Shah Rukh – Struggles to be normal again
A few days ago, Subhash Ghai rushed to London for his final meeting with Shah Rukh Khan regarding his new film 'Homeland'. Apparently, the delay in the official release of the film was due to Shah Rukh's back surgery. But apparently, Ghai can't wait any longer. The persuasion and waiting period was over and it was time for some real answers. It was more of an 'ultimate' meeting. And it looks like Ghai will opt for a stand-in as there is no other way for him to start the new film given Shah Rukh's current physical condition.
Ghai is not the only one. A prominent show promoter in England has also reportedly opted for stars like Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol and Arjun Rampal after Shah Rukh failed to commit to doing a show this year.
Well, one thing is clear. Shah Rukh Khan may be India's favourite actor. But in a business where loyalty is just a nine-letter word, it is quite foolish to assume that filmmakers will wait endlessly for him with their projects. Even a Sanjay Leela Bhansali quietly buried his differences with Salman Khan and signed him for 'Bajirao Mastani', knowing full well that the wait for Shah Rukh might not be worth it in the end.
And amidst all these professional shenanigans, the man in question is still struggling to get back to his normal self. Over two months ago, when he went to London for his back surgery, it made national headlines. No one really knew the seriousness of the situation until the surgery took place. And only later was it Shah Rukh himself who declared that there was a possibility of him being paralysed forever.
But thankfully, that didn't happen. And before we knew it, the actor was back in Mumbai, sooner than expected. He finished whatever was required for his home production 'Chalte Chalte' and was relaxing at home, spending some quality time with his kids. His presence in Mumbai was a testament to the fact that all was well with him and it was now just a matter of rest and recovery.
However, all was not well. Three weeks ago, when Shah Rukh casually mentioned that he had to return to London for 'rehabilitation', one wondered what he was talking about. During the time he spent in Mumbai, the actor, like a savvy professional, made sure to give several pre-release interviews to the media for the promotion of his home production. And it was during one of these meetings that he inadvertently revealed what was really bothering him.
"I'm having problems with post-operative pain in my shoulder, a pain where they put the disc in. The left side of my body is sore. I'm OK, but it's too early to say. You don't really know how well or badly an operation goes until life goes on," Shah Rukh told a popular Mumbai newspaper. And just a few days later, Shah Rukh was back in London - this time his visit was suspiciously more low-key than usual.
At this moment of writing, Shah Rukh is still in London, undergoing post-operative therapy as the pain in his body has not subsided at all. Given the critical nature of the surgery, the man is literally battling to get back to full fitness. He jokes about having a titanium disc in his body, but it is that disc that still gives him sleepless nights. He mentions his 'rest' phase in a more positive mood, but he knows he would rather be in the studio doing what he is best at.
Shah Rukh is facing the toughest phase of his life. Only he and the doctors who performed the surgery on him know how difficult it will be for him to return to normalcy. But so far, the man has kept a brave face. Back home, there have been many conflicting reports about his future status. Some people in the industry, reportedly close to him, have insisted that Shah Rukh's physical movements will be highly restricted. And that will perhaps be his biggest loss, given the man's unparalleled screen energy that makes him unique from the rest.
Some have even compared this phase to Amitabh Bachchan's accident in the early 80s and his subsequent tryst with the dreaded disease Myasthenia Gravis (severe muscular weakness). But Amitabh never had to compete with three generations of screen heroes. Amitabh didn't have to prove that he was better than every new brat who became the hot item of the season. Shah Rukh did. Be it Hrithik Roshan or Vivek Oberoi, they have all been directly compared to him as they were all vying for the same kind of roles. And that is precisely why Shah Rukh's normalcy is directly proportional to his career trajectory.
Will we ever see the same Shah Rukh magic on screen again? Or will he be more subdued? Will this surgery haunt him for the rest of his life? Is this the end of his golden era? Right now, everyone is asking these questions without having any idea what the real problem is. 'Stardust' tries to delve deeper into this problem as it affects the life and career of one of India's biggest stars.
We spoke to Dr Lester Wilson, a consultant orthopaedic and spine surgeon at Wellington Hospital in London, about the problem Shah Rukh is facing - known in clinical terms as anterior cervical discectomy. Dr Wilson is not only one of London's most experienced surgeons, but also a colleague of Dr Alan Crockard, the man who actually operated on Shah Rukh.
"An anterior cervical discectomy is performed to decompress neurological structures. These structures include the spinal cord in the neck region and the outgoing nerve roots at each level, the paired structures on either side of the spinal cord. When there is pressure on a nerve root due to a cervical bulge, the patient may experience pain symptoms in the neck, the pain radiating down the arms along the individual nerve roots," says Dr. Wilson.
To illustrate the problem, he adds, "The indicators for surgical intervention are either very persistent pain that cannot be managed with conservative measures or when there is clear evidence of progressive nerve damage. Nerve damage can affect individual nerve roots but can also affect the spinal cord and in these circumstances patients may present with symptoms and signs affecting the whole spinal cord below the level of compression. This may affect the patient's ability to walk or, if acute, may even affect bladder and bowel function. In these circumstances it is not appropriate to wait for the problem to resolve spontaneously but rather it is important to remove the pressure on the spinal cord before any damage becomes irreversible."
If surgery is unavoidable, what are the patient's chances of returning to normality? Dr. Wilson now gets serious, "There are complications with this type of surgery that can be potentially life-threatening. Fortunately, they are very rare. If in the unlikely event the esophagus gets perforated, which is a recognized complication, then you could have a life-threatening complication. It is a possibility. You could also do damage with the retractors, which put considerable pressure on the soft tissue. You could damage the carotid sheath and the carotid artery, which will disrupt the blood supply to the brain and the patient could have a stroke." But Dr. Wilson also adds that this only happens in unusual cases.
Dr. Wilson clarifies the need for 'rehabilitation' shortly after surgery. "The recovery period after surgery usually lasts about six weeks. At this point, most patients can do anything except heavy physical activity. I do not routinely put patients in a cervical collar, but I would advise them not to drive a car, travel by train or plane for six weeks without the support of a cervical collar. Simple physical activities such as walking and swimming are possible after four to six weeks after surgery. High-contact sports should be avoided for at least three months. In the long term, I would not impose permanent restrictions. Yes, the patient can return to normal after surgery," he says.
However, this can only be achieved if the patient maintains proper caution and control. Shah Rukh has not been negligent, but he has not been cautious either. A few hours before his surgery, the actor hosted an awards function. A few days after the surgery, Shah Rukh flew back to Mumbai amidst all the stress. The doctors had told him that it would take him more than three months to get back to normal, but that is only possible if he follows a special routine.
But all this was long before he returned to London after the pain returned. Now, we hear that Shah Rukh is undergoing some serious physiotherapy which may provide some relief. But the question is, for how long? And how long will the industry wait for him?
Filmmakers like Farah Khan will have no choice but to wait. But what about the others? Vinod Chopra went ahead with his film with Sunjay Dutt instead. Subhash Ghai is most likely to drop him from his film if he hasn't already. Ashutosh Gowariker hasn't made any progress with his new film 'Swades' so far and the question is, how long will he keep it on hold? Even stalwarts like Aditya and Yash Chopra are not making any commitments to the actor on their respective projects. They would rather wait and see how the actor's health progresses.
Shah Rukh is also losing out on the stage show front, which he calls his main source of income. This year, he is already being replaced by other stars in all the major shows. Well-known show organiser and promoter Farhat Hussain from England says, "Shah Rukh was supposed to perform last summer, but due to his back problem, his participation was initially postponed to this summer. Since he is still facing the problem, it has now been postponed to next year."
However, an actor of Shah Rukh's caliber has no reason to worry about that. He is one of a kind and rest assured, whenever he is ready to come back, the industry will welcome him with open arms. And even if he is currently losing some roles, there is no denying that he is too far ahead of the pack to worry about losing his number one status. The only hope is that he understands that and is just focusing on getting back in shape right now. Because that is the most important thing.