"I am an employee of the myth of SRK"- Shahrukh
What's the best thing that can happen to you as a journalist when you fly down from London to Mumbai in the month of December? Attending Page 3 parties? Eating hot and spicy curries? Going to the best ever New Year's bash? Meeting celebrities on the sets? Naah! But imagine you getting a text message one morning which reads – SRK interview tomorrow at 3.15pm at 'Mannat'. You have 15 minutes. I then call the YRF PR to confirm the message. They reply to me in positive. What once was a distant dream becomes a near reality! What happened in the next 24 hours was truly one of my most fulfilling experiences as a Bollywood columnist. Every time you come to Mumbai city and pass by the lovely Bandstand area, you just cannot move your eyes away from Mannat. It could be 'Mannat' to the world, but it is 'Jannat'. I mean, which person wouldn't want to live there? I enter the Mannat Annexe, SRK's new multi storey office behind Mannat. Security check takes place, identification proof and then I enter. All this and I felt like I was in the Heathrow airport, checking in. Off I go to the second floor where three to four journos were waiting for their turn to meet Datuk Shahrukh Khan. He is no more a King but way beyond that. For me, he is the matinee idol look combined with the sex symbol loveliness. That sums up SRK's pin up appeal since two decades. Whether he plays a lover boy in DDLJ or a music teacher in Mohabbatein, he possesses an all-too-nice guy charm. He's willing to put that charm to test too! In Chak De India, we didn't see SRK, we saw Kabir Khan - no pretty love interest, no wisecracking sidekick, not even a comic genius. And, such is the weight that Shahrukh carries with a worldwide audience, such is the skill that he has developed over two decades plying his trade...he pulled it off with amazing ease. His latest release Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi hopefully will take this further. Sitting in his black V-neck T-shirt and jeans, he poses for the photographers, goes to the terrace on the third floor to get some more natural shots, comes down, shakes my hand and humorously asks me, "Are you the same Observer journalist who reported about the terrorist?" I say, "No". He orders a hot cup of coffee for himself, talks about the hot Anushka Sharma, talks about the hot parathas and much more in what should go down as the best ever interview of SRK in ages. As he aptly said, "You are here to interview me and you'll hope that this one is better than your last one".
We
don't
start
with
ABC
here
but
with
SRK.
So
tell
me
what
makes
an
extraordinary
SRK
ordinary?
I
think
the
reason
people
become
extraordinary
is
because
their
roots
are
ordinary.
I
don't
think
it
works
the
other
way
round
that
you
happen
to
be
an
extraordinary,
and
then,
with
humility
and
modesty
talk
about
your
ordinariness.
First
of
all,
I
don't
believe
I'm
extraordinary.
My
very
good
friend
and
writer
of
Chak
De
India,
Jaideep
Sahni
told
me
yesterday
that
the
irony
of
your
life
is
that
when
you
tell
people
the
truth,
they
believe
either
you're
being
too
humble
or
honest,
which
is
true.
I
don't
find
anything
extraordinary
in
what
I
do.
It's
a
job
like
everyone
else
does.
I
wake
up
every
morning,
apply
my
make
up
and
try
and
get
my
best
shot
possible.
You
are
here
to
interview
me
and
you'll
hope
that
this
one
is
better
than
the
last
one.
That's
what
I'm
doing
since
last
20
years
and
our
film
Rab
Ne
Bana
Di
Jodi
is
akin
to
that.
Is
that
being
diplomatic
or
simplistic?
I
always
say
this;
I
am
an
employee
of
the
myth
of
SRK.
For
the
first
time
you
will
see
the
worker
behind
this
myth
and
Rab
Ne's
Surinder
Sahni,
the
character,
is
that
worker
who
is
a
little
boring,
hard
worker,
may
be
not
good
looking
but
he
is
actually
the
engine
what
drives
the
myth.
It's
being
simplistic.
What
characteristics
do
you
think
are
most
important
for
having
a
fulfilling
jodi?
If
you
are
talking
about
my
own
experience,
it's
the
space.
Allowing
the
space
that
your
partner
wants
and
still
occupying
it
with
love
is
crucial.
Besides
that,
it's
very
subjective.
It's
different
strokes
for
different
folks.
Overall,
everybody
likes
to
have
that
space.
When
I
start
making
a
film,
I
tell
everyone,
"Listen
guys,
we
are
hundred
of
us
and
we
are
going
to
formulate
a
team.
There
are
two
of
us,
a
director
and
an
actor.
We
are
trying
to
make
a
film
but
are
we
making
the
same
film?
Are
we
both
doing
this
film
for
the
same
reason?
Are
we
telling
this
story
to
earn
money
from
that
or
just
want
to
tell
a
story?
Whatever
the
reason,
it
should
be
on
the
same
page.
Then
anything
you
do,
whether
it's
your
personal
life
or
professionally,
you
become
one
fulfilling
jodi.
What
ideas,
values
or
experiences
did
you
and
Aditya
Chopra
bring
along
with
you
from
2000
to
2008,
from
Mohabbatein
to
Rab
Ne...?
What
we've
realised
from
DDLJ
days
is
that
a
lot
of
faith
has
been
put
in
our
creative
ability
to
entertain.
For
years,
what
we've
tried
to
do
is
cater
to
what
we
think
people
want
to
see.
They've
always
said
that
we'd
like
to
see
a
cool
guy
singing
'Tujhe
Dekha
Toh
Yeh
Jaana
Sanam'
in
Switzerland
and
we
gave
that
to
them.
It's
not
important
that
we
keep
giving
them
what
they
want
to
see,
but
the
question
is,
can
we
give
them
what
we
want
to
show
them
and
ask
them
whether
they
liked
what
they
saw.
That
is
the
difference
from
Rab
Ne...
to
DDLJ.
When
we
made
DDLJ
we
were
very
anxious.
We
tried
to
show
the
Lamborghini
or
the
Harley
Davidson,
but
now
we
want
to
show
them
the
engine
that
drives
these
things.
We
are
now
challenging
the
status
of
faith
given
to
us
by
the
audiences
saying,
'You
guys
told
us
that
you
like
us,
now
we
will
show
you
what
we
like
and
not
what
you
like
to
see'.
And
what
is
Adi
going
to
show
them
this
time
around?
Rab
Ne
is
a
big
entertaining
film
and
the
funniest
film
Aditya
Chopra
can
make
for
the
simple
reason
that
he
is
not
a
funny
guy.
Even
during
DDLJ,
I
had
to
bring
in
a
lot
of
humour.
We've
tried
this
time
to
bring
this
same
humour
in
an
ordinary
way.
People,
when
they
travel
abroad
eat
chicken
in
KFC
or
a
burger
in
McDonalds
or
some
grilled
food
in
some
restaurant.
But
when
they
come
home
after
a
month
or
two
and
sit
down
and
are
being
served
hot
paratha
and
curd,
you
feel
it's
the
best
you've
ever
had.
Rab
Ne...
is
the
best
you've
ever
had.
Extending
on
what
you
said
that
there
was
a
Lamborghini,
Harley
Davidson
etc...
all
YRF
films
have
seen
rich
NRIs.
Since
Chak
De,
we
are
now
seeing
an
emerging
trend
of
a
middle
class
Indian
in
YRF
films,
more
closer
to
our
home.
Is
it
a
planned
move
or
what?
It's
not
like
that.
As
time
goes,
you
get
attracted
to
different
kind
of
stories.
I
am
still
attracted
to
a
super
hero
story
that
I
still
want
to
tell,
I
am
still
attracted
to
a
fun
film
like
Om
Shanti
Om.
I
was
never
attracted
to
love
stories
to
be
honest.
I
just
do
them
because
my
friends
really
believe
in
them
and
I
do
it
for
them.
Lately,
I
loved
the
idea
of
Don.
I
think
it's
really
cool.
There
was
an
anti
establishment
time
in
70's
and
80's
when
Mr.
Bachchan
used
to
act
in
films.
Then
come
90s,
our
economy
prospered,
people
went
abroad,
they
did
well
for
themselves
and
wanted
to
achieve
their
dreams
of
having
a
big
house,
a
big
car
and
a
big
family
happily
settled
in
the
UK
or
the
US.
So,
films
like
DDLJ
came
and
made
those
dreams
come
true
on
celluloid
and
now
the
time
has
come
where
people
don't
want
a
big
car.
It's
fine
for
them
to
travel
in
a
bus.
What
today's
people
want
is
their
status
identity,
whoever
they
are,
they
are
heroes.
But
what
about
today's
kids,
let's
say...Aryan,
will
he
identify
with
his
extraordinary
status?
When
I
am
trying
to
show
my
son
Aryan
heroes
of
today's
day
and
age
and
even
heroes
of
our
mythological
era,
he
is
not
interested.
For
kids,
a
hero
is
a
guy
who
is
normal
and
ordinarily
extraordinary.
They
don't
need
their
hero
to
be
in
flashy
clothes.
But
as
long
as
he
performs
he
is
a
hero
for
them.
Like
the
footballer
Ronaldo
is
a
hero
for
kids
because
his
actions
are
performance
based.
'Hero
toh
woh
hota
hai
jo
Shahrukh
Khan
hota
hai',
that's
not
true.
Hero
is
one
who
does
his
job
well.
For
Aryan,
I
might
be
his
hero
too
because
he
knows
I
do
my
job
well.
I've
seen
that
an
ordinary
man
is
very
secured
about
his
status.
The
purpose
of
life
and
your
existence
is
becoming
more
important.
I
tell
my
kids
that
I
did
Om
Shanti
Om
because
I
believe
that
if
it's
not
happy,
it's
not
the
end.
What's
your
status
then?
It's
strange
but
the
people
of
Malaysia
knew
what
my
status
was
when
I
went
there
to
receive
my
knighthood.
They
were
holding
these
huge
banners
which
said,
"The
person
who
likes
to
see
people
smile
-
Datuk
Shahrukh".
That's
what
I
am.
It's
another
thing
that
I
get
paid
crores
for
doing
that
now.
But
I
got
Rs.
5,000
for
my
first
film
to
do
the
same
thing
and
will
continue
doing
that
in
Rab
Ne
Bana
Di
Jodi.
Chak
De
garnered
a
great
deal
of
attention
from
fans
and
critics,
especially
in
the
overseas.
Do
you
think
Rab
Ne
Bana
Di
Jodi
will
tread
the
same
path?
I
don't
know
but
I
think
that
the
film
is
too
entertaining
for
the
critics
to
like
it
(laughs).
It'll
make
you
laugh
and
cry.
Honestly,
critics
have
been
really
nice
to
me,
they
give
me
much
more
than
I
deserve.
I'm
sure
in
Rab
Ne...
too
they
will
think
that
I've
acted
well.
I
truly
believe
that
Rab
Ne
Bana
Di
Jodi
is
Aditya
Chopra's
bravest
film.
So
I
hope
he
gets
the
feedback.
We've
made
the
film,
it's
our
baby
now
and
it's
up
to
the
audiences
to
say
whether
they
like
it
or
not.
It's
an
important
film
for
Adi
and
me.
It's
strange
to
be
working
with
a
stranger.
You
expect
the
unexpected
from
them.
How
did
the
debutante
Anushka
Sharma
come
across?
All
these
girls
are
really
wonderful.
They
are
in
a
world
which
is
very
well
informed,
more
informed
than
my
world
when
I
was
20.
They
have
access
to
information
and
because
they
have
access
to
information,
I
believe
that
they
have
access
to
expressions
that
I
didn't
have
at
that
age.
I've
grown
up
with
some
expressions
of
life.
I
didn't
know
what
a
terrorist
was;
I
didn't
know
what
an
internet
was.
I
had
to
first
access
it
and
then
learn
it.
So
when
you're
working
with
new
comers
as
talented
as
Anushka
what
happens
is
they
express
themselves
in
a
language
that
I'm
just
getting
to
know.
Over
the
last
couple
of
years,
I've
learnt
not
to
correct
them
(new
comers)
because
I
need
to
correct
myself.
When
I
said
a
line
in
DDLJ
which
went
-
'Zindagi
mein
do
raaste
milte
hai,
ek
sahi,
ek
galat'.
Everybody
told
me
how
beautifully
I
had
said
those
lines.
I
don't
think
Anushka
will
say
the
same
lines
like
I
did.
But
when
she
says
it
the
way
she
says
it
now,
it'll
be
as
beautiful.
I
truly
believe
that
new
comers
are
great
actors
because
they
do
things
completely
out
of
the
box.
I
just
thanked
Anushka
and
her
parents
last
night
by
saying,
"Thank
you
for
allowing
me
to
do
something
different.
So,
how
different
is
Rab
Ne
as
a
film?
Rab
Ne
is
very
believable
and
different
because
of
Anushka,
more
than
me
or
Adi.
Apart
from
your
cameo
in
Bhootnath
this
year,
Rab
Ne
Bana
Di
Jodi
is
your
only
full
length
feature
role
and
film
of
2008.
Is
age
catching
up
haule
haule?
No,
that's
not
true.
I
messed
up
on
dates
this
year,
big
time.
I
was
doing
two
films
this
year,
Robot
with
Shankar
and
Three
Idiots
with
Rajkumar
Hirani
and
both
didn't
kick
off
due
to
some
problems.
Suddenly
my
dates
got
free.
Now
if
I
get
to
know
just
now
that
I've
given
up
a
film,
I
can't
sign
a
new
film
next
day
because
the
people
who
make
films
with
me
plan
their
films
in
advance.
So
I
started
a
small
film
with
Irrfan
Khan
called
Billo
Barber
which
we
are
ready
with.
I
postponed
it
because
Rab
Ne...
was
releasing
in
December.
We
are
releasing
it
in
February
now.
Plus,
IPL
was
there
too.
I
spent
a
good
couple
of
months
just
concentrating
on
that.
Then
My
Name
Is
Khan
got
postponed
because
of
dates
in
America
and
times.
Next
year,
I'll
still
do
three
films.
I
am
flying
to
L.A
on
the
18th
December
for
My
Name
Is
Khan
and
will
be
back
in
February
before
Billo
Barber's
release.
So
if
everything
goes
by
the
paper,
you'll
see
me
in
three
films
in
2009.
Shah
Rukh,
you
go
that
extra
mile,
for
the
different
look,
for
the
different
style
or
be
it
a
different
film.
You
bend
yourself
out
of
the
shape
just
to
get
it
right.
But
what
difference
does
it
make?
I
don't
know,
I
guess
the
director
wants
me
to
do
it.
Everyone
who
wants
to
sign
me
now
says
that
they
don't
want
"SRK".
They
want
me
to
look
different
and
act
different.
Farah
Khan
came
up
to
me
because
she
wanted
a
six
pack
from
me
for
'Dard
E
Disco'.
So
I
did
it.
Shimit
Amin
wanted
me
to
have
a
beard
in
Chak
De.
I
did
that
too.
For
Rab
Ne...
I
had
to
shed
a
lot
of
kilos.
I
didn't
like
doing
it
but
it
was
work.
Now
Karan
Johar
wants
me
to
have
short
hair
and
a
bit
more
weight
for
My
Name
Is
Khan.
I
am
doing
it.
You
tell
me
I'll
do
what
people
want
from
me
now.
Luck
plays
a
significant
part
in
everyone's
life.
It
has
played
in
your
life
and
mine
too.
I
want
to
know
how
luck
has
affected
Rab
Ne
Bana
Di
Jodi?
Adi
says
that
this
film
is
made
by
'Rab'
and
not
luck.
I
just
called
him
and
told
him
that
should
we
just
postpone
the
release
of
our
film
keeping
in
mind
the
situation
in
Mumbai
right
now
and
he
said,
"This
film
is
made
by
'Rab'
and
we
will
let
it
release
on
time
as
planned.
All
what
is
happening
was
made
to
happen.
Rab
knows
what
He
is
doing".
I
never
planned
to
work
with
Aditya
Chopra
and
he
never
planned
to
make
a
film.
It
all
just
happened.
The
reason
I
did
Rab
Ne...
is
because
Raju
Hirani's
film
got
cancelled.
So
Adi
came
to
me
and
said
that
he
had
written
a
film
in
12
days
and
wanted
me
to
be
a
part
of
it.
I
agreed
and
we
finished
the
film
in
47
days.
Rab
Ne
is
20%
better
than
what
we
planned
to
make.
It's
all
in
Rab's
hands!
You
have
people
in
this
profession
whom
you
trust
and
have
made
a
difference
in
your
career,
YRF.
What
say?
Rab
Ne...
is
the
seventh
film
I've
done
with
them.
The
last
six
films
with
YRF
have
never
failed
business
wise
and
keeping
in
mind
audiences
reactions.
They've
all
loved
it.
We
started
with
Darr
and
ended
with
Chak
De
India.
Now
it's
Rab
Ne.
People
keep
blaming
us
that
we
make
similar
kind
of
films.
I
doubt
that.
When
you
look
at
Veer
Zaara,
Darr,
DDLJ
and
Chak
De,
the
roles
ranged
from
a
65
year
old
man
to
a
villain
to
the
romantic
hero
to
the
patriotic
Kabir
Khan.
To
have
these
four
variations
is
doing
something
different
and
not
similar.
But
the
good
thing
about
me
and
YRF
is
that
we
never
try
and
work
together.
We
always
try
and
tell
a
story
together
which
we
love
to
tell.
90%
of
my
stardom
is
because
of
YRF.
Hopefully
Rab
Ne
will
take
it
to
100%.
Any
parting
message
for
all
the
beautiful
jodis
out
there?
Love
you
all,
be
happy
and
don't
forget
to
eat
some
parathas
and
curd
as
I
said
earlier.
This
goes
out
especially
to
my
overseas
fans
(laughs).