel very proud of myself and so I behave pompous. And the remaining days I feel like I have achieved so much that I can afford to be humble or pompous. I am a very vulnerable person and I like to live each day differently. I think people who live life according to a time-table are extremely boring. Life is your best teacher. My parents died early, so whatever I have learnt is through my experiences. Much as I try to spend time with my kids and teach them the meaningful truths of life, I know that eventually they'll learn their lessons through the struggles that they face.

Childhood crush
My childhood was as simple as it could get. I was in an all-boys school so I missed all the fun of a co-ed. But I did have my shares of crushes. I used to love Mumtaz and Saira Banu. Like the latter in the Bhai Batur number from Padosan, I would get into a bathtub and perform that song. And I loved Mumtazji in Chakke Pe Chakka from the film Brahmachari. My dad really tried hard to turn my loyalties to Madhubala, but I couldn't get my eyes off these two beautiful ladies. 


SourcE: http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2011/may/200511-Shah-Rukh-Khan-Baadshah-of-Bollywood-stardom.htm

Shahrukh Khan wanted to hit Chris Gayle but couldn’t manage it

Kolkata Knight Riders' owner, Shahrukh Khan, claimed that he tried to hit the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batsman, Chris Gayle, but failed to do so because of his height.

The West Indian player made his Indian Premier League-4 debut against KKR and smashed a terrific ton, taking the game away from the opposition.

Shahrukh had a lot of respect for Gayle and praised the flamboyant cricketer by saying, "There is no one player who plays against any team, except Chris Gayle. He is a monster. I tired to hit him on his face but couldn't manage to because of his height."

KKR had scored a decent total of 171 runs in the 24th game of the cash rich tournament against RCB and were favourites to win the match. However, Gayle was in devastating form and turned the match into a one-sided affair.

The Caribbean dynamite smashed 102 runs off just 55 deliveries and finished the match with 11 balls to spare. He struck 10 fours and seven massive sixes in the innings and remained unbeaten.

The thunderous knock by Gayle was appreciated by the entire KKR team and even Shahrukh walked over to the hard hitting batsman, congratulating him for his effort.

Kolkata has not yet qualified for the play-offs and they will be facing the Pune Warriors India (PWI) in their next match of the tournament on Thursday, May 19, 2011.

Commenting on the upcoming game, Shahrukh stated, "It is a big match. We don't play individually, we play as a team. I am not tensed, but I am worried. Earlier, at Bangalore, our match was curtailed due to rain, so I felt bad. If we get a chance to play a full game then we will hopefully win. I hope we will be in the semi-finals."

Shahrukh also clarified that he didn't invite Sourav Ganguly to the party at his home because it was only meant for the KKR team. He further stated that anyone would have come to the party, had he given an invitation to them.

There were reports that "King Khan" had invited Ganguly to the party, but the former KKR player refused to attend.


Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Shahrukh-Khan-wanted-to-hit-Chris-Gayle-but-couldnt-manage-it-a70226

Shahrukh Khan is hopeful that Kolkata Knight Riders will qualify for the play-offs


Shahrukh Khan is hopeful that Kolkata Knight Riders will qualify for the play-offs


Shahrukh Khan is hopeful that Kolkata Knight Riders will qualify for the play-offs

Owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders, Shahrukh Khan, has said that he is hopeful that his team will qualify for the play-off stage in the current Indian Premier League (IPL).

Kolkata is currently at the fourth position on the points table with 14 points after 12 matches, but it is facing a tough competition from the Kings XI Punjab, which seems to be peaking at the right time.

The Knight Riders will be up against Pune Warriors tomorrow in a crucial match and Shahrukh's men will have to win this encounter in order to cement their chances of qualifying for the play-offs.

Shahrukh admitted that the match against Pune is a big game and it is imperative for Kolkata to win it. The superstar confessed that he is worried about his team's chances. He was disappointed that Kolkata's match against Bangalore was shortened due to rain and claimed that his team will qualify for the next round if there is no more weather intervention.

He said, "It is a big match tomorrow. We don't play individually, we plays as a team. I am not tensed but I am worried. Earlier at Bangalore, our match was curtailed due to rains so I felt bad. If we get a chance to play a full game then we will hopefully win. I hope we will be in the semifinals."

The Bollywood superstar threw a party for his team at his home in Mumbai recently, but did not invite the former Knight Riders' captain Sourav Ganguly.

Shahrukh clarified that the party was for the current players only. He said that if other cricketers were there in the party then he surely would have invited Ganguly as well.

"The party was for all the players of Kolkata Knight Riders. It was for the first time that KKR had come to Mumbai so I thought of having a party at my house. I had not invited any other player and I am sure if I had invited, they would have come."

Tomorrow's match is also going to be interesting as Ganguly will be playing for the Warriors and he will be geared up to prove to the Knight Riders' management that they made a mistake by not selecting him for the current season.


Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Shahrukh-Khan-is-hopeful-that-Kolkata-Knight-Riders-will-qualify-for-the-play-offs-a70212

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Shahrukh had a crush on Mumtaz, Saira Bano

Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, who has an enviable female fan following, confesses to having a crush on yesteryear actresses - Mumtaz and Saira Bano. "My first two crushes have been Mumtazji and Sairaji. Now I address them with a 'ji'. I always felt that they were the most beautiful ladies in the world. My father used to find Madhubalaji very beautiful," Shah Rukh told reporters here at the sidelines of the music launch of his upcoming production movie 'Always Kabhi Kabhi'. The actor said that he used to shake a leg when he heard songs picturised on the two actresses. "I remember Sairaji's 'Bhai Batur'. She was in a tub in the video. Even I would get into a tub and dance. Then there was Mumtazji's 'Chakke Mein Chakka'," he said. Asked if he had a crush on any of the actresses from the current league, Shahrukh, known for his witty answers said, "Times have changed. Now the girls have crushes on me." 'Always Kabhi Kabhi', produced by SRK's Red Chillies Entertainment will see producer Karim Morani's daughter Zoa, Giselle Monterio, who played Harleen alongside Saif Ali Khan in 'Love Aaj Kal', Satyajit Dubey and Ali Fazal, who played John Lobo in '3 Idiots', in lead roles. Directed by debutante Roshan Abbas, 'Always Kabhi Kabhi' is based on the theme of high-school life. The film is slated to release on June 17.

SoURCE: http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/shahrukh-had-a-crush-on-mumtaz-saira-bano/695470.html

Friday, May 20, 2011

The objects of SRK’s affection

You should feel proud of yourself as Kolkata Knight Riders are performing very well…
That Yusuf and Gambhir should feel. I will feel so after Ra.One.

Talking about Kolkata Knight Riders, tomorrow is a big match. There will be "Dada v/s the KKR team." It is a big pressure on you. How are you going to deal with it?
I don't feel that the match is against a person. One team is going to play against another team. It's very important for us to win the match and, inshallah, the whole team is prepared for it.

We read that you organized a party and invited Dada (Ganguly), but he did not attend it. Your comments?
The party was organized for the KKR team. It has been misconstrued. I had invited my cricket team and some of my friends to my house, because this was the first occasion that I had the KKR team for three days in our town. Thankfully, all the guests that I had invited were present at the party.

It is said that imitation is the best form of flattery. There is a story that Salman has recreated a train scene from your film, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. What do you think about that?
I have stopped believing newspapers. It's really nice that Aditya made such a nice film (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge) that people still get inspired from it. It was a pretty film, and I love that people are still getting inspiration from the romance shown in that film.

What have you christened the puppy you recently purchased?
Ihaven't purchased any puppy.

Who was your first crush in Bollywood?
My first crushes were Mumtazji and Sairabanuji. I call them ji now. When I was very, very young, I used to stand in front of the mirror and dance to their songs. My father used to show me Madhubalaji's movies. She was also extremely lovely.


Source: http://stargold.startv.in/superstar/NewsDetails.aspx?nid=1755

Thursday, May 19, 2011

I still cry and get stressed: SRK

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who has transcended geographical boundaries and won hearts of millions with his charismatic screen presence, says he doesn't consider himself a star.

"The reason I say I am not a star is because I am completely human. I still cry, I still laugh, I crack jokes, I get stressed, I feel disturbed but I think you people love me so much because I could be human," he told reporters Wednesday at the music launch of his latest production "Always Kabhi Kabhi", releasing June 17. "Even though I have this pedestal where I stand which says I am a big star but actually I am nobody till I work hard to make you smile," added the 45-year-old. To give a Midas touch to the film, Shah Rukh has appeared in a promotional song of the film "Always Kabhi Kabhi". "It's not an item number. It's the beginning of the film.

The music and the lyrics of course make it a peppy number," he clarified. This directorial debut of Roshan Abbas is also launching two new faces - Zoa Morani and Satyajeet Dubey. Actor Giselle Montario of "Love Aaj Kal" fame and Ali Fazal who did a small role in Aamir Khan-starrer " 3 Idiots" play lead roles in the film. Set in a school, "Always Kabhi Kabhi" is about four unique youngsters trying to compete with pressure of growing up and many firsts that everyone experiences in high school. As today's school life has changed a lot, King Khan could hardly identify with any except the determination of the youths to accomplish their goal. "The youth part of the film is the same as it was in my time, but the way they deal with their life has changed.

There are many things in the film that I have not done in my school life. So there are many things I couldn't identify with," said Shah Rukh. "Life has changed so much. But the thing that the film says, follow your dream, I could easily identify with. I never thought that I would come to Mumbai and do so much of work but yes I always aspired to be an actor or a sportsman. The film also shows that we should do something that I am willing to do instead of choosing the way where I can lead an easy life," he added.

KKR has nothing against Dada: SRK

As Shah Rukh Khan's IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders gets ready to take on Pune Warriors on Thursday, SRK makes it clear that he or his team has nothing against Dada.

Sourav Ganguly, who has been a part of KKR ever since Indian Premiere League began, was incidentally left out from the team this season. Dada then joined the Pune Warriors and now, all eyes are on the SRK and Dada face off on 19th May.

However, when quizzed if SRK's hoping to defeat Dada at the match, Shah Rukh said, "I or my team has nothing against Dada. We don't play as individuals but play as a team and our target is to win against a team, not against a particular person."
King Khan further added, "And yes, of course I am hoping that KKR wins this match and secures a place in the Semi -finals. The team is all geared up and inshaallah it will win too."

It was recently reported that SRK has invited Dada at his Mannat bash but the latter failed to make it. However, SRK denied inviting Sourav and declared that the party was only for his Kolkata team and a few friends.

Very clearly, SRK has not just excluded Dada from KKR this season, but also from his friend's list. 

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

SRK moves from Dard-e-Disco to Bharatnatyam

King Khan adds a southern touch to his dream production with the song 'Chamak Chalo'
Cut-throat competition in the Indian film industry has led the biggies of Bollywood to get on with some experimentation. With Salman Khan stunning the audience with the remakes of southern hits we have Shah Rukh Khan adding the southern flavour to his movie.

'Ra.One' is Badshah Khan's dream production and he is doing everything possible to make it the biggest hit of the century. After the high profile special effects for the film, next on block is SRK himself performing Bharatnatyam in the movie.

Choreographed by Ganesh Hegde the song is SRK' first attempt with this classical dance form. "This is for the first time in his career that Shah Rukh will perform Bharatnatyam. He always wanted to try Bharatnatyam and 'Ra.One' offered the perfect opportunity," says Ganesh.

The song features the lead pair, Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor dance on the beats of Bharatnatyam. And this is for the first time that international singer Akon will be singing in Hindi. Giving an insight about the track Ganesh says, "The name of the song is 'Chamak Chalo' and is sung in Hindi by Akon. The song will put on show the true chemistry between the couple, SRK and Kareena in the southern style. It is a specialised song and I have made it in a distinctive way. Only after you watch, will you be able to know the magnitude."

Bharatnatyam is a classical dance form and a very tough one too but it seems there is nothing to stop King Khan once he makes up his mind. "Normally Shah Rukh does not rehearse much for any dance number but for this Bharatnatyam song he was practicing for around four days continuously and managed to give the perfect expressions of Bharatnatya. Even Kareena practiced a lot and she too gave the best expressions. With Shah Rukh at his best and Kareena looking graceful in the traditional Bharatnatyam outfit, the song has simply turned out awesome," says the delighted choreographer.

Rumours were rife that SRK had first approached his so-called best friend Farah Khan to do the dance number but Farah refused due to some verbal dispute. We asked Ganesh if he knows about the happening, expressing a strong denial the choreographer says, "As per my knowledge this is not true at all. Shah Rukh had directly approached me first to do the song. He had even asked me to be present during the making of the music and I was with them throughout the process of music production. "

Speaking about the trust level that he and SRK share Ganesh says, "All big projects of SRK are choreographed by me, be it IPL or 'Don'. He trusts me a lot and prefers me over others as I have always delivered him the best. I believe in doing fewer projects but of good quality. I am not among those choreographers who get work done from their assistants," concludes Ganesh.

From the best visual effects to Bharatnatyam now, 'Ra. One' is turning out to be an extraordinary dream for SRK. Only time will tell how hard the film will hit the ready contemporaries.

Shahrukh Khan injured, skips performance


'Kuch Paane Ke Liye Kuch Khona Padata Hai', SRK's celebrated dialogue seems to be taken quite seriously by the star himself. SRK is injured and the kind of professional he is, the star didn't miss the music launch of 'Always Kabhi Kabhi'.

On talking about his injury, he said, "Nothing macho happened but my leg got twisted. I would have been happy to tell you that it happened during shooting for 'Ra.one' or 'Don 2' but nothing like that. It will take seven to eight days for me to recover."

The actor was supposed to perform with the new star cast of the film but couldn't do so because of his injury. SRK didn't forget to mention it to everyone present over there to watch the film so it boosts the morale of the new generation. 

So, SRK like a true producer didn't even invest his money behind a project but is making sure that everything falls in place!
Source: TOI

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

‘I am working hard to regain weight’ - SRK speaks on his recent visit to bangalore

The kings are known for creating an aura around them through sheer intrigue. Bollywood's King Khan is no different. His visit to the City recently for the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore too was steeped in mystery.

There was no clear brief on whether he would come or if he would, when he would arrive. Each cop had his own timing on when SRK had checked into ITC Gardenia and had their own tales to tell.

The heightened security around Chinnaswamy Stadium was the only indication that Khan would indeed be around. But for more than an hour after the match started, there was no sign of the king in the stands. And boy, when he arrived there was an electrifying buzz that only true blood can yield.  

SRK's retinue was in full strength. Bouncers were big enough not to even let a fly buzz past. A sea of people gathered at the VVIP lounge just to get a glimpse, click a picture and perhaps even touch King Khan.

After a lot of pushing and jostling about, 'Metrolife' got to speak to King Khan. Surprisingly, the king struck a different appeal in flesh and blood: very approachable and more than willing to lend his ear to any questions, all within two or three minutes before his bouncers took over.

Shah Rukh shared his thoughts on the City, his role in 'Ra one' and his upcoming projects. Talking about his visit to the City, he says, "I normally travel with my wife but this time I had to come here alone because she's unwell and I had to leave the kids behind with her. Bangalore is a special place where I would come visiting as a child."

The visit to the City took King Khan back in time. Calling it the City of his childhood, Shah Rukh says that his family (grandparents) used to live in Bangalore. "It's always nice to come back to the City," he says and adds, "the weather is beautiful and the place has grown since the last time I was here."  

That SRK has shed a couple of kilos was evident on his face. Talking about his role in Ra one, he says, "I play a super hero. I had to work really hard and lost a couple of kilos for that role. Now I am working doubly hard to regain all that lost weight. My character is called 'G. One' and I am expected to perform some supernatural stunts. I've enjoyed my role."

SRK revealed that he's in talks with Yash Raj and Vishal Bharadwaj for a few projects. The IPL has ignited the sportsman inside Shah Rukh and as soon as he arrived on Friday evening, he headed with his team to the Chinnaswamy Stadium and even tried his hand at the nets. "I enjoy just about any sport. We were here till 11 in the night practising for the team owner's game," he observes.

When asked about all the attention he received wherever he went and the frenzy he unleashed knowingly or unknowingly, he says, "I am humbled by all the love and affection people have for me. I will reciprocate the same."

Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/161804/i-am-working-hard-regain.html

Yash Chopra signs AR Rahman to compose music for his forthcoming film starring Shah Rukh KhanA R Rahman will soon compose music for one of Yash Chopra's upcoming films which has Shahrukh Khan


A R Rahman will soon compose music for one of Yash Chopra's upcoming films which has Shahrukh Khan in lead role.

Yash Chopra is going to direct a Hindi film after seven years and he immediately signed up A R Rahman for his upcoming film. This is the first time that Yash Chopra and A R Rahman are going to work together. His last film was Veer Zaara, which released in 2004.In the past Rahman had composed music for two of Shahrukh's film - One 2 ka 4 and Swades.

The story and other details about Shahrukh-Yash Chopra's film have been kept under wraps. Once the script is finalized, more details are expected to be revealed. For now, all we know is that the film is going to have two heroines and will take off later this year.


Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/news-interviews/Rahman-to-team-up-with-SRK-Chopra/articleshow/8388507.cms

There’s always a first time

Yash Chopra signs AR Rahman to compose music for his forthcoming film starring Shah Rukh Khan

Yash Chopra, who will be directing a film after seven long years, has gone ahead and done something that nobody could think of.

The filmmaker has signed AR Rahman for his next directorial venture. This will be the first time the Oscar winning composer would be lending tunes to a Yash Chopra film in his career spanning 20 long years.

Our source revealed, "Yash Chopra has been a part of the industry for the last 50 years and YRF Films have ruled Bollywood over the last 40 years. However, this will be the first time the two iconic talents will come together.

While details of Yashji's film are still being kept under wraps, it is clear that it will be Shah Rukh Khan who'll indeed be a part of the project."

Chopra himself was all praises for the composer. "I am starting work on the music of my film which is yet untitled with AR Rahman.

Apart from the great honour that he has consistently brought to our country, he is alsi someone who has created some outstanding and memorable music.

And music, as you know is not only very dear to me but also an integral part of my films. I am looking forward to creating some wonderful music combining Rahman's contemporary world music sensibilities and my old world tastes in lilting melodies," said Chopra.

On the other hand, Rahman, while speaking about working with Chopra for the first time said, "I'm very excited about working with Yash Chopra. I am humbled by his faith in me.

I have seen that Yashji always portrays music as the inevitable essence of love and divinity in his movies. I hope as a team we can bring tremendous joy to all."

Chopra also cleared certain speculations about the cast of the film, saying, "Everyone knows that when I make a movie, Shah Rukh will be involved in it. He is like family to YRF and I have always regarded him as one of my own.

There will be two leading ladies in my film. Once Adi (Aditya Chopra) gives me the final draft of the script, I will finalise the two girls opposite SRK."


Source: http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/30/201105172011051703262929894977fb9/There%E2%80%99s-always-a-first-time.html

Masters of illusion

The film's release is still months away, but the trailer has already created a buzz. And judging by the trailer, whatever the final commercial and critical verdict on Shah Rukh Khan's forthcoming science fiction Ra.One, it will go down in Indian film history as the movie which has used computer generated visual effects footage the most in Indian cinema so far, putting even last year's Rajinikanth blockbuster Enthiran or Robot in the shade.

Hardly any of those who have seen the trailer are discussing Khan's looks or his performance in Ra.One, short for Random Access - Version 1.0, or the plot. Everyone is gushing about the film's visual effects, or VFX. Even Hollywood is impressed. "New minute of Captain America visuals pales in comparison to the 10-second Ra. One teaser," says Movieline, an international website that reviews film trailers. So too director Shekhar Kapur, whose Mr India made in 1987 was one of the first Indian films to use VFX, tweeted: "Shah Rukh's Ra.One has raised the bar on VFX technique in Indian cinema... Hope other filmmakers catch up!"

Ra.One is a pointer to not only the levels of excellence achieved by the Indian VFX industry, but also to Indian cinema's increasing use of VFX technology. For many years, Indian VFX units catered mainly to Hollywood and ad film makers in India, with feature film directors - barring a few exceptions - keeping their distance. Suddenly, attitudes have changed.

Among the high-profile films of late that used VFX extensively are Chandni Chowk to China (1,500 VFX shots), Aladin (1,600 shots), Blue (800 shots), Guzaarish (350 shots) and above all, Enthiran (2,000 shots). Currently, industry insiders estimate around 70 per cent of Indian films are using VFX.

"In Bollywood, VFX has evolved only in the last five years," says Merzin Tavadia, co-founder and Chief Creative Director, India, of Prime Focus, a leading VFX and postproduction studios that is working on the 3D conversion of The Phantom Menace of the Star Wars series. The first Hindi film to do so on a large scale was the 2008 release Love Story 2050. "It had 1,200 VFX shots. The film bombed, but the VFX was something Bollywood had never seen before," Tavadia adds.

How they differ

Visual effects: Creating scenes using a computer that cannot possibly be set up and shot on camera

Special effects: Simulating scenes - such as a building being blown up - on the sets using special techniques and capturing them on camera

Animation: Displaying a sequence of images in 2D or 3D in rapid succession to create the illusion of movement
Indeed, even the subsequent Indian films that relied heavily on VFX had mixed fortunes at the box office. But all that changed with Enthiran, which was a tremendous success, raking in Rs 350 crore worldwide. And now there is Ra.One, which industry sources say has around 3,500 VFX shots, outstripping not only Enthiran in this respect, 2008 230 but even the much-discussed Hollywood blockbuster James Cameron's Avatar, whose score was around 2,700 shots. Haresh Hingorani, its VFX supervisor, says: "The most difficult of shots in Ra.One were the ones that required Shah Rukh's 'suit enhancement', which means combining actual shots taken using a camera with VFX shots. There are 800 suit shots and it took us five months to develop the pipeline for them."

New thinking
VFX studio owners say the mindset of Bollywood directors is changing. They are realising the enormous possibilities that VFX opens up, especially for science fiction, adventure and mythological films. "VFX is no longer an afterthought," says Sanjot Sonalkar, Head, Creative at Reliance Media Works, or RMW. "It is serious business. Earlier film producers would come to us and ask what stock VFX shots we had. They wanted to choose some and incorporate in their films. We don't have that situation now."

"Most filmmakers horizons have expanded," adds Viral Thakkar, VFX Supervisor at Pixion, a post-production studio. "They are now capable of thinking and writing scripts around VFX. They are also becoming more confident that post-production studios can deliver the kind of work they are looking for." The effects have become so creative that they blend well into films, adds Sanjay Yashroy, Chief Operating Officer, Pixion. "The audience does not realise VFX is being used."

Click here to Enlarge
Even so, Bollywood (Ra.One is an exception) has some way to go before it catches up with Hollywood. For a VFXdriven film, rarely do Indian producers budget more than 10 per cent for the effects, while their Hollywood counterparts could earmark as much as 60 to 70 per cent. Then, there is the size of budget, itself. Hollywood studios can spend $200 to 250 million on VFX alone, while the entire budget of Enthiran, for instance, was around Rs 160 crore or $36 million. "We tried to deliver visual effects of international standards within budget constraints," says V. Srinivas Murali Mohan, the film's VFX supervisor.

Again, to get the maximum impact out of VFX in films, detailed pre-production - the work that goes into filmmaking before shooting starts - is a must. Here too, Bollywood lags well behind Hollywood. "Pre-production means the development of the concept and the use of pre-visualisation," says Neil Cunningham, Creative Head, VFX, RMW.



"In Hollywood, once scripts are written in which VFX is an integral part, the process automatically takes over." Not in India. Enthiran, says Mohan, spent six to seven months on pre-visualisation. "Indian cinema is still raw in the way it views VFX," says Keitan Yadav, Ra.One's VFX producer. "For directors and producers, getting involved at the script stage and pre-visualising is not the norm yet. However, things are changing and Ra.One is an example."

Cost goes poof
But there is a big advantage in using VFX for certain kinds of sequences that Indian filmmakers are finally waking up to: it can be economical. "It is much cheaper to create images on a computer screen rather than take an entire film crew to a location and shoot," says Pixion's Yashroy."You are able to easily capture extreme situations that are difficult to shoot."

Keitan Yadav, VFX Producer, Anubhav Sinha, Ra.One director, and Haresh Hingorani, VFX supervisor for redchilies.vfx
Keitan Yadav, VFX Producer, Anubhav Sinha, Ra.One director, and Haresh Hingorani, VFX supervisor for redchilies.vfx
For television shows, especially the mythological ones, where budgets are usually much tighter than those of feature films, VFX is a still bigger boon. Industry sources maintain using VFX rather than putting up sets reduces TV production costs by 60 to 65 per cent.

Unlike films and TV, Indian advertising cottoned on to the benefits of VFX very early. In advertising, VFX has already come of age with almost 80 per cent of commercials today using VFX in varying degrees, according to those in the industry. They estimate that a 40-second commercial, which would typically cost Rs 40 lakh to shoot, can be made for Rs 30 lakh if VFX is used instead.

Merzin Tavadia, Chief Creative Director, Prime Focus
Merzin Tavadia, Chief Creative Director, Prime Focus
"With around 15 million small and medium enterprises in India, the demand for VFX in advertising can be huge. This is good for the future of the VFX industry," says Mohit Ralhan, Head of Investments, Media and Entertainment, Baring Private Equity. "Many SMEs cannot afford TV advertising, as they find it too expensive to prepare TV ads. VFX-based ads can do wonders for them."

Hollywood links
Another set of professionals who saw the potential of Indian VFX studios early were Hollywood producers. Their reason for turning to India was initially the same that has prompted every kind of outsourcing: saving on costs. "Hollywood studios can get about 75 per cent cost advantage by working out of India," says Anil Arjun, RMW's CEO. But over the years, Indian VFX studios have moved up the value chain. It is no longer labour intensive, low-on-creativity work that is outsourced to them as in the first few years. A little known fact is that films like Avatar, this year's Oscar winning The King's Speech, and the BBC TV series The Deep (about a submarine disaster) have all used studios like Prime Focus, Pixion and RMW for high-end work. Prime Focus created a number of the visual effects seen in Avatar. It had a team of around 90 working on the film, spread across Los Angeles, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Mumbai. RMW has worked on projects such as The Chronicles of Narnia and is currently working on two 3D films slated for release later this year - Shark Night and Conan the Barbarian. "A lot of the work in Shark Night is over and under water, which is notoriously difficult to do in stereo," says RMW's Sonalkar. "In Conan, we have worked on a major set piece. We have built proprietary tools and rigs to tackle some complex VFX shots."

Growing market
The RMW team (standing from left) Head of Operations Nishit Shetty, Creative Head Sanjot Sonalka; (seated from left) VFX Creative Head Neil Cunningham, Naresh Malik, COO-TVC Visual Effects Creative Services
The RMW team (standing from left) Head of Operations Nishit Shetty, Creative Head Sanjot Sonalka; (seated from left) VFX Creative Head Neil Cunningham, Naresh Malik, COO-TVC Visual Effects Creative Services
The market for VFX in India stood at approximately Rs 450 crore in 2010 against Rs 320 crore in the previous year, an increase of 41 per cent. The overall industry comprising animation, VFX and post production grew by 17.5 per cent over 2009 to reach Rs 2,360 crore, according to a FICCI-KPMG Media and Entertainment report. The overall growth was largely led by VFX and post-production, the latter rising by 17 per cent.

A visual artiste creates a 3D ship on Maya Software for the movie Rama-The Saviour at Reliance Media Works
A visual artiste creates a 3D ship on Maya Software for the movie Rama-The Saviour at Reliance Media Works
The report says that animation and VFX together are expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 18.5 per cent to reach Rs 5,590 crore by 2015. Baring's Ralhan is even more optimistic, expecting the VFX industry to grow by more than 25 per cent annually. "The next five years are going to be big," he says.

Not just the next five - VFX will grow for many years to come. The sight of unbelievable events unfolding believably on screen is guaranteed to fascinate all, especially children. Back to Ra.One, which its director Anubhav Sinha admits is being made "as a treat for our kids". Shah Rukh's son Aryan is 13, his daughter Suhana is 10, while Sinha's own son, Shlok, is nine. "Ra.One is a father-son story. We wanted to do it for our children," concludes Sinha.