Shah Rukh & Vidya walk away with top honors

Shah Rukh Khan and Vidya Balan walked away with the top honors at the Zee Cine awards held at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. While SRK won the best actor award for his role in My Name is Khan, Vidya Balan was chosen as the best actress for her performance in the film Ishqiya. The best film award went to the Salman Khan starrer Dabaang. Aishwarya Rai won the special jury award for Guzaarish.

The event was attended by about 8000 guests and several top Bollywood actors and actresses performed live. Aishwarya Rai's dance performance for hit numbers in Raavan and Robot was the cynosure of all eyes.


Source: http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news-1/jan-11-03/shah-rukh-khan-vidya-balan-18-01-11.html

Juhi to produce Onir's next

Juhi Chawla has decided to produce films once again. She will produce Onir's next, I Am, a film she will act in as well.

This is the first film she will produce after breaking her professional ties with Shah Rukh Khan and dissolving their company, Dreams Unlimited.

Under this banner, the two actors had jointly produced Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Chalte Chalte and Asoka.

Confirming this, Onir told Mumbai Mirror, "Initially, Sanjay Suri and I were producing the film. Now, Juhi too is on board. She has joined us as Associate Producer."

Explaining how Juhi came on board, Onir said, "She was helping us raise investors for this film for a long time.

After we completed the entire shooting, she expressed the desire to join us as an associate producer. Her addition to our team will be a big asset."

Onir and Juhi go back a long way; she starred in two films directed by him My Brother Nikhil (2005) and Bas Ek Pal (2006).

Juhi is also acting in I Am. Says Onir, "She plays a major role with Manisha Koirala in one of the four stories of I Am.

I have cast her as a Kashmiri Pandit, who returns to Kashmir after 20 years to visit Manisha."

Onir would love to produce more films with Juhi in future, he tells us. "I want my association with Juhi to be a very long-lasting one." Hope Juhi does too.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/7317375.cms?prtpage=1

SRK's Don 2 Vs Tom Cruise's Misson Impossible

It's not just with his home production Ra.1 that Shah Rukh Khan is looking towards capturing the international market in 2011. With Farhan Akhtar's Don 2 too Shah Rukh goes gloriously global.

And Shah Rukh will be taking on Tom Cruise,no less,with Don 2. The two action-oriented super-slick films on global crime and punishment release globally within a week of one another in December. Hush-hush plans are on to put together an international version of Farhan's ferocious furious and flamboyant flick so that Shah Rukh's Don 2 can come face to face with Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible4, which incidentally features Anil Kapoor in a cameo.

And to prove how global in execution Don 2 is, here's the thing. A car chase sequence featuring Shah Rukh shot in Berlin last month was so steep and dangerous it damaged one of the expensive cameras that had been recruited to capture the heart-in-the-mouth stunt.Luckily no one was hurt.

According to a source from the film the Don's character in Don 2: The Chase Continues has gone international with his criminal amibitions. "While in the first part, Don wanted to take over the crime syndicate in India in Don 2 the Don wants to capture the entire European market.Shah Rukh's character is no longer an Indian crimelord wanted in 11 countries. He is portrayed as a European gangster, replete with all the trappings of an international kingpin."

The magnitude of the character's power and the external trappings of his prosperity have been captured in Don 2 by deploying a budget that leaves behind all other Indian films on international crime.

To play the European kingpin Farhan Akhtar and Shah Rukh apparently studied the lives and lifestyles of various international crimelords.

Says a source, "It was one thing for Shah Rukh to portray the the Indian don wanted in 11 countries. In Don 2 his character wants to rule Europe. Shah Rukh's clothes, cars, girls, gadgets,body language and perfume had to convey a global aura."

Sources say Don 2 is being assembled on an international scale. And there would probably be a full-scale international version of the film for an NRI global market with the songs eliminated and the drama reduced.

Veteran actor Om Puri who reprises his role of the police inspector from the first part admits everything in Don 2 is upscaled. "I can't tell you the plot. But I will reveal one thing. In a lift together,just when my character tells Priyanka Chopra he is going to retire , the lift door opens and my character stands face to face with Don. That's when my dreams of leaving the police force ends and the chase begins."

Om says most of his scenes in Don 2 are with Priyanka. "Mine is not a lengthy role. But it's an important role. I wasn't part of the chase sequence that you mention. But yes it was unlike anything seen in Hindi films. And yes a camera did get damaged. But no one got hurt."

The actor is all praise for Farhan Akhtar and his unit. "Unlike other Bollywood locations on a foreign location the stars and the crew were not put up in separate hotels. All of us including the technical crew and junior artistes stayed in the same hotel in Berlin, though the unit members unlike the stars had to share rooms. I've hardly ever worked with a more professional efficient and hospitable unit. Every detail in Berlin was looked into in advance and there were no last-minute glitches. The entire schedule of about a month went off smoothly."

Read more: SRK's Don 2 Vs Tom Cruise's Misson Impossible - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/SRKs-Don-2-Vs-Tom-Cruises-Misson-Impossible/articleshow/7304589.cms#ixzz1BKAlPsdY

SRK’s jet-setting way

Talking of a recent award ceremony in Singapore, Sher Lock bhai wants me to listen to some tidbits about Shah Rukh Khan. Seems the actor was so busy that he flew in and out of the country in less than 24 hours.  My super sleuth tells me that SRK landed in Singapore from Mumbai atabout 4am and after resting for a couple of hours, he went to rehearse his act for the award ceremony.

After performing to a medley of his songs in the evening, the actor flew out of the city by midnight. Kyun? Kyunki I'm told that he's expected to reach Argentina, where his game show Zor Ka Jhatka is being shot. Apparently, a media brigade has been flown there to meet Khan. SRK's jet-setting ways is giving me a jetlag now. Must ask him the secret of his unending energy the next time I meet him. Hai na?

http://www.hindustantimes.com/SRK-s-jet-setting-ways/Article1-651124.aspx

Shah Rukh Khan: An audience with the King

What makes Shah Rukh Khan such a huge Bollywood star?

In the burgeoning Bollywood film industry, there are stars that are just as handsome as Khan.

There are other actors who are taller and more muscular than he is.

There are also a few who are just as charismatic and give riveting performances on the screen.

Yet, save for Bollywood cinema legend Amitabh Bachchan, few can match Khan, in terms of popularity.

I found out first hand what sets Khan apart from other Bollywood stars when he made a surprise appearance last Friday at a press briefing, hours before the Zee Cine Awards 2011 at Marina Bay Sands in which he was slated to perform.

The reason for his popularity is clear, he is simply a genuinely likable guy and a natural born joker.

King of the Hill or Court Jester?

The roomful of journalists instantly became excited as 'King Khan' breezed into the room, decked out in a pair of torn jeans and a dark blue shirt, his eyes hidden behind a pair of aviator shades.

Cameramen and photographers silently leapfrogged forward as they each tried to get closer for a better shot of the veteran actor-director/producer.

Khan introduced himself and gingerly sat himself down on the couch before taking questions from the press and almost immediately began dispensing wisecracks.

A reporter asked him about his visits to Singapore and he replied that he actually dropped by weeks earlier for an event and enjoyed the hotel's facilities.

"They very sweetly allowed me to go down to the nightclub even though I was underage," deadpanned the 45-year-old Khan as his audience broke out in laughter.

Khan may be a superstar but he was not above some toilet humour.

"The toilet seats deserve special mention. I have never seen toilet seats like that. The toilet [seats], they open on their own. It is like there is a little gremlin inside who opens it for you," said Khan as he mimicked the 'toilet gremlin'.

"It's fantastic! Just for that I will keep coming back here!"

It took a few moments for the laughter to die down but Khan brought it back minutes later.

This time, it was his response to a question about being a cultural ambassador for India that tickled the funny bones of the gathered reporters.

"My wife (movie producer Gauri Chibber) often tells me I'm very uncultured and ill disciplined so I don't know if I am the right person to be the ambassador of culture for my country," he replied, sporting a wry grin on his face.

"I would like to believe that I will be the ambassador of bringing smiles and happiness to different parts of the world through our cinema."

Parting shot

Towards the end of the conference, Khan launched into the customary spiel about all that is good about Singapore and expressed it is a good place for Indians to send their kids to school to "learn about the modern world".

However, he was interrupted by a shout from the audience.

"Would you send your children here?"

Khan paused to contemplate the question before deflecting it with humour.

"Both my kids (Aryan, 13 and Suhana, 10) are [already] studying. I will make some [children] specially for schools in Singapore.

"I'll give you my wife's number. Give her a call later. 'Let's do some children. We need to have them study in Singapore!'" joked Khan, shaking his fist while wearing a look of mock determination.

The function room reverberated with laughter and then applause as Khan thanked his audience and posed for pictures before waving goodbye and disappearing out the door.

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainmentfeatures/view/1105201/1/.html

Shah Rukh Khan Hurt By Abusive Tweets

Shah Rukh Khan, till recently a regular Twitter user who readily shared his inner thoughts with fans, quit the social networking site after his son read some abusive tweets directed at Shah Rukh.

Shah Rukh Khan, till recently a regular Twitter user who readily shared his inner thoughts with fans, quit the social networking site after his son read some abusive tweets directed at Shah Rukh. Photo Credit: Sawf News

January 16, 2011, (Sawf News) - Shah Rukh Khan, till recently a regular Twitter user who readily shared his inner thoughts with fans, quit the social networking site after his son read some abusive tweets directed at Shah Rukh.

Shah Rukh says the abusive tweets wouldn't have bothered him but for the fact that he now has children and employees that look up to him.

"I have two kids who are growing up very fast. They look up to me. I have my employees who also look up to me," he says.

Speaking to the press during a break between rehearsals for the Zee Cine Awards in Singapore [via DNA], Shah Rukh explained that he took to Twitter at the suggestion of pal Karan Johar.

"But then something happened recently, which broke my heart. I was left wondering as to why I was being subjected to all this," he said.

"Everybody's entitled to freedom of speech but posting gaalis and abusive words is another matter. I certainly don't deserve it. My son (Aryan) came to know about one such case and asked me, 'Dad, who are these people? Why on earth should they talk to you like that?' That's when I decided to take a break from it.

After a break, Shah Rukh tried to resume his Twitter interactions, but the faceless abusers quickly returned.

"When something bad is written about me, at least I know who's behind it,but these (on Twitter) are faceless and nameless people. They are just getting a kick by giving gaalis to Shah Rukh Khan, I'm bewildered by all this," he says.

Source: http://www.sawfnews.com/Bollywood/66149.aspx

‘No one offered me a game show’

I love anchoring game shows of all kinds," says actor-anchor Shah Rukh Khan, less than a month before his celebrity-driven reality show Zor Ka Jhatka hits airwaves. "No one offered me a game show after Kya Aap Panchvi Paas Se Tez Hain (Star Plus). That and Kaun Banega Crorepati were two of the biggest quiz shows on TV. I think quiz shows do very well in our country. And I love quizzing. It's the most interesting exercise that most fathers across the world indulge in."

On family
The actor admits that his school-going kids Aryan and Suhana also enjoy quiz games as much as he does. "My wife Gauri also likes such shows because they have a pan-family appeal; they have humour packed with some serious knowledge tests. I think every household has a quizmaster, the father. It's daddies who do it more often at home than mothers," smiles Khan, who admits Amitabh Bachchan is India's finest quizmaster.

SRK"No one can conduct a game show better than he does on national TV. His style, his control over the game, and his approach towards the contestants sets him notches above all of us. We've all followed him in movies and then, on TV and will continue to follow him wherever he goes," says Khan.

Shooting schedule
The shooting schedule of Zor Ka Jhatka is expected to wrap up over the next few days. However, given his tight shooting and travel schedule, the desi WipeOut anchor may not be able to make it to the location which has been used for the 22 seasons of the show across countries before this one. Around the time of going to press, the actor was in Singapore for Zee Cine Awards where he performed to a rocking mix of numbers.

"I've watched a few episodes of the original WipeOut show. It's a lot of fun and is full of crazy energy. It reminded me of a German game show, Telematch. As a kid, I loved watching it. People would make fools of themselves, but in a feel good way," recalls Khan.

When asked about the obvious comparison with other celebrity anchors like Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar, the latter more than the former since he's associated with action, Khan states that he doesn't like being compared. "Aren't all the shows similar? They all put a contestant in a situation and his reactions become entertainment, whether it's a private question as in Sach Ka Saamna or a scary mix of events as in a Khatron Ke Khiladi," argues Khan. "I'm always compared, it's sad. But now, it doesn't bother me."
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/651076.aspx