Thriller!
Jitesh Pillai
He's hit a home run. Again. With Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Shah Rukh Khan is on every director and magazine's wish list. He won't accept it, though. He'll grin grimly, "I never went away. The film only proved that I'm the best."
Confident, as he's always been.
Tell him Trimurti was his Waterloo and he'll tell you some more triple sleeping pill jokes, in confidence. If he's bothered, he doesn't show it.
Three years ago, when I first met him, I marveled at his audacity. He peppered me with a long-winded speech about how he had no competition, how he wouldn't pose with pretty girls on magazine covers and how film journalists were a pain in the most unspeakable places.
A three-quarter moon shines brightly in an electric blue sky. Squirrels, looking as curious as their cartoon imitations, scurried over the hedges by Kamalistan Studio. He sat with his gang of friends, spouting off quick-witted replies.
At first he refused to give an interview. He said, "I didn't come into films to be on the covers of film magazines. I can survive without you guys." But five minutes after he had steamrolled me with his cosmic arguments; he gave me a six-page interview peppered with clever insights and quotable quips.
There have been countless interviews since then. He has contradicted his every word, posed for numerous magazine covers and of course continued to be the epitome of the quotable star.
He can be modest, "I know I imitate everyone from Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan to Dustin Hoffman and Robin Williams. OK, so I'm repeating myself, but then again, history always repeats itself."
A learned actor, his ability to probe the deepest depths of a character, his talent for drama and his theatre background have lent a sparkle to his performances.
He can take my harshest criticism with composure. But his arsenic sarcasm can be painful. Occasionally, if you refuse lunch, he will joke, “Yeh namak haram hai, mere namak nahin khayega.” Hmm.
I hated him in Baazigar and Darr. But I would walk miles to see him again and again in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman and now Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. I marvel at how he masters his craft even in the weakest of scripts, without a godfather or benevolence.
"I will kill anyone who writes trash about my family, I am not an audio cassette hero...blah blah blah," roars the unabashed star. He rose to fame by being the guy next door. With the crucial ingredient - talent. And with his first crop of films, he proved to be the fast-changing artist who moves easily from one role to the next that offers a different categorization.
He spoke about the nine rasas he has incorporated into his performance, again, he says, not to be confused with South Indian sweets like rasam and sambhar.
When SRK speaks, he takes the listener up and down the emotional ladder. He gets close to people and yet he doesn't have too many friends. He has lost everything he ever had and so clings desperately to Gauri, his wife, and Lala Rukh, his sister. He asks, "What is success? It is fleeting. I have come to terms with the loss of my parents. Until you can get them back for me, I want to hold on to all these material things. I will never get my parents back... they have become stars up there." I
have had many bones to pick with him. He is fickle. He swears he doesn't want anything to do with the guys who have been nasty to him in the magazines and then goes straight out and poses for the same magazines.
He has mastered the etiquette of the business. He may badmouth the makers of the industry but he will not hesitate to do films with them. He has finally come to terms with the publicity aspect of his profession. He recalls, "Some journalists used to heap attitudes on me during the Dil Aashna Hai days and hurl all sorts of nasty accusations against me. Today, the same guys are tripping over each other to get me on their covers. Of course, I have my sweet revenge. Also, I am not a grudge-holder, I let bygones be bygones."
All said and endured, he is one of the most interesting big bullies of showbiz. Every time I think of a joke, he beats me to it. As we engage in a question and answer session, Gauri asks, "Are you guys writing a book or something? Doesn't he talk too much?" Too much is right. So here are the views exchanged with the actor who has also made a career out of verbal torrential rain:
Okay smart guy, what went wrong with your masterpiece?
Well, if we can put the sarcasm behind us, I will tell you that we really tried very hard. The effort was serious. Let me give you an example. You try to create a beautiful woman. You take Dimple Kapadia's hair, Sridevi's eyes, Mumtaz's nose, Rekha's lips and Shilpa Shetty's body. There is a chance that the result could be the most beautiful woman on earth or the ugliest sight you have ever seen, as all the parts could be incompatible with each other.
Trimurti was a bad film.
Yes, I admit it was a bad film. But if you ask me why Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is a hit and Trimurti is not, I have no answer. See, I did Karan Arjun only because Rakesh Roshan and Salman Khan believed in it. It turned out to be one of the biggest bonanzas. I believed in King Uncle. But it was a flop! Subhash Ghai had a success story of 12 years. Who am I to question his belief?
Well...
It is very easy to make a film bad. I am sure anyone will go to town to do that too. Everyone worked selflessly on the film. I had a great time, I became good friends with Jackie and Anil. Maybe our relationship didn't work out in the film but it brought us closer in real life. Looking back, I look at the work experience of Trimurti with a lot of affection. Trimurti is a Three Heroes film; it didn't affect me at all. And yet I feel terribly depressed. I shot for 300 days for it. It is the most depressing thing that has happened to me in my career. I cried. Just because we had all worked so hard, why didn't Akele Hum Akele Tum also work? Do you find fault with the dedication of Mansoor Khan or Aamir?
It must be depressing when you work so hard on a film and it is a failure.
You start losing faith in yourself. For the first time, I told Gauri that I was very depressed. In reality, I miss my mother. I wish I was with her now. I wish she was here.
Do you think Ram Jaane is a good film?
Yes, I do. It is one of the top ten films of the year and I am delighted with my work in the film, although it was not liked in some quarters, people still call me Ram Jaane or Khallaas on the streets. Women have told me to be more economical, however their children love me, they want to jump on their knees like I do in Ram Jaane. I don't want to influence anyone negatively. The same criticism came when I did Baazigar, Darr and Anjaam. Ram Jaane was for adults, not for children. Anyway, I am an entertainer and not a social worker.
They could have reduced the overacting in Ram Jaane.
Oh really? Well, compared to my character in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Ram Jaane was crude and loud. I had to play him like that. He is full of angst. If I were to show you some of the jhatkas I did in the film, I would be embarrassed.
Are you like Raj in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge?
Raj was Aditya Chopra's concept of me and I must admit that I am very similar to him. Like Raj, I also left everything behind to be with Gauri. Raj left his country; I left Delhi and came to Bombay. My mother told me, like Anupam Kher in the film, that if I really love Gauri, I should go for it. The scenes I had with Farida Jalal came straight from the heart. Let me digress a little, the scene in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa where I go to Suchitra Krishnamurthy's house and ask for her hand in marriage but couldn't say anything. I felt very close to that scene.
OK, what makes you different from other actors?
If you had asked me that question under different circumstances, I would have listed 100 virtues. But today I feel unsure. I'm not so convinced at the moment.
Excuse the cliche, but are you suffering from a creative menopause?
Sorry to disappoint you, but I still can't wait to leave. That happened to me when I saw the rough cut of Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman; I packed my bags and left for the airport. Aziz Mirza had a hard time convincing me to stay longer. I feel the same now. I want to pack my bags and go back to Delhi. Maybe my best is not good enough. As a star, that was one of my best years, I delivered some of the biggest hits of my career. I also made some of the biggest mistakes. Either way, I know I am a marketable product. 1995 was the year of the hard worker, I think 1996 will be the year of the slacker.
Do you feel trapped by fame at times?
Yes, at times. You meet 100 guys in a day and snap at the 101st, through no fault of his. You've had a bad day and yet you have to make polite conversation. You have to make career decisions, take on films, maintain friendships. It wears you down, but I try not to let the pressure affect me. Nothing has changed for me in the last four years. Maybe instead of shooting at Kamalistan Studios, the producers will fly me to Switzerland.
What are the strangest rumours you have heard about yourself recently?
That I had bought this sprawling mansion, that I asked for Rs 1 crore for a film, that my wife is having a baby. I think the media likes to sensationalise every thing I say. And then I get accused of saying things for effect. One magazine had a headline that read, 'I am not a bad guy.' What does that mean? Just because I don't have affairs, turn up drunk on the sets or ask for big bucks, some think I am just a sensation seeker. That is rubbish. So many actors have bought bigger bungalows, bigger cars and nobody bats an eyelid. Someone wrote a message saying I was restless at the release of the Trimurti cassette. Imagine, whatever you like is allowed! Recently I made a comment about Michael Jackson and a magazine took it out of context and wondered how I could trivialize a subject like child molestation. That was not my intention, but if sick minds think otherwise, well, that's a shame.
What do you have to say about the tiff between Honey Irani and Aditya Chopra over the script of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge?
I think it was blown out of proportion. I hated the fact that I was dragged into it. I heard some nonsense that I refused to dub for the film because I was unhappy with what had happened between Honey Aunty and Adi. Both of them believe they wrote it. Between the two of them, they know who wrote the script. I want to believe that both of them wrote it. It was not nice that that happened, there could have been a nicer way to end the project. How come you didn't ask me who wrote the script of Baazigar or Darr or any other film I have done? So many of my scripts have worked because of me. How come nobody raises any eyebrows? Look, I am a means to an end. I am a professional who got money to do his job. If my director wants to reshoot, I will respect his opinion. Maybe my driver doesn't like the directors I'm working with. Does that mean I'll stop working with them?
What are the most cliched questions you have been asked recently?
Too many. What comes after Trimurti? How was the year? What are your next films? Have you increased your price? When will you start Shikhar? The list is endless.
Your sense of humor can be hurtful.
I never do it to hurt anyone or make them feel insignificant. If I have to make fun of you, I would do it face to face, not behind your back. I have never been malicious, I don't get personal.
It seems that you don't like Vinod Chopra and that's why you don't do his Kareeb.
Why are you asking me such questions? Do you want a beating?
Believe it or not, I'm just doing my job.
Okay, smart guy. I didn't get along with Vinod Chopra. He offered me his film when he was ready to start and I had no dates left. He should give me a reasonable time to complete my work before taking over his film. Maybe another time.
Have you ever surprised yourself while acting?
Yes, when I did my first fight scene. I couldn't believe I could look so mean and vicious. My anger scared me. I felt I was capable of evil. Remember me swallowing that photo in Baazigar? That was diabolical. While working on Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and Dilwale Le Jayenge, I felt I could be sensitive, I can't explain it. I can cross the line of love. Just like you get embarrassed in real life when you mess up, I used so many of those examples in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. You know what? I'm 30 years old, but I behave like a three-year-old. I still fall off couches and fight with pillows. I'm not grown up at all. Maybe I'm still a spoiled child.
Believe me, it shows.
It takes someone to know. I still haven't started taking acting seriously. Maybe I should. I am amazed at how Anil Kapoor and Sridevi still put so much effort into their work. Yet I am focused when I am on the sets. I may fool around but as soon as the camera is switched on, I too get switched on. You can't find fault with my work. That's why I was so depressed when someone told me that I looked disinterested in my role in Trimurti. It got to me...
How would you describe your generation of actors?
I think we have become more adventurous. You would never catch some other actors doing what Aamir did in Rangeela or Govinda in Coolie No. 1. These actors take care of the films. I think some actors don't allow certain camera angles that are not flattering to their faces. I have seen certain great actors today just sleepwalking through their roles. That too gets me. And here you have someone like Govinda in Cooli, fighting the villains in a skirt. I think that's fabulous. He is the consummate entertainer! I think you should just let go, hold nothing back and have fun. Things may not work out, but you have the satisfaction of knowing that at least you tried. Rather, my obituary will be, 'Here lies a guy who did his best and was laid to rest.'
They are full of contradictions!
Yes. You cannot live by a single rule. Nothing is static. I may not believe in what I say today in two days. I can convince a person to give up smoking, but I still will not give up my cigarettes. I will tell my child to go to bed early, to study hard. I know that I will try to prevent my daughter from going out with a guy late at night, although I absolutely disagree with parents who impose restrictions on their children. Call it hypocrisy or a contradiction. That's just how I am.
Is beauty important for an actor? How would you rate yourself on a scale of 10?
Grrrr... I don't think looks are important at all. Look at me, I would give myself 4.5 out of 10. I used to close my eyes when I combed my hair in front of the mirror. I would squint. My makeup artist Ravi dada asked me not to behave like an idiot, he asked me to look at myself in the mirror. I think I look best with my eyes closed.
And now, how do you rate yourself as an actor?
I would give myself 2.5 out of 10. (Laughs) Now you can imagine what points I would give the other actors.