Excerpts from an Interview:

All are eager to catch you in Shakalaka Boom Boom. Are you excited about the film?

I’m very excited about the film. I would call it my second film because I’m playing the main lead in the film. It is directed by Suneel Darshan and Bobby Deol has a negative role here. Both the leading actresses are paired opposite me.

What is your role in the film?

I’m a rock star who goes to New York from India with aspirations to become a famous rock star in the US. He is ambitious, aggressive, and temperamental and follows his instinct, which takes him to America. Here he comes across AJ who played by Bobby Deol. He is also a singer and is very popular in US. He has an accomplished career but starts getting insecure because of this new singer who is getting popular there. Due to his insecurities we become insecurities. It has an impact on our life and music. The film is inspired from an English movie called ‘Amadeus’.

How had been the equation with Celina and Kangana who are your co-stars in the film?

Celina is a good girl, smart and professional. She has made a place for herself in the industry after being the Miss India. This film will certainly prove a lot of her talent and it was a pleasure working for her. Kangana as we all know is a fantastic actress and though she is just two films old, she is one newcomer to look forward. It was a pleasure working with her as well. We both have been winning debutante awards and she’ll be seen in a glamorous role and me as a lead man for the first. It’s exciting for both of us.

There is news that you had to kiss both the girls in the screen.

I kissed both the girls in the film as it was the requirement of the script. They were situational scenes and the kisses were not long merely for 2-3 seconds. The idea was to capture the relationship and the intimacy that I share with both the girls. This also ruffles some feathers with Bobby.

Once again you’re jiving to the music of Himesh’s, which is chartbuster quality. What do you have to say about it?

The world speaks about Himesh and his music speaks for him. As for me he has been very lucky and has given me the hit ‘Aashiqui Mein’ in ‘36 China Town’ and now he is giving me ‘Shaka Laka Boom Boom’ and ‘Dil Lagayenge’. He personally believes that this is his best music till date and all are just appreciating the songs. We’re a fantastic team for sure with Kangana, Celina, Bobby, and Himesh, youthful and hard working.

How did you feel working with director Suneel Darshan?

Apart from Bobby, the whole team of the film is new for Suneel Darshan who is the director-producer of the film.

They have got me, Kangana, Celina, Bobby, Himesh. We have got very young team and it also exciting for my director-producer Suneel Darshan because he is also working with everybody for the first time. Apart from Bobby; it’s a whole new cast for him. It’s a whole new technician team for him. So I think every thing is very exciting for all of us.
 
How is Suneel Darshan as a director?

Suneel Darshan has worked with an entire new cast of the film other than Bobby Deol. I respect him a lot and I appreciate his patience. He believed in me, guided me has brought out the best in me. He is like a father figure for me. After 36 China Town he believes that there is lots of potential in me that can be explored.

What's the USP of the film according to you?

I would say Kangana and me are the USP of the film. Suneel Darshan works with only big stars and for the first time he here two good newcomers coming together. It’s a very young, urban & hit film. The film is different, the music is different and the pairing is different, so expectations are bound to be high from the film.

What are your forthcoming films?

I’m very excited about my future. But right now its only Shakalaka Boom Boom for me. Nothing has been actually finalized and talks are on about different ventures. I’ve signed with Ramesh Sippy, Venus, Tips but nothing has materialized yet.

Kareena is living in her own paradise and refuses to believe that she is out of work. "I am Kareena Kapoor and I know that even if I sit home for a year I will get work. I just want to take time off, I have done enough." That is her confidence speaking for her, but wake up Bebo because the reality is something different.

Excerpts from an Interview:

You were truly a revelation, shy & sari clad in Just Married. Do you think the role did justice to your sexy image?

According to me sari is the sexiest outfit. Playing an Indian character is not of the first of its kind for me because in my first film I’d such role but it went unnoticed or maybe my fat overshadowed it. Thankfully people have started noticing me now. I’m very much Indian at heart, I’m a classical Indian dancer and I’m very comfortable in Indian clothes.

How do you react to your sexy image?

It certainly feels nice.

You’ve fitted yourself as the Provogue girl replacing Fardeen.

Fardeen has been the face of Provogue for long and no one can replace him. He is no longer endorsing it because he is coming up with his own brand of clothes. I’m taking it positively that people feel that I’m fit to be a mannequin to portray their clothes. I’ve to thank God for making me look the way I do!

Do you have to work hard to maintain that fitness and figure?

It’s not that easy to maintain yourself looking good. But I like working out and being mean to myself. Otherwise I’m not in peace and won’t be able to sleep. Its not only work out that I concentrate upon, but its an overall grooming like dancing. I eat everything because I’ve trained my body in such a way where I can maintain myself and also eat what I want. I’m happy about the way I look and can wear whatever I like.

In spite of such stunning looks how do you manage to be single?

Blame it on my looks again. People are finding it hard to get a right match for me at least in India. (Laughs)

What led to animosity with Kareena with whom you shared a good rapport sometime back?

Kareena and I are from the same age group and have been from the same school. We had common friends and we knew each other very well, hung out together a lot and shared lot of fun times. But with time both of us got very busy with our respective works. We parted ways but there have been no animosity. Every time we meet we catch up with each other and we share a great comfort level.

Do you have any other friends in this industry?

I don’t have because you cannot have friends here because colleagues can never be friends.

What about real marriage in life?

Marriage offers are there but film offers are more. I’m very happy with my career right now. So I’d rather not get distracted by something I consider another phase of life - a phase which you have to also dedicate a hundred percent to. Right now, I’m investing a hundred and one percent in my career. I suffer from marriage phobia. But I would love to see a lot of people around me getting married. I’m not thinking about marriage yet but I think it’s something everyone should experience once.

When so we see your mom Hema Malini and you coming together in a film?

That should happen soon because there are plans. We had already danced together on stage and would like to do a film together. the wait is just for the right script to come our way.

Excerpts from an Interview:

KBC has just completed two months, what are your thoughts right now?

I'm feeling a little bad that the first season is almost over. I saw last night's episode and I liked it. Lots of memories of the day we shot this one came back. I'm going to miss it.

When the show was first offered to you, how long did you take to say yes?

There wasn't a big debate at all. See, what happened was that Pradeep Guha, who is a dear friend of mine, asked me to do something for Zee. I agreed but then nothing happened. We could not find a project that could justify my price and time. Then STAR approached me for KBC. It was a tried and tested format so there were no apprehensions on that front. I told Samir Nair if Mr Bachchan is not doing it then I'll do it. So in that sense, it took me just about 15 to 20 minutes to decide.

How do you explain the intense speculation on the TRP of the show?

In my mind it's very clear that when people bring figures in creativity then take it, that it has worked creatively. I did get angry when a national newspaper carried a page one story on how the show's TRPs and SRK is falling. I took it personally but soon better sense prevailed. I'm educated enough to know how newspapers and TRP work. See, TRP is not my business. I come into this show believing in my team. I'm an actor, in that sense, an outsider to the set-up so I don't need to concern myself with the figures. I took on the show as a challenge and told myself that I'll do it my way. And I've managed to do that.

Did you learn something about yourself during the show?

I learnt that I could reach the shooting in time. Jokes aside, I always knew that I could pick up things fast but KBC reinforced it. I also realized that I can connect with people and maybe that's why I work as a movie star. It's a nice feeling to know that people don't mind me.

What's the best compliment you've got for the show?

I think it's what Siddharth Basu said, "That boy is a joy to watch." Even friends like Ashutosh Gowariker send me nice messages like, "Shah, it looks like you've been doing this all your life." Last night my son, Aryan told me, "Papa, you know, this show is awesome." When I asked him what he meant by it, he said, "My friends in school tell me that they see your show and that my dad is awesome."

So when Amitabh Bachchan says that "SRK is fine" on the show, how do you interpret the word fine?

It’s ok. It's not that important either to me or to him. I'm sure he watches the show but because there are rumours of problems between us, the word 'fine' takes on another meaning. I don't know how you will take it but to me, a buzz is more important than a singular reaction. I crave for a universal sigh of relief and excitement than an individual reaction.

Is it true that there is soon going to be a biopic on you?

Not at all. The guys at Madame Tussauds want to shoot a documentary on the making of my wax statue. That's all. Anyways, biopics are made on guys who didn't achieve much or who are no longer doing anything.

Is it true that your company, Red Chillies, is getting into television software?

Well, I have a SFX and advertising production unit, which are run by good teams. I'm planning to expand it. I've some friends who feel that as a company we should look into television. I don't think I'll take it on myself but I can lend facilities to a team of people who can handle it well. But nothing is decided as of yet.

Do you feel like it’s time to sit down and sort it out with Samajwadi party leader, Amar Singh?

I've nothing to sort with anyone. It's just that I don't like people coming outside my house and making my family uncomfortable. I deserve 500 people who love me standing outside my house for my autograph but I don't deserve 20 fans of someone saying Shah Rukh murdabad. I don't deserve it and neither does my family.

Why did you say that you're a "demented Pathan" in a recent interview?

What I meant was that I'm capable of handling 20 people on my own. I can even handle 20,000 people because I'm a Pathan. I don't mean Pathan as an Islamic term. It's just that like the Rajputs, Pathans are considered the warriors. My father was a Pathan who fought for the freedom of my country so in that sense, I have the same genes. That said, I'm courteous to everyone. It's just that I didn't like certain things said about me. It was said that my wife should apologize. My wife will never apologize to anyone on my account. When I came to Mumbai, I told my friends that whatever work I do in life, I'll never embarrass my family.