Bend it like Shah Rukh

Courtesy: IndiaFM

Sunday, June 18, 2006

The football fever is on and everyone is following the FIFA matches, expecting a lot from their favourite teams. The players in fact, have become the hottest celebrities currently who are ruling the media and making front page news almost everyday. Going with the flow, we thought of Bollywoodising Football a bit and introducing you to the Ronaldinho of Bollywood. He's none other than Shah Rukh Khan.

Most of you must be aware that the man is a big football fan himself and loves playing the game. In fact, that is the reason why Shah Rukh's character in Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna is that of school team football coach in New York. Says Karan Johar that it is Shah Rukh's interest in the game which made him portray SRK as a football coach. Besides, Karan says that he had already shown basketball and cricket in his earlier two movies but not football, so with KANK, he'll be doing that as well. KJo however, seems to have forgotten that there was football scene in his very first film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. During the song 'yeh ladka hai deewana' there is a small scene where Shah Rukh is shown playing football with his college team and scores a goal too!!

Shah Rukh was however was first seen kicking the soccer ball onscreen in Aditya Chopra's Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. The scene in fact, marks his entry in the movie. Karan Johar too, has planned something similar in Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, where SRK will appear on the screen playing football.

Going away from movies; on doing a little investigation and search into Khan's past, we found that the man was a great sportsperson during his school days.

Shah Rukh is said to have been the vice captain of the Football team in school. Besides football, he was also a very much into cricket. And here's an interesting fact - When Shah Rukh played for the senior cricket team, the man who fielded next to him was Rahul Dev. Both went on to become actors and even appeared together onscreen in the movie Asoka.

This is a picture of the team members which shows Shah Rukh and Rahul Dev in their early days.

Adding a piece of trivia here - Not many might remember this but SRK had featured as a cricket coach for a college team in the film Chamatkar (1992) which also starred Naseeruddin Shah, Shammi Kapoor, Urmila Matondkar and Ashutosh Gowarikar.

The man who now is the superstar of Bollywood was a star in his school days as well. He was part of most of the sports activities in school which also includes hockey. He also acted in plays and was a topper in academics too. Looking at his performance and achievements over the years, we can surely say that 'the Golden Boot' belongs to King Khan.