Shahrukh Khan - Bollywood Choclate Hero | Gossip on Pressviews.com - Page 3

Shah Rukh Khan doesn't sleep. Or so it seems. He landed in Mumbai on Thursday from Dubai after a show, but shows no sign of strain or jetlag. Just before Dubai the mega-star was in Berlin for the film festival negotiating the attention of hundreds of screaming fans.
What we don't know is that Shah Rukh met and bonded in Berlin with American auteur director Martin Scorsese and his favourite actor Leonardo Di Caprio.
Says Shah Rukh, "Leonardo, Martin and I spent some time together. Martin was gracious enough to remember that he had met me in Cannes way back in 2002 when I was there for Devdas. He wants to watch Devdas and I've promised to send it to him. I'll do so right way."
After the glorious performance in My Name Is Khan as a physically-disabled underdog journeying across America on a whimsical mission, Shah Rukh Khan is all set to play the super-hero flying across the sky to save humanity.
True to its mythological title, Ra.1 which starts shooting next month in Mumbai followed by Goa and London, will have Shah Rukh combating 10 villains. Raavan according to Hindu mythology, was a ten-headed demon whom Ram vanquished single-handedly.
In Ra.1, the modern day Raavan has been turned into ten different villains whom super-hero Shah Rukh, the modern day Ram will annihilate one after another.
Shah Rukh Khan seemed remarkably relaxed in Berlin on the day after his film My Name Is Khan opened in Mumbai accompanied by violent protests by the Shiv Sena.
Said Shah Rukh from Berlin, "I missed the opening in Mumbai. But I believe people have liked the film. I'm being told I'm in character. That's good to hear. Give me a character to be in, and I'm right there."
The SRK brand of humour was intact when told that My Name Is Khan doesn't look like a Karan Johar film. At his deadliest deadpan best SRK retorted, "Yeah, even I felt like that when I first saw it. I told Karan, 'Arrey yaar yeh tum ne kaisi picture banayee hai?' Actually the three ladies in our lives Hiroo Aunty (Karan's mother Hiroo Johar), Kajol and Gauri have made this film."
Getting serious SRK said, "I thought it would take audiences a little time to come to terms with the film. But I am glad it was well-received."
After playing the under-dog in two successive films Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and My Name Is Khan (we aren't counting his guest appearance in Dulha Mil Gaya) Shah Rukh will be flying across the sky in Ra.1. The estimated budget of the film to be produced by Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies, is Rs 100 crores. And no Kareena Kapoor won't be joining him in midair. She plays Shah Rukh's grounded wife and not a super-woman.
Says a source close to Ra.1, "Kareena was keen to attempt the hi-jinks with Shah Rukh, especially since Agent Vinod where she has a lot of stunts has again been postponed But in Ra.1 all the conflict involves Shah Rukh and the ten villains."
Shah Rukh along with the film's director Anubhav Sinha and journalist-writer Mushtaq Sheikh, has co-written Ra.1 and will be credited as one of the writers.
The film will be in Hindi. Says the source, "He was advised to make the film in English. But Shah Rukh decided to make it in Hindi. Why should he pitch his super-hero film to the Western audience when they already have their Superman and Spiderman? Shah Rukh has no aspirations of cracking Hollywood on their terms."
The film requires the star to perform never-before heart-in-the-mouth stunts, which he's gearing up to do.

Talking about the recent wrath SRK faced from Shiv Sena, the actor insists that he did not understand why Shiv Sena behaved in such a way and if they would have objected to the content in his movie he would have definitely apologized.

SRK said, “‘If they had a problem with my film, I would have apologized. I have done so earlier because I do not want to offend anyone with my films, my aim is to entertain. But this was about who I am as a person and my Indianness and I was hurt that I had to clarify it again and again.”

SRK insists that he respects Sena leaders, however he feels that nobody should mix entertainment with politics.

SRK further says, ‘They are much older than me and I have great respect for them. But I did not understand why was the film dragged in between. I am one of those who believe that entertainment and politics should not be mixed. I did not understand why was my Indianness questioned. My father is a freedom fighter and I am proud of that.”

Agree with him?

Controversies have only help MNIK if not affected its box office cash collections for the film has gone up to grossing around Rs.250 million (about $5.3 million) across the globe as it opened to the screens this Friday.
In New Zealand, the opening day collection was about $9,727 while in the Middle-East, the movie raked an earning estimated at $300,000. The paid previews of the movie earned about $193,000 from 89 sites in Britain becoming the topper and in Australia, paid previews collected around $34,000 and it ranked number 11.
Vijay Singh, CEO of Fox Star Studios India, the Indian distributors of the film said, “We are delighted with the performance and audience reactions across demographics. More so, because this is only phase one of the film release. In addition to the release across 45 countries, MNIK will be rolled out in a phased manner across 25 non-traditional markets from April onwards.”
The movie is being marketed and distributed by Fox Star in India, in the US by its sister company Fox Searchlight and in the rest of the world by parent group 20th Century Fox International. Fox plans to release the film in Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Oman and Lebanon this week.

Characterization: Meet Rizwan Khan, a middle class Mumbaikar, mildly autistic – suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome. Rizwan is brought up by a very strong, secular, yet a very loving mother Razia (Zarina Wahab) who teaches Rizwan the most important lesson in life that not only shapes his character but also shapes the story – She teaches him that the only difference between people is of ‘Good and Bad’, rest all doesn’t matter. This theme continues as a leitmotif throughout thestory against many divisions – Normal and Autistic, American and Asian, Black and White, Muslims and Non-Muslims, Terrorists and Victims, Love and Hatred!
Rizwan is simple, he speaks straight from the heart and manages to convey the most complex things in the simplest of ways. It just takes him two honest words ‘Marry Me’ to propose to Mandira, a hairstylist, and a single mom, a very regular girl, who fights her way out of a broken marriage into a happy life with her son. Later Mandira succumbs to the pressures of life and like most of us, lets hatred and bitterness motivate her and mobilize her to avenge her wrong doers. She is quite contrary to Rizwan, who personifies – unadulterated piety, optimism, hope, goodness and unfaltering focus on his goal that makes any other grief, pain, and hardship seem smaller! Nothing could crack Rizwan and embitter him, even the worst of griefs, the cruelest of tortures and harshest of injustice, bitterest of words – opposite to Mandira who is so strong yet so vulnerable.
Story, Screenplay and Dialogues: Well researched and well thought, the story of Rizwan is weaved intricately with respect to the others – be it Mandira and his son Sameer, his mom Razia, Professor Wadia – his teacher, Zakir and Haseena – his brother and sister-in-law, Sarah and Mark – his caring friends and neighbors, Mama Jenny and Joel – who shelter him on his journey or the rest of America who tests him at every step he takes. All this to meet the President just tell him few simple words –My Name is Khan, and I am not a Terrorist!
The script is a masterpiece, despite the vast scope of the story with many events and characters, the script is strong, straight-forward and precise, doing justice to every scene, situation, character, setting and the basic treatment of the film. The film absorbs you completely without being too heavy on the heart and mind. Rizwans journey through the length of the first half may seem too long and tiring but when the means meet their end, you walk back home inspired and touched.

Karan Johar and Shibani Batijha deserve accolades for their sensitive handling of the theme, their research into the basics of Autism and Aspergers Syndrome, aspects of Islam as a religion often wrongly interpreted by its own followers as much as the Westerners in the light of 9/11 in an extremely paranoid and defensive America.
And mind you, they are not taking sides here or giving an opinion on the West or Fundamentalists. Like Khuda Ke Liye, it just aims to bring out the stories of innocent Muslim people who pay the price of terrorism in the name of Islam, America’s paranoia and wrong interpretation of Islam by its own followers i.e. the fundamentalists in a divided world post 9/11.
Niranjan Iyengar and Shibani Bathija’s work on dialogues is noteworthy. They have this sparkling simplicity yet inspiring depth to them.
Direction: It is wrong for critics to condemn Karan Johar for his signature style of cinema, which was often about mushy love sequences and songs, grand and opulent palatial houses and the NRI elites who sang and danced through big fat Indian weddings. With this film, Karan Johar comes of age, he brings meaningful and moving cinema in his signature style which understands ‘entertainment’ as the bottomline of every film. He displays impressive maturity in handling sequences that demanded restraint and sensitivity. Perhaps we could count Karan Johar as not only one of the most commercially successful filmmakers but one of the most creatively insightful filmmakers India has produced.

Cinematography: Ravi K Chandran follows Rizwan Khan on his journey and portrays with elan every place in the film – be it the sparkling San Francisco, the dingy gullies of Mumbai, the poor hurrican hit village of Wilhelmina, the downtown Indianness of America, the lonely void of Rizwan’s journey at sinister and secluded places of a paranoid country, Mandira’s pain and agony – all beautifully captured and translated on screen.
Editing: Deepa Bhatia’s editing is crisp and fruitful in layering the story well – back and forth in time. Smart move to reduce the length of the movie strictly to 2 hrs 40 minutes only. Any longer than that could’ve diluted the impact of the story and screenplay.
Performances: Shahrukh Khan takes us by storm, rightly said, this is his best act so far – much above his finest (which I consider Asoka, Swades and Chak De India). He prepared for his role putting in a lot ofresearch and hardwork which was obvious. His mannerisms, gait, body language, eye movement, laughter within a limited emotional graph of an autisticcharacter are well enacted. He emotes brilliantly in the proposing scene, the wedding night scene, death scene of his son, detention and torture and the church speech about his son.
Kajol makes a refreshing comeback, she looks gorgeous in a well styled character, displays her signature strength in handling emotional and traumatic scenes with sincerity. Tanmay Chheda and Yuvaan who play young Rizwan are good too. Zarina Wahab remains the most impressive of remaining performances. Almost everyone right from, Mama Jenny to Reese and Sam have given great performances but Shahrukh remains the heart and soul ofthe film. Absolutely brilliant!
Music:
Shankar Ehsaan Loy perfectly understood the temperament of the film and impressed with soulful melodies like Noor-e-Khuda and Naina wonderfully sung by Pakistani singers Shafaqat Amanat Ali and Adnan Sami, while Sajda a romantic sufi melody with Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan displaying his vocal expertise with the soulful Richa Sharma. Very impressive indeed.
Above all, its an extremely well made historically significant movie that touches the heart and inspires the mind in today’s divided and biased world. It makes us go back and retrospect about the only bifurcation that matters – of good and bad.
I give it full marks too.

SRK has proved once again that why he is known as the Baadshah of Bollywood with his recent success My Name is Khan by making a worldwide record with his movie. My Name is Khan has shattered the worldwide box office records of previous Hindi flicks by becoming the highest Hindi movie grosser at the worldwide box office.
When 3 Idiots made a roaring success at the box-office, nobody imagined that it’s success record will be broken, however within six weeks SRK’s MNIK has overpowered 3 Idiots success with it’s record opening debut at the box office. Even with limited release in India, MNIK grossed 25 crores on its very first day and garnered 35 crores in 3 days.
Worldwide My Name is Khan has grossed more than $18 million in just two days. My Name is Khan is proving to be worldwide phenomenon with everybody applauding SRK’s act as Rizwan Khan in the movie.
Critics have branded SRK’s MNIK performance as flawless, heart wrenching and inspiring.