SRK switches on to social networking,

With the IPL season drawing nearer, the B-town superstar Shahrukh Khan, who is on the go with his forthcoming films, has one more endeavor in line for him.

Tabloids have revealed that King Khan, the celebrity co-owner of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, has geared up for the promotion of his team, and has even switched on to the social networking sites.

As social networking sites have become an integral part of lifestyle these days, SRK, who had parted himself from it long time ago, sensing the pulse of the populace, has worked his way back to it.

It's learnt that the Baadshah of Bollywood has employed a group to shoulder the responsibility of promoting his Kolkata Knight Riders, through all the social networking sites.

SRK's Kolkata Knight Riders, which was just a group on FB, will be having an official brand page for it on the social networking sites, shortly.

Thus, following the World Cup, the IPL fever is going to grip the nations soon.

King Khan's ''Ra.One'' has an early Diwali !!!

Seven months before it is due for release, Shah Rukh Khan’s latest home production, Ra.One, has started setting new records. In the biggest such deal in the Indian entertainment industry, Star India has snapped up the satellite rights of the movie for Rs 40 crore.

In the process, Ra.One has gone past the milestone set by another Khan. Multi-Screen Media (MSM), which runs Sony Entertainment and SET Max, had paid Rs 36 crore for the satellite rights of the Aamir Khan-starrer, 3 Idiots.

Ra.One is said to be one of the most ambitious Bollywood projects, featuring famous Hollywood technicians and visual effect artistes. The music has been composed by Academy award winner Hans Zimmer.

According to Shah Rukh Khan, the idea is to take Bollywood to a new level with “daredevil action sequences and world-class special effects”. Khan is believed to be playing the role of a superhero in the film.

This science fiction flick also stars Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal. It will be part of Shah Rukh Khan’s production banner, Red Chillies Entertainment.

A spokesperson of Eros International Media confirmed the satellite rights had been sold but declined to comment on the price and the television channel.

According to industry sources, the deal with Eros not only includes outright distribution and marketing but also part-funding the movie. Eros is expected to shell out around Rs 170 crore for the movie.

Television industry officials say movies with established stars are a good acquisition. The TV screening of a big Bollywood film can trigger a spike of 30-40 gross rating points for the channel during the week it is aired. This has often helped channels displace competition in viewership rankings.

According to data with TAM, which tracks TV viewership, 3 Idiots had a television rating of 10.1 in the six metros during its first screening on July 25 on Sony Entertainment Television. As many as 16.8 million people watched Sony during the premiere. A senior executive said MSM made around Rs 16 crore from advertising. Sony had roped in 12 associate sponsors, including Life Insurance Corporation of India, Cadbury, Airtel, Raymonds, Tata Motors, Tata Sky and Lux.

From the production house’s point of view, pre-selling various rights like satellite and home video helps de-risk the effort by reducing the dependence on revenues from theatres. For instance, last year, UTV had sold Guzaarish and Tees Maar Khan to Colors. Dabangg was also pre-sold to Colors by Shree Asthavinayak Cinevision.

Analysts say such deals also help production houses tie up with broadcasters and plan their marketing, promotion and advertising strategy months ahead of the release. Industry sources say satellite and other rights of films slated for release in 2012-2013 are already under negotiation.

Kamal Jain, CFO, Eros, said the Indian film industry was gradually de-risking the model. “We are trying to pre-sell the maximum rights pre-release, from satellite to merchandising,” he added.

In Hollywood, 70 per cent revenues are secured before the film’s release, and the dependence on the response in theatres is only 30 per cent. Film trade analysts said there had been a huge shift in India as well over the past six months, with the dependence on theatres coming down to 45 per cent, and the rest from satellite (30 per cent) overseas (20 per cent ) and others (5 per cent).

SRK keeps ''ALWAYS KABHI KABHI'' young at heart.

When Shahrukh Khan decided to make a film about youngsters, he wanted it to be young in all aspects. To ensure that it does happen, he was creatively involved in the entire making of the film which also included changing the dialogues that had originally been put together by director Roshan Abbas and his team.

'This meant that for ALWAYS KABHI KABHI, Shahrukh didn't just require four young and largely untested actors along with a first time director; he also wanted the film to be young in it's entire outlook', informs a source attached to the film, 'While Roshan did work on the original script to make it suitable for the big screen, Shahrukh felt that there was still more work to be done on the written material so that it suited the sensibilities of today's youth.'
he did acknowledge the fact that Roshan's writing was quite pure and that stemmed from the fact that he had a good upbringing, Shahrukh felt that a new perspective added to ALWAYS KABHI KABHI will only make it spicier and more entertaining. The first step in this direction was to hire a writer, Ishita Moitra, for whom the single line brief was to come up with dialogues that spoke in modern day language

'Yes, Ishita's contribution did came in handy. What she has written has managed to bring an altogether different dimension to ALWAYS KABHI KABHI', says Roshan when asked if this indeed was true, 'I am glad this happened because I could see where Shahrukh was coming from.'

Well, we would love to see that difference for sure.

SRK to play Don & Leonardo as a cop in ''Xtrme City''

Shah Rukh's first Indo-Hollywood project of sorts, Xtrme City will see the actor playing Don in the film. Leonardo Di Caprio will play a cop.

Mushtaq Shiekh, scriptwriter of the film revealed, "Xtrme City is a cross-cultural thriller designed for both Bollywood and Hollywood. And if we get it right...this will be an attempt at true global entertainment."

Speaking about the story of the film, he added, "It's a story of an Indian (SRK) and an American ( Leo) from radically different worlds, who both served in the UN peacekeeping force in Somalia during the 90's.

The American saves the Indian's life; in the aftermath they become indebted to each other then go their own separate ways: The American becomes a cop in New York, the Indian a bhai in Mumbai. Many years later the American has a burdensome family obligation, which compels him to return to India to seek help from the Indian comrade whose life he had saved--but becomes deeper and deeper drawn into an alien world; As such, it's both a "buddy" film and a "fish-out-of-water" film."

Shah Rukh who is shooting for Farhan Akhtar's Don2 will yet again play a Don onscreen. But since the film pairs two superstars from the world's biggest film industries, we are sure it won't be your typical gangster film.

Paul Schrader will direct the film which will be co-produced by Martin Scorsese.

SRK to attend "India Today Conclave 2011''

The Arts Dialogue - Movies, magic, life - Making movies work in a brand new decade.

Since Deewana, his debut film in 1992, two things have changed for Shah Rukh Khan. The manner in which he is perceived; and the industry he works in. The one-time television rookie is today the Hindi film industry's pre-eminent superstar. And Bollywood, as this Mumbai-based industry is popularly known, has shed its low-tech reputation and relative clumsiness of form to morph into an edgy juggernaut that competes aggressively in the era of high-decibel entertainment TV. In great part this is because the art of storytelling has changed with the evolution of Indian audiences into a more aspirational, aware, and nationally and globally wired society. How has this art really changed? How have new writers and new directors refreshed Bollywood's vision? How will the industry change in this decade-in India and globally? Will screen stars still rule, or will special effects? Will the way we watch movies change the way we make them? Shah Rukh Khan talks about all this and more as he recounts his own experiences of showing movies from India to the world.

Speaker: Shah Rukh Khan , Superstar
Session Chairperson: Koel Purie Rinchet, Actor, TV Host
March 18, 2011; 10.45-11.30 hrs

Dabangg director refuses Sallu, chooses SRK

Abhinav Kashyap said no to Salman Khan's Dabangg 2 because seemingly Shah Rukh Khan gave him a better offer.

After frequent admittance and denial, it was finally reported today that Dabangg director Abhinav Kashyap won't be directing the sequel. The report claimed that Kashyap didn't want to direct the sequel which he expressed to producer-actor Arbaaz Khan. With Abhinav's ouster, Arbaaz has taken over the directorial reins and will be directing the sequel now.

However what is surprising is why did Abhinav Kashyap refuse to direct Dabangg 2 especially since it's a big project, more so after the immense success of the first part? The other side of the story seems to be untold. An industry insider claims, "Arbaaz was not willing to give Abhinav a good price as a director despite Dabangg being a huge hit. Kashyap expected a better remuneration. Other big banners were willing to offer him Rs 2-3 crores but he kept saying no to them because of his attachment to Dabangg . While he didn't expect that kind of money from Arbaaz, he surely expected something better than what he got for his debut film".

But there seems to be an even bigger reason for Abhinav Kashyap to leave Dabangg. "Apparently Salman Khan's archrival Shah Rukh Khan managed to bowl over Kashyap with a mind-boggling offer", claims the source. " SRK is desperate to make a masala film starring himself and wanted Kashyap to direct it for him". As per trade sources Shah Rukh lured Kashyap by offering him a hefty fee of Rs 2 crores.

But over the fact that money is good, Abhinav Kashyap seems more kicked about directing Shah Rukh Khan. "Also Shah Rukh was willing to offer complete creative freedom to Kashyap in terms of directing the film", adds the source. "It's a known fact that Salman Khan had things go his way during the making of Dabangg . Lines in the script were changed at the last minute. Also Abhinav did not sit for the editing".

Kashyap seems to have taken a Dabangg step of shifting loyalties from Shah Rukh to Salman. Let's see if he is able to recreate the same success with the other big Khan of Bollywood.

I'll play seductress to SRK, Vidya (Exclusive Interv)

But engagement though is not on the cards yet. To Vidya Balan, love is when you begin to see yourself in another person's eyes and you like what you see there. On her recent trip to the city, the actor decodes 'Ishqiya'

Critical acclaim, commercial success and controversies. All that has been part of Vidya Balan's life in the recent past. And now, there are also rumours of her getting engaged to corporate honcho Siddharth Roy Kapur — who also happens to be the elder brother of actor Aditya Roy Kapur of "Guzaarish" fame. Kolkatans have even gone to the extent of claiming that since she loves all things Bengali, she has chosen to date someone with a Bengali surname! But, fact is, Siddharth Roy Kapur doesn't have roots in Bengal and the Roy part of his surname has a Punjab-connect . Vidya, who was in town to promote her commercial with Chandrabindoo, shares her Kahaani.

Three back-to-back releases — "Paa", " Ishqiya" and " No One Killed Jessica" — have had you in performance-oriented roles. As an actor, can you rate the most challenging one?
It's very difficult for me to do that. When my mother watched "Paa" , she said she felt as if she was seeing me on-screen the way I am at home. Javed saab said that all through the film, he felt I'd slip out of the character. But that never happened. After "NOKJ" released, Shabanaji said that there was not one false note in my performance. After watching "Ishqiya", Vishal (Bhardwaj) said: "I could never see you in the film. It was your character everywhere." All compliments are important but these are very special. As for myself, I still think "Paa" was the most difficult role. Playing Sabrina (Lall) was straight and one had read so much about the incident. There is a seductress in every woman. In that context, my role in "Ishqiya" wasn't that unknown to me. But before doing "Paa" , I had never connected with my maternal instincts. Moreover, it's very difficult having Mr Bachchan play my son and me having to tap his head the way I would do with my family members. I had grown up watching his movies and getting under the skin of a character that demanded all this from me was very difficult. As an actor, that's also what I like.

There's already a lot of criticism regarding you playing Silk Smitha in "The Dirty Picture" what with Vinu Chakravarthy allegedly claiming that you just don't have it in you to play that role...
I take that as a compliment. It's true that I am absolutely not like Silk Smitha. I thank Milan (Luthria) for having faith in my acting abilities to cast me in this role. Of course, I'll be needing a lot of hand-holding for this role. I am not impersonating Silk Smitha. For me, it's about the person beneath the buxom body. Many find her sexually offensive. But I feel one has to understand the choices she made during the 70s and 80s. Today, we live in a global village and are exposed to a lot of things. Reality shows encourage people to be the way they are. It's far easier for Rakhi Sawant to say what she does today without people reacting to it. But when Silk Smitha was around, it wasn't easy to be a woman and do what she did. She was clear that she wanted to be a frontrunner at any cost. If displaying her body was the path for it, she had no inhibitions about choosing that route. During those days, Silk Smitha never played the female lead in the film and yet ensured that she got equal billing as a hero. That, I think, is commendable.

Do you have any inhibitions about how bold you'll get on-screen for this movie?
I am an actor and I don't have any reservations. But yes, as I said, I will need a lot of reassurance for this role. There can be instances when I might have reservations and not want to shoot some scenes in movies because I feel they are not important in the larger scheme of things.

You've done backless shoots for magazines, used cusswords in movies and are now portraying Silk Smitha. At this age and stage in your career, do you still need to get all these vetoed by your family before shooting?
It's not about age or stage. No parent would feel comfortable to see their daughter play a seductress and discuss the role threadbare. My father, I think, didn't even understand the language in "Ishqiya" too well. My mother watched me and liked my portrayal. My family knows the profession I am into and they respect my choices. I like to share whatever is happening in my life with them. They have two questions to ask me when I have such scenes. They want to know I trust the people I am working with and if what I am doing is actually required. If I've the answers to that, they are okay with it.

You are very close to your family. Do you really have any secrets?
Of course, I do. I don't believe that my parents are my friends. They are my parents and I love that. Even when I turn 80, I'll still be their little daughter . Of course, there are some secrets that I can't share with them.

Like... being in love?
(Giggles) I thought that's my secret.

Define love and being in love...
Love is when you begin to see yourself in another person's eyes and you like what you see there. Being in love is when you begin to realize that everything else around you is inconsequential , when you feel all problems in life will surely get sorted out, when you feel very large-hearted , when you want to share that feeling with others and feel like hugging everyone around.

So, are you giving jadoo ki jhappis?
Yes, I just did. Or let me put it this way — I like when I see me now...

In his eyes?
(Laughs) I feel like a teenager now. Dil toh bachha hai ji...

In today's age when everyone is living for the moment, is marriage a necessary conclusion for a relationship?
Some things don't change. For most people, it's important to believe in the possibility of something beyond this moment. But for the moment, let me enjoy being in the moment.

From sensual, sari, Sabyasachi and SRK — what's between you and the S word? Is there a connection?
(Laughs out loud) As South Indians would say: Yesssssss. I'm ready to play seductress to SRK in a sari for a Sabya film. Hope Sabya casts SRK in the film that he is planning to direct.

While on South Indians, have you dubbed in Malayalam for 'Urumi'?
I've a song and a couple of scenes in Santosh Sivan's 'Urumi . It's my gift to my parents as they've always wanted me to do a Malayalam film. My mother always says I speak better Bengali than Malayalam. So, I've also dubbed in Malayalam for 'Urumi'

Of late, you've been a subject of controversial issues about you agreeing to pose nude for MF Husain or wearing a bikini for the annual issue of a mag or your marriage/engagement issues...
I was not even in the country when all these topics about me posing nude came up. I never posed in a bikini and all that one sees on the magazine cover is photoshop work. I plan to sue the magazine for this. As for the third issue, marriage or engagement is not on the cards.

SRK wants ''Ra.One'' to be hugest, Anubhav Sinha

After CASH, an action thriller, was panned by most and didn't quite work at the box-office despite a good start, many wondered if it was a right decision forShahrukh Khan to be actually putting his money on the film's Anubhav Sinha. However the actor and the director went on to surprise many when they not just went ahead with bringing RA.ONE on floors but also pitched it as the biggest and the costliest film ever made in the country.

"The amount of money that Shahrukh has pumped into the film is unimaginable. I can see how passionate he is about this film and he has taken it upon himself to make RA.1 the hugest of them all", says Anubhav who has seen success coming his way earlier in the form of DUS and TUM BIN.
This can well be reflected from the fact that while a couple of years were spent into the pre-production of the film, the actual filming was spread right through a year. Now even the post production would be consuming almost a year before the film arrives at theaters this Diwali.

Meanwhile Anubhav decided to stay quiet right through the making of the film instead of trying to be in the limelight over a last couple of years. So much so that even Shahrukh was prompted to comment in a recent interview - 'Anubhav apne kaam se kaam rakhta hai'."

Concludes Anubhav on a lighter note, "I like it the way it is currently. I didn't mind whatever was written about me in the months gone by. At the end of it, all I want now is that people spell my name right when they write about me and put a nice picture of mine. Bass itna sa khwab hai."

SRK's ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'' for India at UN

The never ending debate over Security Council reforms reminds the Indian envoy to the UN of the hit Bollywood movie " Kabhi Khushi, Kabhie Gham" or " Joy sometimes, despair at other times" as he himself translated.

"The title of the movie summed up our efforts here," said India's Permanent Representative Hardeep Singh Puri, at an informal plenary meeting Tuesday on the intergovernmental negotiations for equitable representation on the top UN decision making body.

"When I entered this room this morning, I thought of drawing inspiration from a major Bollywood movie," he said welcoming the decision of Zahair Tanin, the Afghan chair of the intergovernmental negotiations on UN reforms to hold the meeting.

"I know Indian movies used to be popular in Kabul. And in terms of size, as you would all know, Bollywood is bigger than Hollywood," Puri said.

"I was reminded of a Bollywood movie of the last decade called 'Kabhi Khushi, Kabhie Gham' which can be loosely translated as 'Joy sometimes, despair at other times.'

"It gives me joy when I think about the transformation you have brought about along with the member-states from the waffle of the OEWG (Open-Ended Working Group) to the start of intergovernmental negotiations in March 2009.

"This was followed by some despair which lifted when more than 140 countries wrote to you calling for the start of text-based negotiations," he said

Noting that "what you have produced is something on which we can work," Puri appealed to those who "trying to hold you back" to "maintain the process and we will give you the proposals."

There are two clear choices, he said: "Either we continue to waffle or we make a determined push for reforms that should have already taken place."

SRK, Leonardo To Star Together

Shah Rukh Khan's Indo-Hollywood project Xtrme City just got bigger! Martin Scorcese is coming on board the film and most of the credit for that goes to SRK's friend and Ra.One screenwriter Mushtaq Shiekh.

Scorsese will co-produce along with David Weisman. Paul Schrader will direct and is also co-writing the film with Mushtaq. Leonardo Di Caprio will star in the film along with SRK.

Says a source connected to the film, "Mushtaq and Paul have been working on the script for a year now. The two, along with SRK and Paul met in Berlin last year at a meeting coordinated by Shiekh."

Apparently Scorsese has proposed making the film as a fully equal co-production between SRK's company Red Chillies in India and Scorsese's company Sikelia Productions in Hollywood, whereby all creative decisions would be shared equally between SRK and Martin.

"A meeting will happen soon to decide how the Bollywood-Hollywood dream can become reality."

Shiekh confirms, "It's true. We are all elated. This is the best news I have heard in a long time. Martin loved the script and it meant the world to me as the writer of the film along with Paul Schrader.

But when he comes in as the producer of the project, then I am thrilled as it takes the film to another level completely. Inshaallah, all goes well from here onwards. Fingers and all parts of the body crossed."

The source adds that a year ago, Xtrme City looked like it might remain a pipe dream.

"The sheer logistics of merging two great film-making cultures seemed overwhelming, until a secret meeting took place on February 12 at last year's Berlin Film Festival between SRK, Leo, Martin, David, Paul and Karan Johar when Shah Rukh was in Berlin for the world premiere of My Name Is Khan and the H-Town actor-director duo were there for the premiere of their Shutter Island premiere the following night."

Last minute arrangements were promptly made and hours before the MNIK screening. Khan hosted a secret encounter in his Regent Hotel suite.

"The meet-and-greet over coffee was simply intended to break the ice between the international artists who admired and respected each other's work. It quickly turned into a high-energy encounter.

Topics of discussion included Scorsese's love for Bollywood cinema and the need for the preservation of its classic works."

The Xtrme City screenplay was officially presented to SRK, Martin and DiCaprio. "Apparently, the camaraderie evolved from that event. The bonding between the superstars took everyone by surprise.