In Focus

Shah Rukh Khan

“The more efforts I make the luckier I get!”

In his recently released blockbuster, Shah Rukh Khan meets the American President! Badshah Khan or King Khan has broken several box-office records in several international markets!! He has also got into controversies galore! The Shah Rukh Khan that we meet seems to be a more mellowed one except for the flashes of raw sarcasm and wit that he displays once too often. His cool reassured self emerges to the surface even as he balks at the slightest hint of raking up any controversy with his outspokenness…excerpts from an interview…

Is Shah Rukh a ‘Khan’ first and Indian later?
Shah Rukh Khan is a human being, an Indian as well as a ‘Khan’. It pains me when people create controversies out of nothing. I believe in humanity first and equality at all times.      

How have you evolved as an actor?
I have realised that with each film I make...I have to do less and less as an actor to achieve more. “My Name Is Khan” has been a true self realisation and self discovery film. The fact so many people want to voice their good-n-bad opinions about the film is a sign of its phenomenal impact. I think energy comes from being creative an I fell I am very creative hence that generates enormous energy also inner happiness and satisfaction of achievement revitalizes your inner being and makes you full of life.

How do you view failure?
Sometimes you lose to win again and you fall to rise again! A loss doesn’t mean that it’s a bad or a half-hearted performance. In sports, teams have to win and lose. In life, losses should be faced with a lot of humour and ease. When you lose, you feel like changing everything and starting afresh! You have to look ahead and move ahead.

What are your belief systems?
I believe in the ability of people’s feelings to change attitudes and dispel prejudices. I don’t believe in superstition but believe in prayer and good wishes. I don’t believe in luck unless I have put in efforts to deserve that ‘luck’. The more efforts I make the luckier I get! I think the time has come whenever there are issues that I feel for, or I have an opinion on... to necessarily a stand, because I'm a humanitarian.

Tell us about your most prized personal accessory?
My Nokia handset is my dearest personal accessory. Every day, I get 1,500 smses on my Nokia E-90 communicator and my cellphone literally gets clogged. Yet, reading people’s views is quite engaging and exciting. Some of them are quite funny: for e.g., one person smsed me that he was a better actor than me; he urged me to give him a break and said that I would never regret it. Another smsed me that in “My Name Is Khan”, I acted very well; and he asked me to return the money he spent on tickets of all my previous films. I feel like answering all these smses but it would be a very time consuming process.

What about your watch?
For me, my watch is synonymous with time, which is luxury! I juggle my time from acting to production to meetings to appearances to family…so on and so forth. In my office, I see around and find so many young people, who have so much time to do so much more and still find time for themselves and their pursuits. I see my children having so much of time and making the most of every moment. It makes me feel so old and lost in time. My watch gives me the power to control my time and be ahead of the times.

How can your fans get to meet you?
If my fans want to shake a leg with me; cheer the Kolkata Knight Riders; and join them at the post-match parties, they can do so at the first-of-its-kind super hospitality enclosure at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. You can enjoy yourself in the air-conditioned lounge, get parking rights bang in front of the main entrance and savour fine cuisine. And of course shake a leg with me! I promise my fans that this time around, Kolkata Knight Riders will do their best to win!



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