Shiv Sena activists protest against SRK at ‘Mannat’

After slamming Shah Rukh Khan for supporting the inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in the IPL and warning theatre owners to boycott the screening of his upcoming flick ‘My Name Is Khan,’ scores of Shiv Sena supporters staged a protest against the actor outside his abode ‘Mannat.’

Although SRK’s residence has been put under high security, Mumbai police had to fight back to bring the situation under control as it acted by arresting 25-30 Sena activists.

Earlier, Sena goons on Sunday tore up Shah Rukh’s posters and burnt them outside a theatre in Kandivali. They also threatened the manager of theatre not to show the movie ‘My Name Is Khan’ in cinema hall.

According to reports, Sena is also reportedly planning to protest outside the actor`s house Mannat. So the security and surveillance at the actor’s residence has been increased.

After Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut advised SRK to migrate to Lahore or Islamabad, Sena boss Thackeray went ballistic at the superstar. In an editorial in the party’s news daily ‘Saamna’, Thackeray said Shah Rukh has insulted 26/11 martyrs by talking about Pakistani players in IPL.

He even went on to advise the actor to make Ajmal Kasab the captain of his team. And he added that for vice captain, Shah Rukh could get Afzal Guru, who is under a death sentence for the attack on Parliament.

SRK ties up with Centuryply

Centuryply, the king of the plywood industry, joined hands with the Badshah of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan at a recent meet-and-greet programme in Mumbai, to reveal the secret behind being the undisputed leader for the last two decades, with the strength to go on.

The brand has chosen the glamourous Bollywood industry to create a niche in the lifestyle segment as well — Centuryply is enamoured with the charisma of SRK and have partnered with one of his movies earlier. Now, taking the same trend ahead, they have partnered with the biggest film of 2010 — Dharma Productions and Red Chillies My Name Is Khan.

My Name Is Khan is a movie wherein the protagonist goes through various ordeals in life to achieve the unattainable. Rizwan Khan, a Muslim man from India, moves to San Francisco and lives with his brother and sister-in-law. Rizwan, who has Asperger’s, falls in love with Mandira. After September 11, 2001, Mandira is devastated and they split. To win her back, he embarks on a touching and inspiring journey across America. Rizwan Khan’s strength to go on through every upheaval exhibits the spirit that resembles the making of Centuryply, the leader. Both cases show leaders with the strength to go on. Sanjay Agarwal, Jt MD, Centuryply, said, “The spirit of Rizwan Khan in this movie has strengthened our faith, that if you are true towards your goal, nothing can stop you from achieving it. Everything else becomes meaningless as long as the fortitude is to reach the destination. The same attitude has brought us to the pinnacle and has kept us there.”

Further commenting on this association, Abhra Banerjee, VP, marketing, Centuryply, said, “The undying spirit of Mr Khan in this movie is what appeals the most and has a strong resemblance with our brand Centuryply. The brand Centuryply demonstrates the statement ‘Never Say Die’ in its mannerism and this is the spirit that the team lives by. This is the second time that we are associating with SRK and hope to keep this association in future as well.”

Watching movies with SRK

Want to know what everyone in town is currently excited about? No it’s not Katrina Kaif or Deepika Padukone. B-Town folks are excited about receiving an invitation to Shah Rukh Khan’s private 42-seater in-house theatre that is on the first floor of his residential block Mannat Annexe.

Yesterday before he took a flight to the US for the promotions of his latest film, the Badshah had a screening for his and Gauri’s immediate family. And, when he returns on February 6 to Mumbai, he will hold a preview for Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Hrithik and Sussanne Roshan, Arjun Rampal and Mehr Jessia, Sanjay and Maheep Kapoor. Well darling, if you aren’t invited... then it just means that you are not happening.

Warsaw excitedly awaits My Name Is Khan world premiere

Shah Rukh Khan posters are up and advance booking for tickets has begun. The Polish capital, home to a large number of King Khan fans, is all set for the world premiere of My Name is Khan February 12.

To cash in on Shah Rukh's immense popularity in Poland, the distributors 20th Century Fox has selected Warsaw for the world premiere of his latest film, which sees him paired opposite Kajol after eight long years.

Directed by Karan Johar, the film is about Rizwan Khan (Shah Rukh), an autist, who is mistaken for a terrorist while travelling in the US.

The Indian community and Polish Bollywood buffs are thrilled as this will be the first time a Hindi movie will be shown in Poland along with other western capitals and important cities around the globe simultaneously.

"We cannot believe it but still it is going to be a historic day when we can see Shah Rukh's movie on the very first day of its release. Till this day we normally get (to see) Bollywood films which are normally a year old or so with Polish subtitles," said J J Singh, president of the Indo-Polish Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Big posters have been pasted at important corners of the city and a brisk advance booking of the forthcoming film has already started.

"Finally Poland is on the radar for Bollywood movies and luckily both the producer and distributor understand the value of the Polish market. In five years time, when Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham took Poland by surprise in December 2004, we have covered much ground to be acknowledged as serious lovers of Bollywood movies," said Janusz Krzyzowski, president of the India-Poland Cultural Committee.

"This is great news for us Indians. Let us hope many more Bollywood producers will take a cue from Karan Johar's initiative to release their latest film in Poland. The profile of India has changed dramatically since 2004 and now sky is the limit for cooperation between India and Poland," said Rajesh Vaishnaw, Indian charge d'affaires.

It was the release of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham with Polish sub-titles that made Shah Rukh a household name in Poland. Later, with films like Main Hoon Na, Kal Ho Na Ho and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna among others he almost became synonymous with Bollywood in Poland.

The songs of his movies became instant hits and young girls and boys had his posters in their rooms. Last year a biography of Shah Rukh penned by Anupama Chopra was translated into Polish.

Aamir, Shah Rukh 2 Idiots: Shiv Sena

After targeting Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan for his remarks supporting the inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in the IPL, the Shiv Sena.

Saturday dragged in Aamir Khan, calling the duo "2 Idiots".

"In real life, Aamir and Shah Rukh have been proved as '2 Idiots' as both are making stupid statements supporting the cause of Pakistani cricketers," said a statement in the party's Hindi mouthpiece Dopahar Ka Saamna. "On the one hand, while SRK is openly displaying his love for Pakistani players, Aamir has even put nationalistic sentiments in his utterances on this issue," said the statement in the tabloid, which hit the stands this afternoon.

"According to Aamir, if any cricketer is good, he would like to have him in his team, it makes no difference to him which country he belongs to," said the statement. The statement is accompanied by a digitally altered picture of the recent record blockbuster "3 Idiots". It shows the head of Aamir (the star and promoter of the movie) popping out of a drum and SRK sticking his tongue from another drum - signifying the accompanying heading of "2 Idiots".

Aamir had said Friday that if he were to select IPL players he would do so only on the basis of their performance and not nationality. The Shiv Sena Friday hit out at Shah Rukh, who is also the Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner, after he said he would have picked a Pakistani player for IPL matches if his team had a slot. Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said if the actor was so keen on them, "he could go play his matches in Lahore, not in India".

Thane Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde announced that no film of Shah Rukh would be screened in the district. Both actors have not reacted to the Shiv Sena's tirade.

My character does sex in the kitchen: Shahrukh Khan

The straight face with which Shahrukh Khan cracks jokes makes it difficult to judge if he’s serious or just being frivolous. In a recent interview on Zoom, when asked if there was any sex scene in his upcoming film My Name Is Khan, SRK gave a reply that knocked his buddy Karan Johar, who was also promoting the film, almost off the chair.

“Oh, you’re asking about sex? Be more specific,” SRK replied the host and added, “Yes of course, there’s plenty of sex...My character does it everywhere. In the kitchen, the hall, the drawing room - everywhere. That’s what the movie is all about.”

But the superstar was obviously joking. Karan Johar, who’s the film’s director, clarified: “No way. I clarify right here that there is no such thing happening in the movie. It’s a love story with a twist, that’s all.”

Only after the clarification from Karan did SRK let out a sly smile that revealed that he was indeed joking.

Must say, SRK really had us believing his ‘sex in the kitchen’ bit for a moment.

Bitter reality check for Karan Johar

For the first time in his mature years, Karan Johar is a depressed man. It’s to do with the efforts of people around him to cause a rift between him and his mentor Shah Rukh Khan. It’s also to do with the nature of his latest directorial venture My Name Is Khan and the talk show Lift Kara De, where Karan brings some of the unhappiest people on the show.

Now he needs an anti-depressant. “I need a break from grim happenings. I’m going to do another season of Koffee With Karan before I direct another film. Of course, I can’t go back to the gossipy, bitchy format. This time Koffee ...will be more probing, sober, more about a reality check than the pay cheque.”

Like Ranbir Kapoor’s Wake Up Sid, Karan Johar has finally woken up. Hurt, wounded and for the first time openly resentful about the lack of solidarity, affability and a basic compassion in the film industry, Karan for the first time says he won’t go out of his way to praise his colleagues’ films.

This, coming from a filmmaker who has constantly gone out of his way to heap lavish praise on his contemporaries’ creations, is a tragic comment on Karan’s disenchantment with his fraternity.

“Why should I praise other people’s films when nobody praises mine? Maybe my films aren’t worth praising. Maybe others are dream directors and I’m just a director who dreams?” says Karan bitterly, directly referring to the way colleagues bitched about his films Wake Up Sid and Kurbaan released last year, so much that both his directors Ayan Mukerjee and Rensil D’Silva have gone underground.

Says Karan, “I’ve realised in our industry people can’t tolerate their own unhappiness and other people’s happiness. It’s useless to go out of my way to be good to people when they don’t reciprocate.”

Karan is dismayed by the way it is being insinuated that he is drifting apart from his friend and mentor Shah Rukh Khan. “That’s a laugh. Professionally, I can’t see myself ever making films with anyone else. When I close my eyes, Shah Rukh’s image is imposed on all my creativity. He has been integral to my cinema from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to My Name Is Khan. On a personal level, he is family, a friend and that elder brother I never had. I need him more than he needs me. So, where’s the question of moving on?”

Apparently, Karan was very disturbed by the rift between Shah Rukh and director-choreographer Farah Khan and even tried to mend the bridge between them. Says Karan, “Whatever has transpired between Shah Rukh and Farah is none of my business. I’ve enough worries of my own. I’ve got a release coming up which has taken a lot out of me.”

So troubled is Karan by the theme and the execution of My Name Is Khan that he wants to make a lighter film now. “My Name Is Khan wasn’t easy. It’s the socio-political journey of Shah Rukh’s character Rizwan from the age of 4 to 40. In his journey, Shah Rukh encounters major political upheavals from a communal riot in India to 9/11 in the US. But my film is not about any specific political event. Nor is it about the Asperger’s Syndrome. My hero is autistic. He couldn’t be neuro-typical because he had to see l ife with a direct honesty and clarity denied to normal people.”

The buzz is that Karan is taking his passion for fashion designing to another level by designing clothes for actors other than Shah Rukh. Karan shoots back, “Are you referring to the outfit I’ve supposedly designed for Imran Khan’s engagement? It was not actually designed for the occasion. It was something Imran liked and selected from my collection with Varun Bahl.”

Karan is starting his new film with Shah Rukh, though not immediately after the release of My Name Is Khan. “But I want to direct another film this year. At 37, I fear for my future. I see people much younger than me acting really batty. Who knows what would happen to my mental faculties tomorrow given the crazy ways of this industry? No, it’s not wisdom, it’s age. I’ve woken up like Sid, not woken up with Sid!”

Shahrukh Khan welcomes Amitabh to his home

The growing proximity between the Bachchans and Shahrukh Khan just got thicker. On Thursday, Shahrukh called up the Bachchans and requested for a print of Rann to kick-start his newly-constructed home theatre at his residence.

Says a source, "Shahrukh specifically wanted to inaugurate his home theatre with a Bachchan starrer. Luckily, Rann was on release this week. So he asked Karan Johar to quickly dial Mr. Bachchan, who put him through the producers of Rann. The producers gladly arranged for a print of Rann to be delivered to Shahrukh's place on Thursday evening."


After watching the film till very late on Thursday night, Shahrukh Khan sent an appreciative sms to the film's producer which read, "Very kind of you to send the film across. Very intense, very topical...good performances all round. The viewpoint is very current."

Apparently, Shahrukh wanted to invite Mr Bachchan to view Rann in his home theatre. Alas! Amitabh Bachchan was in Delhi on Thursday night attending the premiere of Rann.

You would think with his sworn lack of empathy with politics, Big B would run as far away from politicians as possible. Surprisingly, politicians rather than stars dominated the Delhi premiere of Rann on Thursday night.

Those VIPs (very important politicians) who attended the premiere on Thursday night included Yashwant Sinha, L. K. Advani, Sheila Dixit, Sachin Pilot and the current Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi - Tajendra Khanna. Plus, of course, Amar Singh. This was Mr. Bachchan's first politician-dominated premiere in years.

The entire Bachchan parivar was in full attendance, though Jaya arrived separately from the rest of the family. An ever-enthusiastic Vivek Oberoi also saw the film though in a different screening from the Bachchans.

A perception that Rann indulges in serious bashing of the electronic media had the film's leading man Amitabh Bachchan stationed in the Capital for most of Thursday inviting the city's most influential journalists for the premiere.

Most of the who's who of Delhi's press corps melted under the great Bachchan charm. The man himself was baffled by the widespread belief that the film was against the electronic media.

Said Mr. Bachchan on Thursday afternoon, "I'm in Delhi meeting various members of the press trying to understand why Rann is being perceived as being against them. Or why I'm being seen to have issues with the press. Not at all! I've always respected the press."

Tell him the perception of Mr. Bachchan being anti-press goes back to those years in the 1980s when he had banned the press.

Says Mr. Bachchan, "I banned them because they had banned me. But now that's in the past. Writing my blog has made me understand the duties and exigencies of the media much better than before."

SRK, Kajol to ring NASDAQ opening bell

Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol have been invited by NASDAQ, the world's biggest stock exchange, to ring their opening bell here Monday.

The stars of director Karan Johar's upcoming feature film "My Name Is Khan" will become the first Indian actors to open the market, an honour usually reserved for CEOs of major corporations, when they ring in the first trading day of February at 9:30 a.m.

This prestigious event is broadcast live on many television networks across the globe. With over 3,700 companies listed, the NASDAQ has more trading volume than any other stock market in the world. Khan and Kajol have starred together in many successful films over the years including "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" and "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" which are both modern classics in Hindi cinema.

Their much-awaited on-screen reunion will take place on Feb 12 in "My Name Is Khan" when it releases in theatres worldwide. Shot across much of the United States, the film will also have a star-studded premiere at the 60th annual Berlin International Film Festival during the week of its release.

I feel lonely inside: SRK

Thanks to his irrepressible sense of humour, Shah Rukh Khan comes across as an easy going person. But in real life the Bollywood star is little different and one of the things he is extremely finicky about is his socks.

"I have a strange attachment to socks. They should feel right. I could be missing a flight, but if my socks are wrong, I have to take them off... I won't wear nylon socks with sneakers. The only time I get disturbed during shooting is over my socks. I hate brown socks and different-coloured socks," said Shah Rukh said in an interview to a magazine.

In the interview, the 44-year-old also talked about his loneliness. "I can come across as a user, manipulator, disinterested, weird, reclusive, strange, arrogant from the outside. But the people involved know the truth...there are days I feel lonely on the inside. I guess that's the way I am. I've never gotten into relationships because I'm scared to. I have a shield. I've lost my parents, so now I don't like to lose relationships. I have to admit that at 44 I am socially and emotionally inept," said Shah Rukh.

The actor will be seen in his forthcoming film "My Name is Khan", which is releasing Feb 12. Directed by Karan Johar, the film features Shah Rukh as an unconventional hero Rizvan Khan, who embarks on a journey across America to win back the love of his life, played by Kajol. It shows how, along the way, his personality touches the lives of many and inspires a nation.

Jackie Chan for Shahrukh Khan’s ‘Ra 1’ with Jackie, sounds fun!

Shahrukh Khan’s production house Red Chillies Entertainment is planning to rope in Jackie Chan for the superhero flick 'Ra 1'. It’s learnt if Shahrukh has his way; fans might see martial art legend Chan making a Bollywood debut with his first sci fi film. According to sources, SRK’s company is in talks with Chan to play the role of a scientist who helps Shahrukh to fight villains. As a source tells a tabloid, “They are hoping Jackie agrees to be part of the film. The production house has sent him a detailed script with the action scenes and a brief synopsis of his character.” The movie will be based in Miami and the gorgeous Kareena Kapoor is going to play the female lead. SRK is leaving no stone unturned to make it in a big way. He has got the Hollywood crew for the film which he is making for his son Aryan. Cinematographer Ueli Steiger of 'The Maiden Heist' fame has been signed while David Benullo of 'Shadow Man' is screenwriter.

Shahrukh Khan honoured in Hollywood

Bollywood’s megastar Shahrukh Khan’s lifelike wax figure was reportedly unveiled at renowned Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Hollywood (USA) today. Filmfare winner Shahrukh (Chak De India!), 44, is the first Bollywood star to be inducted into this Museum, which boasts of wax figures of celebrities like Audrey Hepburn, Clark Gable, Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Kidman, Johnny Depp, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Beyonce, David Beckham, etc.

Museum calls Shahrukh’s induction as “historic addition” and adds that it “symbolizes a coming together of the world''s two great film centers, Hollywood and Bollywood”. Shahrukh, who is said to have starred in over 70 movies and is also a producer and television presenter, was named by Newsweek magazine as one of the 50 most powerful people in the world. His "My Name is Khan"(Karan Johar) is set for release on February 12.

Welcoming coming closer of Hollywood-Bollywood with this induction, Indo-American statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that the collaboration of world’s two major film industries on various aspects was a step in the right direction. Cinema was a powerful medium and Hollywood-Bollywood engagement, if utilized positively, could bring East and West closer, Zed, who is chairperson of Indo-American Leadership Confederation, added.

The unveiling today was reportedly accompanied by a performance of America’s Bollywood dance troupe Ishaara, a recent America's Got Talent contender.