Planet Shahrukh Khan

<iframe align="right" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=srshkhsdama-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=bpl&amp;asins=8187107790&amp;fc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;lt1=_blank&amp;m=amazon&amp;lc1=FFC600&amp;bc1=000000&amp;bg1=000000&amp;f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was presented the Global Entertainment and Media Personality award at the FICCI Frames 2010 Excellence Awards on Thursday. FICCI Frames, the global conference on the business of entertainment which ran from March 16-18 came to a close with the award ceremony in Hotel Renaissance in Mumbai.

The Global Icon of the Year award was presented to Oscar winning music director A.R. Rehman.Amitabh Bachchan and Vidya Balan bagged the best actor award for their outstanding performance in R.Balki's film "Paa".

Director Raju Hirani garnered two awards - best film and best director - for his film "3 Idiots".

Pritam Chakraborty was presented the best music director award for Imtiyaz Ali's "Love Aaj Kal" while Ranbir Kapoor won the best entertainment award.

Last week, South superstar Kamal Haasan's presence at B-Town Badshah Shah Rukh Khan's Akon party at Mannat raised many eyebrows. Apparently, KH has been bonding with SRK and has been giving the latter valuable tips on the making of Ra One.

Says a source, "Shah Rukh has huge plans for Ra One and has been meeting Kamal Haasan regularly to bounce off ideas for his pet project. Shah Rukh and Kamal know each other since their Hey Ram days. The two have kept in touch. King Khan respects Kamal as an actor and loves his style of filmmaking. The two superstars are quite fond of each other."

<iframe align="right" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=srshkhsdama-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=bpl&amp;asins=0446578584&amp;fc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;lt1=_blank&amp;m=amazon&amp;lc1=FFC600&amp;bc1=000000&amp;bg1=000000&amp;f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Adds the source, "While Shah Rukh plays a super hero in Ra One, he's amazed by the hard work, meticulous planning, astonishing cinematography and breathtaking graphics that Kamal brought to Dasavaratham. He has been asking the veteran actor about how to make a stunning film with great special effects. That's the reason why Kamal was spotted at Shah Rukh's party last week."

Mushtaq Shiekh, co-screenwriter for Ra One, says, "I don't know if Kamalsaab is helping Shah Rukh with the film but I am not surprised to see him in Mannat because Shah Rukh has been maintaining a consistent connection with him."

Shah Rukh Khan was unavailable for comment.

Shah Rukh Khan began the year 2010 with the biggest hit, My Name is Khan. Things have begun to look rosier for King Khan after his IPL franchisee began the Season 3 campaign on a winning note. But not to be idle, SRK will soon start shooting for his home production Ra.One in Goa from 24 March, 2010.

Sources close to the actor told<iframe align="right" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=srshkhsdama-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=bpl&amp;asins=B000KCHW3G&amp;fc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;lt1=_blank&amp;m=amazon&amp;lc1=FFC600&amp;bc1=000000&amp;bg1=000000&amp;f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>, "The film will go on to the floors by 21 March, but Shah Rukh will start shooting for it from 24 March."

And unlike the previous year, when SRK had delayed shooting for his then under production film, My Name is Khan to accommodate dates for the Season 2 of the IPL, this time he is not planning to do so.

But what Khan is certainly planning is that if his IPL team, Kolkata Knight Riders win four games, he will release the video that he has already shot with the team. Revealing a little bit more, the source said, "It is the same tune that was composed by Vishal Shekhar, but it has been remixed. For last season, as we were playing in South Africa, the original song was infused with a lot of drum beats to give it the local flavour, but now that we are back in India, we have remixed the song and made the necessary music changes."

SRK might have to wait a little bit longer as KKR lost their third match in their encounter against Chennai Super Kings at the Eden Gardens especially after the actor had hired a friend's jet to make it to Kolkata after he had inaugurated the annual FICCI FRAMES event in Mumbai.

<iframe align="right" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=srshkhsdama-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=bpl&amp;asins=B000LXGW4E&amp;fc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;lt1=_blank&amp;m=amazon&amp;lc1=FFC600&amp;bc1=000000&amp;bg1=000000&amp;f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>At the inaugural session of FICCI –FRAMES, which kicked off in Mumbai today, actor - producer and IPL team owner Shah Rukh Khan highlighted some key issues plaguing the Indian film industry. Khan particularly urged the film fraternity to adapt some important learnings from Hollywood.

Khan said, "The three basic needs of every Indian - roti, kapda aur makaan - seem to have been fulfilled for most. There is now a fourth desire and that is entertainment and movies are a popular source of this fourth requirement. Another concept popularly emerging and posing to have a great future is sport entertainment. We are at the threshold of a huge burst on the entertainment arena in India and entertainment is the packaging of a growing economy."

Throwing light on the three key areas where Indian cinema needs to learn from Hollywood, Khan said, "The first is screenplay writing. It is not an art but a science. We need to find expertise in screenplay writing in order to globalize Indian cinema. The second is technology. I remember when I met Will Smith, an actor who does just two films a year and I asked him how he picks his films. He said, 'On the basis of creative satisfaction and a great superstar for a co-star.' When I asked him how did he judge if his co-star was a super-star, he said his superstar was 'VFX and technology.'"

Khan further added, "We have the means to bring in the technology and machines to India, but we don't have trained people to handle them. We need to develop cheaper software and develop the VFX industry and filmmaking technology in India with the help of Hollywood. The third thing that we need to learn from Hollywood is discipline and organization in filmmaking coupled with the science of marketing films. We need to learn from them. Only then we can ask their help and not just monetary help. We don't need their investment as much as we need their advice and expertise."

"The time has come to have a symbiotic...

Shah Rukh Khan, the badshah of bollywood whose latest offering ‘My Name Is Khan’ broke all box office records in the countries like US, UK, etc, wants producers and directors at home to treat screen play writing as a form of science to be improved upon by taking help from any quarters, including Hollywood, instead of clinging to our unique music-dramatic Indian stories.

However, King Khan made it clear that he wanted to retain unique Indian style of films with songs and drama in heavy dosages, but it can be further improved upon by adopting better techniques from Hollywood who are more disciplined as well as more advanced in visual effect technology.

What Shah Rukh Khan was trying to emphasize that if we wanted bollywood movies to have a global appeal and audience all over the world, the filmmakers will have to adopt the latest technology in the fields of marketing, technology and production of films. Shah Rukh also wants to create a pool of talented popele in the country who can help filmmakers in bollywood with their superb special and visual effects skills.

For the present, bollywood has to go all the way to Hollywood to find some state- of –the- art technicians for its mega budget flicks like ‘Krrish’ and upcoming ‘Kites’. Even the make up artist for Amitabh Bachchan’s character Auro in ‘Paa’ had to be imported from Hollywood.

The cooperation between Hollywood and bollywood has become more important after the stunning visual effects created by James Cameron for his magnum opus ‘Avatar’. In fact, after watching ‘Avatar’, Rakesh Roshan, who was planning to go ahead with his third part of ‘Krrish’, decided to postpone his film till the time he could create similar visual effects for his upcoming film.

Shah Rukh Khan also wants the discipline and professionalism of Hollywood filmmakers to come to bollywood as projects here get extended years after years, making their already high cost almost unbearable for the producers. In bollywood, when a film starts with a budget of Rs 30 crores, the delays and other unprofessional factors make the cost of the flick to go up sometimes by seventy to ninety percent, with the result that its final cost becomes around Rs 55 crores.

<iframe align="right" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=srshkhsdama-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=bpl&amp;asins=B0032IABB0&amp;fc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;lt1=_blank&amp;m=amazon&amp;lc1=FFC600&amp;bc1=000000&amp;bg1=000000&amp;f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Food, clothing, and shelter are the top three; the fourth has a filmi connection!

Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif were among the stars at the Frames 2010 conference today (March 16) in Mumbai, where it was revealed that the $13 billion Indian media and entertainment industry is seen growing 13 percent annually over the next five years to net revenues of $24.25 billion by 2014.

The study by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) made the projection based on the recovery staged by the industry in the last quarter of 2009, which, it feels, will continue in the future.

Speaking on the session, Shah Rukh Khan said the three basic needs of every Indian -- food, clothing and shelter (roti, kapda aur makaan) -- appeared to have been fulfilled for most.

"There is now a fourth desire and that is entertainment and movies are a popular source of this fourth requirement. Another concept popularly emerging and posing to have a great future is sport entertainment," he said.

"We are at the threshold of a huge burst on the entertainment arena in India and entertainment is the packaging of a growing economy."

The study, conducted jointly by consultancy KPMG, adds that the growth will be driven by factors like favourable demographics, high economic growth, strong fundamentals, expected rise in advertising revenue and increasing penetration.

"The media and entertainment industry represents the face of consumers in India," said FICCI secretary general Amit Mitra, after the study was released by Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan at the Frames 2010 conference.

"It is a part of our daily life and touches maximum number of people. So despite the challenging last year, I'm excited by the potential of the industry to even grow beyond 13 percent per annum over the next few years," Mitra said.

Others who attended the inaugural event at India's commercial and entertainment hub included filmmakers Yash Chopra and Karan Johar.

As per the FICCI-KPMG study several factors augur well for the industry, notably the potential for growth in media reach, impact of digitisation and convergence, better consumer understanding, innovation and enhanced penetration of regional markets.

The study also gives the following estimates of the size of various segments of media and entertainment industry in 2009 and the projection for 2014:

Television: From $5.71 billion to $11.58 billion

Filmed Entertainment: From $1.98 billion to $3.09 billion

Print Media: From $3.88 billion to $5.97 billion

Radio: From $173 million to $364 million

Music: From $184 million to $382 million

Animation: From just $71 million to $1.03 billion

According to the study, gaming will be the fastest growing sector in the media and entertainment industry. This sector grew 22 percent in 2009 and is expected to expand by 32 percent per annum to reach $711 million by 2014.

<iframe align="right" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=srshkhsdama-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=bpl&amp;asins=B002K22IOM&amp;fc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;lt1=_blank&amp;m=amazon&amp;lc1=FFC600&amp;bc1=000000&amp;bg1=000000&amp;f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="right" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=srshkhsdama-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=bpl&amp;asins=6130051476&amp;fc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;lt1=_blank&amp;m=amazon&amp;lc1=FFC600&amp;bc1=000000&amp;bg1=000000&amp;f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Shah Rukh's thoughts on his team's performance: "Work Harder"

Shah Rukh Khan's IPL team, the Kolkata Knight Riders, crumbled before the Chennai Super Kings in their third match of the tournament this year. In the match played at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, today (March 16), the Knight Riders were set a target of 164/3 by the Super Kings. In reply, they were all out for 109 runs.

This was a disappointing turn from SRK's team which started the tournament with a victory over defending champions The Deccan Chargers. SRK was at the stadium for the match today, watching with IPL Chairman Lalit Modi. He had been on his feet and clapping when his team scored boundaries but became progressively more serious as the match started clearly getting away from them. He had tweeted earlier in the day, "Hope lots of people come to cheer the team. day before was fantastic. the sound..the music...the win....nothing like kolkata & eden gardens."

But Shah Rukh is probably going to be philosophical about the loss. His attitude can be understood from his Twitter post yesterday. "Prevoius record shows we lose after initial success? ha ah wot previous record only shows we didnt win thats all. this time work harder." Hope his team follows his advice

<iframe align="right" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=srshkhsdama-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=bpl&amp;asins=B0026I0NEC&amp;fc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;lt1=_blank&amp;m=amazon&amp;lc1=FFC600&amp;bc1=000000&amp;bg1=000000&amp;f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan inaugurated the FICCI Frames - a three-day mega media and entertainment industry event - in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Apart from Shah Rukh, Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif, renowned directors Yash Chopra and Karan Johar were present on the occasion.

This year the event is going to focus on piracy, proliferation of Indian films to new avenues, better collaboration with foreign films, new formats, and more.

King Khan enlisted the challenges ahead if Indian film industry aspired to reach wider global audience.

"I think we will have to work on screenplay, discipline and organisation and technology, these three things together. Only then actually Hollywood will offer us their full distribution platform because they will know that the film is in format that world understands," said Shah Rukh Khan.

Katrina Kaif lauded the efforts of the organisers, who are trying to take Indian film industry to new heights.

"They are really trying to delve and investigate into how we can make the business of entertainment industry better, how we can advance it and make it more profitable for everyone involved. So it something little slow and it is very special. They are really trying to investigate and come up with serious results," said Katrina Kaif.

The media and entertainment industry had gone through a tough time in the last two years as its mainstay advertising industry suffered due to the global financial slowdown.

The industry as a whole registered a modest growth of around 1.3 percent in 2009 compared to 12 percent in 2008.

<iframe align="right" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=srshkhsdama-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=bpl&amp;asins=B0032ML4MG&amp;fc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;lt1=_blank&amp;m=amazon&amp;lc1=FFC600&amp;bc1=000000&amp;bg1=000000&amp;f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Bollywood’s most successful producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra who’s riding on the success of 3 Idiots, and Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan, who’s received global accolades for his My Name is Khan, have buried the hatchet.

They missed two opportunities in the past to work together after failing to first collaborate on Munnabhai MBBS and then on 3 Idiots. But, like it is said, then the time wasn’t right.

Now these forces to reckon with are said to have had two closed door meetings on Vinod’s new film Ferrari Ki Sawari. Sources say that SRK visited Vinod’s bungalow some nights ago. And the actor and filmmaker bonded over drinks and dinner. Proof that all is well between these two also came when a smiling Vinod let the paparazzi click him as he entered SRK’s party for international rapper Akon last week.

With Aamir Khan taking his own sweet time to deliberate on when he will combine forces with Vinod again, the trade suggests that the stage has been set for SRK and Vinod to make a film together. Guess it can’t get bigger than this one!

Noted film editor Deepa Bhatia, whose latest work includes 'My Name Is Khan', says Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan chooses to act in "mediocre" films despite being a gifted actor.

Deepa, who has been awarded for editing films like Aamir Khan's 'Tare Zameen Par' and 'Rock On!!', said it was a discovery for her to see the real actor in Shah Rukh while editing 'My Name Is Khan'.

"Honestly I am no SRK fan but then he was so sincere in 'MNIK' which was amazing to see. It was a discovery for me to find the actor in Shah Rukh Khan. I fail to understand why he chooses to act in mediocre film," Deepa said.

"I don't understand the reason behind it. Whether he is just not interested or there is something else because he has also given some spectacular performances in films 'Chak De! India' and 'Swades'," she added.

Deepa, wife of writer-actor Amol Gupte, said that the filmmakers today have finally started to wake up to the tool of editing which puts the heart of the film at the right place.

Scoffing at the persistent speculations about his political ambitions Shah Rukh says he has absolutely no plans of joining politics. “People keep talking about my friendship with certain individuals in a particular party (Congress). But I’ve known Rajeev Shukla from before he was a part of the Congress. And I know Soniaji, Rahul and Priyanka just as I know people from other walks of life.”

In fact, says Shah Rukh, after the political controversy created by the Shiv Sena over what he says was an innocuous statement about the spirit of sportsmanship Shah Rukh has resolved to remain as far removed from politics and politicians as possible.

Shah Rukh Khan now sees the run-in with the Shiv Sena over his statement regarding the inclusion of Pakistani players in the IPL, as a waste of time and energy.

Says Shah Rukh, “It was confusing. What was I supposed to apologize for? Later I heard on television that I wasn’t expected to apologize. Not for a second did I feel any aggression. I was calm throughout. I know Bala Saheb and Uddhav Thackeray well. We meet cordially whenever the occasion arises. But we’re on different playing fields. I’m in the business of cinema. They’re in politics.And we should keep it that way.”

What the mega-star regrets is that he missed out enjoying the release of My Name Is Khan. “The troubles that happened did take away from my thrill of the release. Frankly I was anxious about the safety of my family, colleagues, my office staff and fans. God forbid, even if one member of the audience had suffered any injury while going to see My Name Is Khan I’d have never forgiven myself.”

Looking back at the whole run-in with the Shiv Sena Shah Rukh gets deeply reflective. “I was privileged to have a father who was a freedom fighter, Not too many of us can claim such a privilege. He once said to me. ‘I had a hand in your birth. But I also had a hand in the birth of a free India.’ I didn’t want my father’s struggle to go to waste. When my son is 44 like I am now, I want him to be as proud of me as I am of my father.”

Ask Shahrukh Khan why he is not celebrating the victory of his IPL team KKR, twice in a row in season three with much fervor and enthusiasm, and pat will come the reply, no more over excited ness till there are multiple victories.

Well, actually, the star had ha d a very heartbreaking experience during the first two seasons of the IPL Tournament, as his team had performed quite dismally. During those two seasons, he had been a constant driving force for the team. He would attend every match that his team played, until there were only failures and loses. Thus, King Khan had abstained from the grounds in the latter half of the tournament, thinking that his presence made the players a little tensed.

Thus, when this year he did not make an appearance during the first match of his team, he was missed by his fans a lot. After having won the first match against the champs of last season, Royal Challengers, SRK’s spirits were lifted a little bit. He then made an appearance at Eden Gardens, Kolkata with wife and daughter, with a satisfied expression on his face.

Through out the match, he had a subdued expression. Thus, when the Kolkata Knight Riders, finally emerged winners against the Royal Challengers, with a 7 wicket win, SRK was very pleased. However, he came up and said in a somber tone that he would not sing and dance just yet! This, he said had been advised to him by his partners and well wishers. So, our dear King Khan will only celebrate in style, if and when his team wins a total of 5 matches in a row!

The very famous owner of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Shahrukh Khan has successfully played the role of messiah, yet once again.

Recently, the fire brigade found super hospitality block- a temporary gallery-block at Eden Gardens to be unsafe. In an attempt to avoid any unwanted mishap, the fire brigade has instructed the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) for demolishing the wooden block.

The controversy arose when KKR got to know that they need to make some modifications so that they can get a no-objection-certificate (NOC) from PWD.PWD secretary A Bardhan got a call from Khan, requesting PWD to carry out all the necessary desirable modifications after March 16 match. He also assured that the responsibility of the bloc safety would be taken by the KKR team.

The fire brigade, however, did not react very kindly to this issue. Fire brigade director Gopal Bhattacharjee commented that in case of any mishap, they would not delay in lodging a complaint against IPL and CAB. He also added that nobody bothered to contact the fire department while granting the NOC and using the block on Sunday.

CAB, however, refused to take any responsibility for the incident. CAB joint secretary Biswarup De argued that they cannot prevent anyone from entering the premise if the person has a valid ticket. He thinks that it is the responsibility of the team and fire department to be aware of the safety aspect.

Jorge Ramirez seemed like an amiable technician-turned cab owner who might be meeting an Indian for the first time in his life. "From India?" he asked and before I could answer yes, he added, "Shah Rukh Khan?" Before I could answer even that, he popped in a CD in his cab's player that belted out Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

To be asked about Shah Rukh in the midst of the Andes at the elevation of over 12,000 feet was surprising enough. What added to it was Jorge's excitement at meeting someone who was from the same country and, therefore, by implication his favourite star's representative.

As we began driving from La Paz to Lake Titicaca, reputedly the largest navigable lake in the world at an elevation of 14,000 feet, Jorge's CD kept churning out songs from many of Shah Rukh's most popular movies. He would occasionally hum along, not understanding a word of what was being said.

"I love Shah Rukh Khan and I have seen many of his movies," Ramirez told IANS. As if to prove his knowledge of the actor's body of work he mentioned Karan Arjun, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Chalte Chalte, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Na Ho and Main Hoon Na.

"I found Kal Ho Na Ho very touching, with Shah Rukh Khan's heart problem. I remember Karan Arjun was about two brothers and a mother. I also loved Main Hoon Na," Ramirez said as he seemed to process the complicated names of movies.

And then as if he had a eureka moment, he started talking about Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. He particularly mentioned a dance sequence of Kajol. "Kahol dances very good," he said pronouncing the 'j' in Kajol the way it is done by the Spanish-speaking people, like a soft 'h.'

Ramirez said his CDs and DVDs of Shah Rukh movies came from Lima, the capital of neighbouring Peru. It was obvious that the products were pirated, a detail that Ramirez was blissfully unaware of. When told about the actor's new movie My Name Is Khan, which Ramirez did not know of, he promised to get it from Lima on his next trip there.

It is hard to gauge how popular Hindi movies are in this part of the world, but if a visit to a corporate office the next day is any indication, their popularity certainly stretches beyond Ramirez. An office worker was playing a Shah Rukh song on her PC!

IPL 3 has commenced and Shahrukh khan is again all charged up about his team Kolkata Knight Riders. However, unlike the previous two editions, where his team jersey was a gold-n-black one, this time, SRK has gone purple. Since, the previous 2 seasons hadn’t seen great feats from KKR (who landed on the bottom rung in the last season), tongues are wagging that it’s superstition that has germinated this colour-changing decision on SRK’s mind.

However, dismissing these reports, SRK quips, “If I were superstitious, I would’ve changed it after the first year itself. I heard that the Indian team is superstitious, but I’m not. What is important for me is that the harder I work, the luckier I feel. We don’t want to depend on luck, but have a change of attitude.”

So, what made him zero in on purple? With a touch of wit that is synonymous with an energetic and enthusiastic Shahrukh, the ‘King Khan’ cites,

“Dada (Saurav Ganguly, captain of KKR) likes purple; my daughter feels I look good in purple. It’s a conspiracy between Dada and Juhi. We’ve changed everything. We want to leave everything behind and start afresh. Also, the girls like it. So, we will make money out of it, and the girls will be all on our side.”

And call it luck or destiny or superstition; the beginning has been good. The inaugural match saw KKR coming out victorious against the defenders Deccan Chargers……..

Your thoughts and emotions leading up to the first home match this season, on Sunday?
A The same as they were two years ago, in the IPL’s first season... With all the controversies and the issues that we’ve had, the one thing consistent has been the support of Calcuttans... When people love you so much, then you want to give them reasons to smile... That’s an obligation... Hopefully, there will be reason to smile across all centres, not just in Calcutta, during this IPL.

Did you intentionally not attend the opener, in Navi Mumbai?
Except Calcutta, I usually don’t go for matches anywhere... I sense that everybody in Calcutta loves the team the most and, so, I also come for the team... The team is more important and that is how it should be... It’s not that a film is being released and the focus has to be on me.

But you remain the biggest draw... There’s you and the captain, Sourav Ganguly...
It’s a misconception that I’m the biggest draw... If that indeed is so, then it has to be changed... Perhaps, we haven’t given enough reasons for the people to believe that I’m not the biggest draw... However, I appreciate the love and affection showered on the Knight Riders. I’ve been touched.

Do you get asked about KKR during your interactions with the media, or the public in general, overseas?
Recently, I was in New York and in Berlin... People do ask questions... Somebody asked me about the LA Lakers and I said that nothing in the world matches the atmosphere at Eden Gardens... I’d say that even if my team didn’t have an association with the ground... For me, there’s no place in the world to match Eden Gardens.

Third season as the principal owner of an IPL franchise... How do you look back on this experience?
I never look back... It’s over and done with... What can you do by looking back? I can’t do anything about the past, so why get into it? Be it successes or failures, I don’t dwell on the past... Obviously, it took me a few weeks and months to get over the fact that we didn’t play well enough (in the first two editions)... It took time because I’m passionate about what I do... (After a pause) A lot of people live on their successes and victories, I don’t... That’s the way I’ve lived my life and will continue doing so... I’m through with my films on the Monday after they’ve been released... Of course, it took me a little longer than a Monday to get over the KKR disappointments... I got over it before this season got under way and I’m sure the team got over it, too.

Looking ahead, then, is the mantra?
You know, I often get the feeling that we, as a people, lack positivity... I reach out to the youngsters and tell them failure isn’t fatal and success isn’t final... While I’m not looking back, I’m definitely thankful to the sponsors who’ve kept faith in us... I’m thankful to my business associates, like Jeet (Banerjee), too...

Frankly, when you made the investment, did you expect the IPL to make such a huge impact?
If you believe in something, go for it... Look, I’ve experienced enough successes and failures in the business part of my life... I don’t know number crunching... I’ve done things because I’ve believed in them and I’ve enjoyed doing them... I’m thankful that we’ve made money, but I’m not into numbers and figures... I see myself as a sportsman and sportsmen try to win... Of course, you can lose in sport, but you don’t have to be a loser... The other day, an interviewer asked whether I’d like the franchise to win or for it to make money. Obviously, if I had to choose, I’d like KKR to first win... I mean, that’s why I and the other co-owners have got involved.

But some did question your primary motive...
From the outside, yes, I’ve heard a lot of crap... ‘Shah Rukh does it because of this’ and ‘Shah Rukh does it because of that’... I know the reason why I’m doing this and my God knows why I’m into this... That is all that matters... There was no need for people to put the team down... Yes, we didn’t play well in the first two editions, but have put in everything to do better... The happiness didn’t go out of the team and we still partied with our friends.

For the past couple of months, you’ve been in the news almost everyday. There have been controversies over the IPL auction... Over My Name Is Khan...
(Laughs) That’s because I’m a superstar!

Accepted... But is there something you’ve learnt in this period?
If you’re going to do a good job in your field, then there will be a lot of people trying to (run one down)... I get 97 per cent goodness in my life everyday... I have more people (well-wishers) outside my house than I deserve... I have more benefits in my life than I deserve to have... I have more appreciation by way of awards, money, fame and name than I probably deserve... So, 97 per cent of it is good... If I’m going to lead my life by the three per cent, then... You’ve got to choose what makes you happy... It’s not a question of whether this period has taught me anything or not... I need to follow principles and I need to believe in what I’m doing... I don’t need to wear it on my sleeve... Don’t need to show off to people what I’m doing... From the outside, you can’t understand what I go through... Only I know that... Believe me, one gets numbed by success and failures.

What drives you?
The fact that I’m not sure I’ll get it right all the time. When I make a film, I don’t know whether it will succeed or not... I want it to, but don’t know...

When you start a venture, is there a fear that things may not work out well?
Why must your question be on what may not be right? Just because you don’t do well, to begin with, doesn’t mean that its worth has to be questioned. Sport is also about losing, it’s not only about winning... That being so, what’s wrong with losing? People say things from the outside and make money too! Last year, there was this blogger, who made money out of my team... A lot of people sit on the shoulders of those who’re famous and work relentlessly to make their own name. There are people who see the glass half empty, I see it as half full.

You’ve promised a change in KKR’s attitude. Will you spell it out?
I’d like the Knights to be like me... I want the players to be happy... Dada (Sourav) is instilling that... Work hard and have a good time... I enjoy the process of working hard and I want the players, too, to enjoy the process... Internal reasons, not external, contributed to the team’s attitude not being what it should have been in the first two seasons... I heard something about the coach, something about a communication gap, something about the multiple captains bit... However, we tried... We failed trying new things, we haven't failed trying the traditional things...

The Knights, you feel, should be like you... How would you describe yourself?
I cut out the negative things and look only at the positives.

Unlike in 2008, when the biggest signings from overseas left after a few matches, the top guns will be there for the critical stage of this year’s IPL. That must be making you comfortable...
I’d be happy to have all of them for the entire six weeks... That would be the ideal situation, but that isn’t always possible... It would, after all, be great to have choices right through the tournament... The IPL brass is working towards a window and I’ve been told something could indeed be done from next year.

Being candid is one of your strengths... At times, does it work against you?
After saying something, I realise I shouldn’t have said it. But the next morning, I get up and say the same thing. (Adds laughing) I can’t hold back. I speak my mind and I speak the truth... My children (Aryan, Suhana) are grown up and I wouldn’t lie to them... When my son’s 21, I wouldn’t like him to tell me that I’d lied... There are certain basic truths in life that we stand by... For example, I’m a Muslim and my (entire) family should know that... I’m not going to force my religion on them, they should love and embrace it, if they so wish... The only time that I may lie is when I don’t want to belittle anybody... That’s the one time I hold back.

The traits you’ve inherited from your late parents...
A lot of things, but patience and a sense of humour is at the top... If you don’t have patience, then you aren’t going to lead a happy life... As for having a sense of humour, it helps you deal with a lot of problems.

Finally, do you have long-term plans or are you actually a spur-of-the-moment man?
I don’t plan and I’m very disorganised... I do whatever I feel like doing at any given moment...