How Shah Rukh Khan changed Bollywood's game

Ra.One’s' fate at the box-office has done little to undermine King Khan’s zeal to try something new

Shah Rukh Khan (GETTY/GALLO)

Shah Rukh Khan is on a vacation these days and yet his mind is working overtime. Ask him what and the Khan is pretty much excited of talking about his new found interest: technology in Indian cinema.

Says the actor, “Why not? Our cinemas have already come a long way . Be it in terms of entertainment, good, heartfelt scripts or techniques, they are bang on. What we lack is right technology that would put us on par with International cinemas. Today, technical up gradation is an essential part of growth, and we as filmmakers should understand and capitalise on it.”

The Khan does have a point there, especially after helming a tech-heavy project like ‘Ra.One’. He says, “There are social sites that serve as perfect platform for the promotion of your product. In fact these sites constantly keep on promoting your films, even as you focus on other things involved.”

In fact, it’s all science and technology that SRK can think of these days “I just read a quote from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, which says, ‘We need to keep up proper space with the science or our foot may slip off.’ I think that it stands true for our cinemas as well. We need to enhance our cinema technically, by leaps and bounds at least, to make the International audience to take more than just a note.”

Known for his great association with brands and clever use of them in each of his films, Shah Rukh says, “I am an emotional person. I like to carry forward my relationship with all those who get associated with me. Long time relationships/bonding is something I believe in. It’s one of the many ways that I get motivated.”

However, the one thing the Badshah of Bollywood doesn’t like is the role of a reviewer. “In the industry, there are only two kinds of people I know. One, who make films and see it as a virtuous product of their plan, and the other, a more intellectual lot who view it for critical appreciation. But I really don’t care much about them. The only reviewers who matter to me are my audience across the world. I think they are the ones who make us the stars that we are. I am a filmmaker and I prefer making films. Once I am done with a film, I do not sit back and evaluate. I hate doing that for any film, including the ones I act in.”

Next in SRK agenda is also the Unesco Charity-Gala in Düsseldorf in Germany, (November 19, 2011), where the star will be felicitated with the Unesco Award. “It is a privilege to get awarded .This is not an appreciation for me alone as a person, I have been awarded as an Indian. I feel humbled and happy about it,” says the badshah.

Ask him to talk about the latest craze of social networking sites and he says, “For the youths, it is very attractive and essential to be on the social network. I personally do not tweet much, but at times when I do, I often end up jotting down advice to the youth, which aren’t much appreciated. So I work to restrain myself by using the cool dude lingo.”

Shahrukh, who is on a self-explained break these days, rues, “Yes, I am on a holiday, I suppose. But I am not getting much of time for myself. I do steal some time to read some books.” A complete hands-on dad, SRK admits that the best thing about the break is spending time with his children.

“These days my kids are rehearsing for their annual function, so they go to school late and come in late too, which is a boon as I am a late riser. So I get enough time to spend with them, even late at night when I am working. Once their annual function is over, I would not have that liberty, as I will start shooting for Yash Raj Films’ next from January. I also plan to go on a holiday to some exotic location soon.”

The Don also clears the issue about ‘Don2’. He says, “We need to know a little more about the legal aspect of anything before putting pen to paper. We have already purchased the rights of the earlier ‘Don’, though the sequel has no connection whatsoever with the earlier version. We are clear as far as the legal issues are concerned. I just feel filmmakers need to be more pragmatic about the legal issues related to their films. It makes a lot of difference.”