I need to take a break; I need to do something new
Nilufer Qureshi
Unlimited energy. That's what has kept Shah Rukh Khan going for the last few months, as he works at a pace that leaves everyone around him gasping for breath. He's operating at his optimum energy level on two fronts at once. One is in front of the camera, where the bright lights and a hundred pairs of prying eyes cannot distract him for a moment. And the second is in Mannat, his house, in the company of his children Aryan and Suhana.
We caught Shah Rukh between dubbing for Main Hoon Na and flying to Chandigarh for Yash Chopra's current production.
You have been pushing yourself quite hard recently, from one schedule to another, with hardly a day's rest in between. Aren't you overdoing it, considering that you are yet to fully recover from your back surgery?
Yes, it has been hectic and I am terribly tired. But I chose it this way. I decided to have three releases this year and will complete the shoot for them by the end of June so that I can go on holiday with Gauri and the kids. After June, I will do absolutely nothing; I will just be at home. I don't know if that is logical, if it is good or not. My wife says, "You are being unreasonable. You should stretch your films."
But all three films got stalled because of my surgery and all three directors decided to wait for me. Munna Bhai MBBS didn't, they went ahead and shot the film. But Yashji (Yash Chopra), Ashutosh (Gowariker) and Farah (Khan) did me the favour of waiting. For my part, I had to finish their films as soon as I could. So I had to work extra hard to catch up.
As a result, I have been travelling too much recently, from one village to another. I am supposed to be a metrosexual film hero, the yuppie, the elegant multiplex type, but now I have become a village specialist.
Devdas, Chalte Chalte, Kal Ho Naa Ho. You have had quite a good run over the last two years. Would you say you have peaked professionally?
I cannot judge whether that is my peak or not as most years have been really good. Mashallah, I have never had a really terrible year. I usually have three releases a year and at least one of them has been successful. In 13 years, 10 of my films have really worked. (Grins) By that calculation, three years have not worked for me. Last year was particularly good as I was able to forget for a while that I have a back problem.
Main Hoon Na, your home production, is produced by Red Chillies Entertainment. Why did you start another production company when you already have Dreamz Unlimited?
After Chalte Chalte, Juhi (Chawla) and Aziz (Mirza) took a break. Juhi had a second beautiful baby and Aziz unfortunately lost his wife. Both of them are very conscientious as well as loving people. When Aziz was not working with Asoka, he asked, "What do I do? I just share in the profits." Before Chalte Chalte, we had not made any profits anyway, so it was never an issue.
Both Juhi and Aziz said to me, "We are not doing anything for Main Hoon Na, we are not even coming to the office for the next five or six months." We had started Main Hoon Na with Venus as a partner, so there was no justification for two more partners. Also, I wanted to create a company that was only mine so that I could do the many things that I have in mind. Anyway, it's not like Juhi and Aziz are not involved in Main Hoon Na at all. Juhi chose the story, Aziz had some reservations. But once I showed him how we handled it, he was okay with it. So it's not a big break or anything. Whenever the three of us decide to do a film together, we will do it with Dreamz Unlimited.
Main Hoon Na has a lot at stake for quite a few people, starting with Farah Khan, isn't it?
The success of this film is very important for me because it is directed by Farah Khan, a close and lovely friend. All the friends who have made their debut films with me have been quite successful - Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar, Nikhil Advani. I have this aspiration that Farah's film should also be successful. It will be, Inshallah. It is a good film, a very overtly commercial film in the vein of the hits of the 1970s. I don't want to sound patronising when I say this, but I can see that Farah has the makings of a very big director.
There is also Zayed Khan, who plays my younger brother. We were hoping to get Hrithik (Roshan) as the other hero, but the film got postponed and he was busy. But he was very kind and did the first take of the film, so I hope some of his luck rubs off on us. Farah tested a few other guys, but without taking anything away from anyone, I just felt that Zayed was the best fit for the role of a fun-loving, sweet, dorky boy. We changed the character a little in the script to suit Zayed. He's a very sweet guy, I love him. I want my son to take after him.
There was once a bad atmosphere between you and Suniel Shetty. How did you guys get over the initial awkwardness?
I never had a problem with Suniel. I didn't know him well but we were polite at premieres and parties. Once, on a flight, his wife Mana asked me if she could say hello to my son. I told her please do so but I really wondered why she had to ask for my permission, if there was any ill will somewhere. Yes, a journalist once attributed a quote to me which said, "Akshay and Suniel are junk food actors." But to be honest, I never said that.
Now that I know Suniel well, I can openly say that he is the nicest thing that has happened to any of us. He is a wonderful guy. He keeps telling me that the film is fantastic; he calls me to say, "I don't know why you guys are bringing me back in. I myself would not have been able to do a film like this.” It is very sweet of him to say that because this is not necessarily the best role ever written, although he has done it very well. The other day he called and said, “Like you, I don’t sign for random films. I am relaxed because I think I am Shah Rukh Khan.” I felt it was very nice of him to say that.
If you ask me who I want the film for the most, I honestly and wholeheartedly wish it to be successful for Suniel. I want the audience to come out and say the film is good, Shah Rukh is good, Zayed, Sush and Amrita are good, Farah’s work is wonderful but Suniel is like Gabbar Singh from Sholay. There are two awards I really want for this film – one is the Best Debut Director Award for Farah and the other is the Best Actor in a Villainous Role for Suniel.
What about the Best Actor Award?
(Smiles) Oh I will get it, mera kuch nahin. Although they have stopped giving me the Best Actor Award. These days I get the Critics' Award for Best Actor.
Are you disappointed that you didn't win with Kal Ho Naa Ho this year?
(Chuckles) The awards should be disappointed. It's their loss, not mine. And you can write, "That's why it's considered pompous."
Does the pressure to always be successful get you down?
(Explicit) My success is tied to the sense of duty I put into my films. Films are my life. I feel most comfortable when I'm in front of the camera. I give my best to every shot, whether I'm sick, healthy, good, bad, happy or sad.
That hasn't changed. I still work around the clock, I still love to work and do one more shot even when I'm dead tired. Filmmaking turns me on, keeps me alive. I'll be on solid ground as long as I love and enjoy my work. I've reached quite a high professionally, so it's going to take some time before anyone can bring me down. That can't and won't happen overnight, or at least I hope not.
That kind of pressure doesn't affect me. But there has been a lot of pressure to make each film better than the last.
But you are constantly accused of doing the same kind of roles in the same kind of films.
Many people don't like my films. They say they all look the same. I met Ram Gopal Varma today and he said to me, "It's so strange, when we watch Clint Eastwood, we love him. We don't like to see him in any other films except westerns. We want to see him get off a horse. Likewise, Shah Rukh, I won't get tired of watching you even if your films look the same."
What he said is really true. There must be something beautiful about my films if they keep doing this great business. Or maybe it's these kind of films that do great business. Other films do good business but not to this extent. Be it so or not, it is an international rule that love stories are successful.
At times I get touched by the pressure on me as an actor. I have to do something new, which I will. But I have to detach myself from it for two or three months and then decide what that new thing will be.
Was there any strategy involved in your career?
I have always handled my career straight from the heart. With due respect to those who think I have steered my career in a certain way, I would like to say that I worked with X, Y or Z because I wanted to. A lot of people accuse me of working mostly with Yash Chopra, Adi and Karan. However, they are not only great filmmakers but also my friends. I don't ask them about the story or what kind of film they are making. I just do what they tell me. I will continue to work with them till the day I die and as long as they want to work with me. I have worked with Aziz, Ashutosh and Farah because I knew I had to work with them. They are genuine and warm people. I go all out for all the people I work with and in return they stand by me.
I don't worry about doing only a certain kind of films or roles. And I've never worried about the commercial aspect of my films. I've never worried about how much money I'm going to get if I work with X, Y or Z. I still don't know how much I made with Chalte Chalte. I'll never check the books.
The reward has been that I've learned something from each of my films. In return, I keep myself updated with what's happening in the world so I can add something to my films. I also work fast and do these extra takes in the day. Maybe that's why I can do so much more outside of acting. Actually, I've been toiling non-stop for 13 years. I really need to take a break.
They took a break last year.
That was for my surgery. So it was a recovery break. When I was younger I could do a lot of things at once, but now I have to give my children time. I have to learn from their innocence and intelligence that I can add to my acting, my performances. Now when I take a break I will think about some new characters that I can play.
You once said that fatherhood has changed you a lot. In what way?
Fatherhood has changed me drastically. I have become more serene because of my children. I am very attached to my children, I feel very happy with them and even now I long to come home as soon as possible.
Perhaps the direction of the films I make from now on will also depend on the fact that my children will see them and be influenced by them. I no longer want to use offensive dialogues. While I am acting a certain scene or saying my lines, I wonder what my children will think. I don't want to be questioned by them. I don't want them to ask, "Dad, what happened?" or "Why on earth did you make such a film?"
I feel very responsible now. In fact, when I used to be told, "You have a responsibility to society and children," I dismissed it as nonsense. Now I have realized that I also have a serious responsibility to my children and to other children. Cinema is such an influential medium that you can't be indifferent to the messages it sends to children. Maybe I should make a children's film.
Is there any advice your parents gave you that has shaped the way you live your life?
Of course. My mother would often say, "Jitni chaddar, utna hi per phelana." My father would say, "If you don't take care of all aspects of your life - be it emotions, health or relationships - then it will be taken away from you." That's why I will always be there for the people I love. That's why I have learnt to take care of my health. I don't care about material things; maybe that's why my stuff, toys and electronic gadgets always break.
Some people may feel that I am an extremist, brash and uncouth. But I have never crossed the boundaries of etiquette.
We are yet to hear your version of the Dubai controversy and the Amar Singh episode. Now that you have addressed it, could we get your story?
I have not given an interview on this subject yet. But I was very disturbed by the report. There are three reasons why the media might have spread this so-called story. Someone called someone and gave the story to the journalist who broke it. Or she was totally misinformed. Or she just didn't know any better. Frankly, the press release was very, very unfair.
Let me tell you that I have never had a problem with Mr. Amar Singh and that is the absolute truth, so help me God. He was always nice and polite to me. The episode was not about Amar Singh and me and it is very sad that we now have to prove to the world that we are friends just because of this report.
Have you ever felt that the media has been unfair to you?
No, I have no reason to complain. There are days when I read something that annoys me, but that's OK. In fact, the people who were always writing horrible things about me are now writing positive things.
When I sit down and think about it, there are very few examples where I have been truly upset. I have never felt that I was mistreated, nor have I felt persecuted. I have also never abused my friends in the media. Also, I will be 40 in two years, so I will put things like this behind me.
Anyway, you never complained about the price of fame.
No, I haven't. I am grateful that God has blessed me with fame. The love and gratitude I receive from the people I meet is overwhelming and makes up for everything. I don't think there is anything wrong with my time being taken up. If a dying person wants me to sit at his or her bedside, I will do it. If someone wants me to go to a hospital and meet some sick people, I feel privileged.
What is important to you today?
I am committed to giving my children a good education. I am committed to making one film a year myself that is entertaining and meaningful. I am also committed to the fact that I have to use some of the money I have earned - perhaps from the films I produce - for people who are not well off. Something like a hospital ward or opening an orphanage.
You have built a children's ward in your mother's name at Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai. Are you involved in any way in it apart from funding it?
I gave them the money and they built the ward. I don't know how they run it. There are institutions which are said to be the best. I have been allowed to refer people for treatment worth a certain amount every year. Which means I can send any poor person there and they will treat him free of cost. That is very kind of them. They also allowed me to send people before I built the ward as I used to be a regular patient there with my bad back and ankle.
Finally, have you discovered any skills in yourself other than acting?
(pauses) Let me think... OK, I'm not bad at video games. I type pretty well and pretty fast for an actor. I'm also pretty strong at soccer and hockey. (Smiles) It's all a game.