Shahrukh delays autobiography for Anupama's biography

By: Upala KBR, Mid-Day
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Film writer Anupama Chopra, who has written books like Dilwale Dulhaniyan Le Jayenge (The Bravehearted Will Take The Bride) and Sholay:

The Making Of A Classic, is all set to release her next book on the life of Shah Rukh Khan.

But what makes her four-year project pleasant is a promise that SRK made to her four years ago - and kept!

Portrait of B-Town

Chopra, who will be releasing her book, King of Bollywood - Shah Rukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema on September 8, says, "When I started writing it four years ago, he promised that he wouldn't release his autobiography until after I had released my book.

It was very gracious of him. I'm sure when he made that promise he had no idea I would take four years to write it. His could've released his autobiography three years ago!"

Anupama says Shah Rukh started writing his autobiography much before she started hers.

"In fact, he had finished more than half his book when asked me to read it to ensure our topics weren't repeated in both books. But both are different.

While Shah Rukh's is emotional and moving, mine is a portrait of Bollywood through Shah Rukh's life and films.

Also, mine will be India's first book to be released by a mainstream American publisher (Grant Central Publishing) and will be released for American readers as well," says Anupama.

Mellow man

When she first told Shah Rukh about her book, his reaction wasn't encouraging. "He said, 'I don't deserve that much attention.' It took a bit of convincing and then he was fine."

Anupama, who is married to filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, has known Shah Rukh since the time she went to interview him while he was shooting for Yes Boss in 1996. "It was my first interview with Shah Rukh."

Has he changed much as a person since? Says Anupama, "It would be presumptuous of me to comment as I don't know him deeply, but yes, I find him more mellow today. There is a calmness about him but he still has that unflagging energy."

While Shah Rukh has skimmed through a copy of King of Bollywood and liked it, husband Vidhu has read the entire book. "He liked it too. But I don't think we can ever be objective about each other's work!"

King of Bollywood - Shah Rukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema

The book reveals how Shah Rukh Khan, a middle-class Muslim boy from Delhi, broke into the insular, nepotistic world of Bombay's show business and emerged a superstar.

His larger-than-life tale takes us through the colourful and idiosyncratic Bollywood movie industry, where fantastic dreams and outrageous obsessions share the spotlight with extortion, murder and corruption.

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