rekha and SRK

Farah Khan will heave a sigh of relief. The last and final day of shooting for Om Shanti Om will be over.

Says Farah, “I will shoot Akshay Kumar on set at Film City. He’s one of the nominees of an award function. Shabina Khan is doing his outfits. We have given him a very macho look as part of the film clip — white ganji and very hip look, while for the function he will wear a suit.”

Akshay is known to be choosy and normally doesn’t do special appearances. Farah says, “He was very sweet about it. I had already asked him earlier and then when he and Shah Rukh were shooting in Film City for Heyy Babyy!, Shah Rukh and I showed him what we wanted to do and he agreed. Akshay is the busiest star today — we didn’t have dates for him for two months.

Farah Khan with Shah Rukh and Zayed Khan
On Monday, he’s coming for the shoot at 7 am as he’s shooting for Tashan after that. And that will be the last day of my shoot.”

One star who impressed Farah a lot with her professionalism and enthusiasm was Rekha, while performing to the song Om Shanti Om. Says Farah, “Rekha was the only person who asked for and came for rehearsals in spite of being a great dancer.

She wanted costume trials too. Initially, she wanted to get her own costumes but I told her Manish (Malhotra) was dying to do her clothes, so she agreed to let him design for her.

She came bang on time and shot for one hour. There’s great chemistry between Shah Rukh and her. She didn’t behave like a diva at all and was very friendly and childlike — clapping and getting nervous before the shot.”

Let Americans watch Saawariya,Indians Will watch Om Shanti Om

My jaw drops on seeing a shirtless Shahrukh Khan.

The closest I can recall seeing his waxed chest is through that transparent shirt in the song Sooraj hua madhham... in Karan Johar's Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham.

Even if I am shaken and stirred, the journalist in me pretends not to show it.

But SRK is hell-bent on showing off his body, and dissecting it—down to why he got the left nipple pierced and not the right.

"How do you think I look," he asks everyone around, including the rather baffled CNN crew that has specially flown down from the US post the success of Chak De! India to capture the inexplicable appeal of King Khan.

It's a rhetorical question; it demands nothing but approval. But before I can react, director Farah Khan pitches in: "Your body is like John's (Abraham) and you are dancing like Hrithik." SRK's famous dimples get switched on bright: "I have the abs; I don't need to act now."

It is the very last shooting schedule of King Khan's forthcoming home production, Om Shanti Om (OSO). The cheesy number, Dil mein mere hai darde disco is being canned at the swanky Yashraj Studio. Being on the sets is an other-worldly, out-of-the body experience. It's hard not to get intimidated by such full-on Bollywood kitsch. Shirtless SRK in faux leather pants is shaking his booty alongside tall, lissom white girls, wearing golliwog wigs, leopard print leotards and hoop earrings.

A huge eagle provides a Chandamama-like backdrop, while welders perched precariously on the roof create sparkles that provide a shooting star effect. The theme is 'fire' and the song will move on to the 'water' and 'wind' themes, I am told. Meanwhile, a pregnant Farah Khan, expecting triplets, and complaining of morning sickness in between shots, is angry at the cameraperson for cutting SRK's crotch from the frame. "We are not shooting a Bengali art film here, get it (the crotch) back," she roars on the mike, and stretches herself on the director's couch.

SRK is in a jolly good mood. Unsparingly mocking, he sends up everything for a lark: the 'Yashraj Films'-inscribed cutlery with which he eats his McDonald's burger, Rahul Rawail's new film, Buddha Mar Gaya, and a news item in the Economic Times which quotes a 'prosumer' survey to declare that Ram Gopal Varma's Darling will be the biggest hit of 2007. The mention of fire is enough for him to tell us a hilarious anecdote about watching Deepa Mehta's film of the same name in the company of his mother-in-law and squirming all the way. SRK even sends up SRK. He complains to Farah about how he hates shooting with the leggy models: "They make me look and feel like a chaprasi (peon)."

It's not all fun and games. Seriousness surfaces as Khan reads the scripts of promos of OSO that will show on NDTV, red-stemmed glasses perched on his nose. The film is ready, the marketing and hype are about to unleash and you can see how keen he is to get all the details of the launch right. The performer's job is done, the producer-businessman has taken over.

SRK is at an interesting juncture in his life. He is not just a star. Many see him embodying, through the Rajs and Rahuls he plays, the spirit of post-liberalisation, feelgood India—just as Big B's Angry Young Man represented the angst-ridden India of the '70s and the '80s. And 2007 has, so far, been a glorious year for him. Chak De has been the year's biggest hit. What's more, it's the first film in his entire career to earn him commercial and critical approval in equal measure. "They loved you in Chak De," I tell him. "We will undo that with OSO. I can't make people love me for so long," he says, tongue firmly in cheek.

With OSO, SRK is back to giving us an absolutely in-your-face Bollywood movie, the mother of all entertainers, with a mother of all item numbers starring every single big star in the industry. In this film, Shahrukh is paying tribute to his own world, the Hindi film industry. "This is a film made by fans of Hindi films. Farah is the biggest one, I am a close second," says SRK. The film plays out a reincarnation theme against the backdrop of 1970s Bollywood, and later, the Bollywood of 2008. Its logline is, "for some dreams to be fulfilled one lifetime is not enough". The story is about the passion of a junior artiste, Om, for the regal heroine number one, Shantipriya (a throwback to Hema Malini), a love story cut short by death and renewed with rebirth. Shades of Kudrat, Karz, Karan Arjun and Reincarnation of Peter Proud. "It's a hugely dramatic film," says SRK. "The story has been told earlier, the beauty lies in telling it more interestingly." So apart from drama, there is also comedy.

Why the '70s? "I love the films of that period—Sholay, Deewar, Yaadon Ki Baraat, Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahin, the films of Vijay Anand, Nasir Hussain, Manmohan Desai. The era had glamour and fashion," says Farah. "We are what we are because of that kind of cinema," says SRK. "When they talk Bollywood in London they think of bell bottoms, sidelocks and long hair and over-the-top music. Bollywood is a term which, people don't realise, is used for the '70s."

The challenge was to recreate the spirit of those times. "It's very interesting to create a period. People think period is only kings and queens. Every decade is a period," says SRK. The big stars of the times, and even the junior artistes, appear in songs and cameos. SFX have been deployed to make the film's heroine serenade with Sunil Dutt. Even though Vishal-Shekhar have scored the music Pyarelal (of LP fame) was asked to arrange two songs, to achieve the sweeping orchestral effect of the music of the times. Listen carefully, even Javed Akhtar's lyrics are a throwback to Anand Bakshi lingo.

The success of Chak De has set a high benchmark for the new film, which releases this Diwali. And SRK is aiming high too—for nothing less than a blockbuster hit. The distribution rights of the Rs 35-crore film have been sold to Eros Entertainment for a whopping Rs 75 crore and 2,000 prints of the film will be released worldwide. These are record figures. Normally, the rights for a big film are sold for Rs 35-40 crore, and only a 1,000-odd prints are released.

With this film, SRK is also hoping to bequeath to Bollywood its new star, a stunning looker and dancer called Deepika Padukone. "She has a brilliant, languid poise," says Farah. So a lot is, obviously, at stake, and the chances of success and failure are equally high. Even SRK knows that. "There will be lots of people who will have reservations; lots of them will love it shamelessly," he predicts.

Apart from the Rs 75-crore target to be achieved, there are other challenges. Films on films are traditionally not supposed to do well. Moreover, the film will be locking horns with another biggie: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus, Saawariya, which marks the debut of Rishi and Neetu Kapoor's son Ranbir and Anil Kapoor's daughter Sonam. Saawariya is also the first foray of a big time Hollywood studio, Sony Pictures, into Bollywood film production. So, in a way, it's nothing less than SRK vs Hollywood. As a producer, he has already made a neat Rs 45 crore on the film. But there is more than personal profit at stake: SRK's reputation is on the line.Will he get those returns in for the distributor? Will he expand the Bollywood money market? Or is he flying too high like Icarus? This Diwali, we will know.


NamrataJoshi-OutlookIndia.com


Recently,while addressing at the Leadership Summit,Mr.Khan, with his super-sharp wit and mercurial repartee, zapped the daylights out of a gathering of several dignitaries and certain media representatives who tried to un-nerve him with their incessantly inane querying.


The best was his reaction to a question about the aggressive marketing of his competitor's film.

"Let the Americans watch Saawariya,
Indians will watch Om Shanti Om."

Touche,SRK!

Court case against Shah Rukh and Juhi dismissed

Rajasthan High Court has dismissed the case filed against actors Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla in subordinate court at Kota. The High Court held Shah Rukh Khan not guilty for uttering the dialogue against advocates in the film Ram Jaane. Justice R.S. Chowhan, admitting the petition filed by Shah Rukh Khan, cancelled the order of the subordinate court at Kota.

Shah Rukh, in his petition, had challenged the order of the court at Kota, in which the subordinate court had taken cognizance against him in respect of dialogues spoken by him in the film Ram Jaane.The Kota court had taken cognizance in the same case against Juhi Chawla and producer-director of the film, too.

Advocate Manish Sharma, on behalf of Shah Rukh, pleaded to the High Court: “The petitioner is only an actor, who speaks the dialogues as directed by the film’s director. If the Censor Board issues a valid certificate to a film under clause 5(a) and 5(b) of the Cinematography Act, 1952, no criminal case can be filed against the film’s artistes. The Supreme Court too has passed such orders.”

SRK's VoiceOver Draws Tourists to Chittorgarh Show

The light and sound show at Chittorgarh Fort in Rajasthan's historic city of Chittorgarh has become a great attraction for tourists.
With the voiceover done by Bollywood stars Hema Malini and Shah Rukh Khan, the light and sound show at Chittorgarh Fort in Rajasthan's historic city of Chittorgarh has become a great attraction for tourists.

Besides the two actors, famous singers Lata Mangeshkar and Rehmat Khan have also lent their voices to the show.

The one-hour evening entertainment in the fort, which is spread across a 280-hectare site on the top of a 180-metre-high hill, is proving to be a great draw as about 1,000 to 1,500 visitors come to see the show every day.

Chittorgarh, also called Chittor, was the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Mewar under the Rajputs from the 7th to 16th centuries.

Completed at a cost of around Rs.29 million, the light and sound show project is the first of its kind in the state that has been set up on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis.

Financed by the central tourism ministry and executed by the ITDC, the show is being run by the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) and Hindustan Zinc Limited on a partnership basis.

"The department of tourism has been making concerted efforts to improve tourist facilities in Chittorgarh and the sound and light show is a step in this direction," Rajasthan Tourism Minister Usha Punia said in a statement.

The minister added the newly introduced show suitably reflects the pride and glory of Rajasthan. The episodes of romance, valour and chivalry have been creatively displayed.

The show begins with a 6th century king's search for a place to establish his capital. He finds Chittor to be a safe place from invasions.

The story then meanders to the valiant defence of the town by Bappa Rawal from Arab invaders.

Episodes in the show also relate to the beauty of Rani Padmini while Rana Kumbha is portrayed as a versatile and able ruler. The spirituality and devotion of Meera, the treacherous plan to kill young Udai Singh and the supreme sacrifice by Panna Dai are some other gripping features of the show that enthral visitors.

Shah Rukh and Amitabh Clash at Sanjay Dutt Book Launch

Dilip Kumar released a book on Sanjay parents — Sunil and Nargis Dutt. Present at the launch were Jackie Shroff, Govinda, Amitabh Bachchan, Prem Chopra, Karan Johar, Rajkumar Hirani, Farah Khan, SRK, Waheeda Rehman, Ramesh Sippy, Sunil Shetty, Akshaye Khanna and many other stars.
The event was hosted by Karan Johar while Dilip Kumar launched the book formally in Mumbai. Yes there was high tension as both SRK and Amitabh along with Amar Singh were present at the book launch.

The initial media response went to Amitabh but as soon as SRK made his late entry once the event started almost everyone forgot about Big B! Yes literally as everyone followed SRK whereever he went. Khan grabbed the opportunity to give the best pictures as well as bytes to tv channels.

So the big question did SRK and Big B meet each other? Yes they did and SRK only said adaab to Big B once and that's it. SRK even ignored Amar Singh and both the celebrities walked away without much interaction.

Robot ,Robot , Robot....Lets Fly...

Since the director is wielding the megaphone for Shahrukh Khan for the first time, he’s extra careful about every aspect of the film.

After a blockbuster hit in Sivaji, Shankar is now gearing up to commence his next venture Robot. Since the director is wielding the megaphone for Shahrukh Khan for the first time, he’s extra careful about every aspect of the film.

Sources say that Shankar and his team are currently holding discussions in a farm house near Mahabalipuram to give final touches to the script.

Plans are on to commence the movie during Diwali. Robot will be produced by the production house of the King Khan himself. The movie with all its techno jazz will be released in Tamil, Telugu and other languages besides Hindi.

Shahrukh Laughs Back

He's a volcano in human form, occasionally the lava spills over. This year he has blazed his way to the forefront of leading male stars yet again. With recent box-office successes such as Yes Boss, Pardes and Dil To Pagal Hai, he's back to where he was over a year ago - at the top of the heap. He's suddenly inches shy of superstardom - the first actor amongst the present lot to get that far in tinsel town. He's clearly on top of the world as Shah Rukh Khan talks about his recent hits, impending fatherhood and his next big release, Duplicate.

Deep in Mehboob Studios, Shah Rukh Khan enters the sets of Karan Johar's Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai. His arrival prompts warm attention. The energy on the set changes. There's something really amazing about him, his generosity of spirit. Everyone wants to say hello, slap his back, make a crack, make him smile. Shah Rukh's in no hurry. He soaks it in, slaps his own share of backs, whispers a few naughty jokes, grins the grin. He feels like a brother, a younger brother, masculine yet nonthreatening. He likes to laugh on a set, to be creative and collaborative, and if he can't, he'd rather not do the show. He loves not just the satisfaction of having completed a role but the actual process of acting and the sense of community that develops between the actors and the director while making a film. "Thank you, boss," he says affectionately as a unit hand brings him a chilled soft drink. The unit hand beams. He shines because Shah Rukh is that likable and cool, which sets him apart from whole legions of leading men. tinsel town is really lucky. He is a man's man, which makes him a woman's man, which makes him box-office manna.

Someone once said that success allows people to be what they always were. Shah Rukh has always been kind of weird. Now he has the freedom to be weird when and where he wants. And people don't say, 'what?' anymore. They say, 'Ahhh'. Much has also been made of his looks. The camera doesn't just love him - it ripens him. On film he is himself, only more so. And,yes,he is a looker- with an awkward, fleshy mouth that sends him smiling sideways, like a school kid. His face reveals his energy; it is alive with a thousand expressions and questions. He's primal, passionate, pulsing with raw rebellious energy. He's so unbelievably exhilarating to be around, at least you'll never be bored.

Despite the accolades and awards, Shah Rukh's friends and colleagues all mention a wildness, a fury, within the star. He seems by nature a pretty angry man. Maybe it's to do with perfectionism in his craft. He can't bear not to be on top of his game all the time. All he basically cares about is acting, and whenever he falls short he becomes incredibly angry with himself. His ferocious energy and relentless sexuality offer a welcome relief from the studied types. He's extremely fast and alert..and funny. He thinks deep thoughts and pulls silly pranks with his friends. The intellect and the power that comes with it is what women find sexy. He has reached new depths as an actor, but a teenage devil still lurks inside. Thus, he's weaned the audience away from their living rooms and exposed them to things exciting and new on the big screen. He's got that unbelievably magnetic screen presence.

Some cherish those few performances of his that are not nervous or hurried. In most of his films, like Darr or Ram Jaane for example, it was wonderful acting, but it was all about the expenditure of a great amount of energy in a short space of time. He was sort of like a live wire. But in Dil To Pagal Hai and Pardes he is completely in control of his craft and of his feelings. In it he seems as consummate an actor as one has ever seen. On screen, he has been tenderness incarnate, of late: The way he consoles Karisma in Dil To Pagal Hai and Juhi Chawla in Yes Boss and Mahima Chaudhury in Pardes. The sad, sad eyes and the little smile that flickers across his face in Dil To Pagal Hai when he learns of Madhuri's marriage. Thus, he likes to move on, regenerate and doesn't stay satisfied with one genre - or one routine. At present, he couldn't be better situated. Fresh from a fat action movie (Koyla), a romantic comedy (Yes Boss) and a couple of mushy romances (Pardes, Dil To Pagal Hai), he's proved himself to be as versatile as he is ubiquitous.

Shah Rukh has everything all other men could want - talent, looks, money, respect, freedom, fame, a loving wife and a cast of loyal old friends. Until now, constant work had seemed as necessary as oxygen. He simply enjoyed the stimulus, the energy, the day-to-day business of working. He really lived the crazy life of a movie star, but now he's ready to settle down, start a family and remain successful. He's turned into a man with the strength to commit himself to his wife and family. And so he's actually taking time off and the respite is voluntary. Fatherhood beckons, you see. These days, because of Gauri and the soon-to-be-born baby, he's much less apt to drive himself nuts. He's lucky enough to have a wife he loves so much but now the baby could probably become the center of everything.

He's obviously relishing every moment of the good times he's going through. With a smile so ravishing, it could melt a stone, he asks brightly, "Will you have a soft drink?" Watching him eye the scenario around him, you notice no cloud of brood or hostility that usually comes with a thirty something man-child. There is no stink of fear, only the mind-addlingly seductive presence of jejune enthusiasm. Usually when Shah Rukh talks, his words spill out in a torrent and one has the sense of his motor racing very fast underneath. But unlike most artistes, he is an intense listener too. He leans forward, as though English weren't his first language, as though he needed to breathe your words through the pores of his skin, and his face locks in an all-absorbing gaze. He sucks on his cigarette until his dimples touch. Edgy as ever, he explains why this has been the most fabulous year in his career. "What's most gratifying is that within this year I've had four markedly different releases with pretty varied roles. Koyla was an action film where I feel I did a great job. Yes Boss was a romantic comedy where such a character hadn't been essayed before. In Pardes I gave quite a low key subdued performance while in Dil To Pagal Hai my role was very mature and intense. I'm proud of this fact because very few actors have had the chance to do such varied stuff in one year. Therefore, it has been one of the best years of my career."

However, the year didn't exactly start on a good note when Raakesh Roshan's Koyla failed to live up to its expectations. The lean patch that he went through last year seemed to have spilt over. It must have got him perturbed for sure since Koyla was such a prestigious venture. "Why should I be perturbed?," he counters vehemently. "Nobody believes me when I say that the day I finish dubbing for a film, I cease to bother about its fate. There's no point worrying about things that are not within your control. And anyway, Koyla was a fantastic film. It was my favourite film this year along with Yes Boss. And I don't think it was a disaster. It was sold for a very high price of 2.4 crores per territory, much more than the 1.75 crores that other films garnered. Despite that it not only recovered its investment but also turned out to be one of the top 10 commission earners of the year. Now if it had been sold for a lower price, it would certainly have been a hit too. According to me, it was a decent grosser which did well in the areas we expected it to."

Thus, it was in the latter half of the year that his fortunes actually revived with the success of Yes Boss. It did prove to be a saviour of sorts after the low phase he'd been through. But did it do as well as it was expected to? He explains instantly, "When you do a different film like Yes Boss, you don't expect it to be a grand success commercially. And since it's a classy, city-based film, you know who your target audience is. So despite it all, the film has done much better business than expected. It has earned about 4-5 crores in every city which is amazing business for a film of this genre. The music too was very popular and a lot of people loved me in the film. I too loved myself in it."

But there were many others who actually didn't feel one with his character in Yes Boss although it was such a believable role. "Probably people could not accept a hero to be such a slimy character. A lot of people told me that he seemed like a pimp. Maybe they were scared to accept the reality. You do see guys in real life who are always thinking of devious means to fulfil their ambitions. Such selfish, self-centred go-getters are very much at large today. However, the audience should be thankful that somebody's actually playing such characters and not just doing the star act in every film."

Meanwhile, Subhash Ghai's Pardes has proved to be yet another feather in his cap. Though the film opened to an average response, It picked up business in the following weeks, thanks to the tax redemption, and has now been proclaimed a hit and still going strong. But many feel that Shah Rukh was sidelined in the film. "I don't think so," he defends, "I don't know why the media in particular puts it like that. Pardes was a girl- oriented film. I had heard the subject and liked it. For me it was a chance to do something different or rather not to do something I had always done. I hadn't done a role where I'm simply flowing with the tide like Aamir Khan did in Hum Hain Rahi PyarKe. I wanted to play subdued and mature characters. It's not necessary that I hog the limelight everytime. And it goes to the credit of Subhash Ghai to have made a successful film without the usual, popular Shah Rukh Khan scenes. And, of course, becoming tax-free also helped the film a lot. The tax redemption is given only to a deserving film which meant Pardes was so and that's why it has done quite well."

But is it true that he refused to do Subhash Ghai's next film? "I don't know what you're talking about," he replies quite perturbed by the suggestion. "We haven't had any discussions on his next project as yet. I think he hasn't yet worked out a subject. If he needs me, he'll call me. But I don't have any dates for him right now. I had given him dates for Shikhar and Trimurti which got exhausted mid-way through Pardes due to the delay with Trimurti. I was supposed to do just two films with him and I've done that."

Coming to his third success of the year, Dil To Pagal Hai, he was pretty much in control in the film. His performance was the perfect balance between his spontaneity and restraint. And even though the film has a thin storyline, it was pretty engrossing right till the end. He must surely be satisfied with his work in it. "Not really," he says and takes us by surprise. "I feel I could have done a better job. Since I was trying out something new, I still feel I lacked something. Probably if I were to do a similar role again, my performance will be more polished. However, on the whole I liked myself in the film. My mature characterisation fitted well with the film as it was a film about normal people. Everything was in the right amount. The jokes were good, so was the intensity of the emotions. And as far as the storyline is concerned, then you'll realise that some of the nicest films even in Hollywood have such weak stories. In these films one knows right from the start what it's all about. There's no mystery or suspense. It's how you present the film ultimately that's important. I think only a good director has the guts to rely on the screenplay and make a successful film. "

His next release in all probability is Yash Johar's Duplicate. Slated for a February '98 release, it has Shah Rukh trying out something new once again. This film has him playing a double role for the very first time. So how differently has he delineated the two characters? He explains meticulously, "Duplicate is a film with the usual dose of confusion and comedy of errors that you see in most double role films. One character is quite comical while the other is a bad guy both of which I've played in the past in different films. But what sets them apart from my past efforts is that in Duplicate the comic character is a complete dimwit, a total nerd which I've never played before. While the bad guy is the typical Gulshan Grover kind of villain you see in films. The dark characters I've played in the past had a purpose behind their mean streak. Whereas this guy is simply made like that, an unscrupulous fellow. He's a typical villain who looks lecherously at women. What's fascinating about the film is that it's not like other comedy of errors where the good guy falls in trouble due to the bad guy's misdeeds. Here the villain's life becomes miserable when he tries to step into the nice guy's shoes to achieve his nefarious deeds. He doesn't realise the mess he's getting into before it's too late. And by the end of thefilm, he's pulling at his hair roots. The motto of the story here is - it's more difficult to be good while it's easier to be bad. On the whole, Duplicate is turning out to be a fabulous film."

Finally, things are also looking brighter in his personal life. He's on the verge of becoming the proud father of a son who he's already named Aryan. Is he experiencing . any pre-natal jitters? "Not really," he confesses, "but I've already made plans to spend time with my kid. I'm taking a month-long break from work to be with my family." By the time you read this, he will already be in the throes of fatherhood.

He falls silent for a rare moment. Then he sighs happily, downs the remains of his soft drink and gets up to greet an acquaintance. Minutes later, he plops down, smiles contentedly, lights up a cigarette, leans back and exhales a fog of smoke. He looks at once defiant, like a rebellious little boy who hasn't forgotten what it feels like to be a kid.

Hirani´s original cast had SRK and Abhishek

It is old news that Rajkumar 'Munnabhai' Hirani is all set to direct Shah Rukh Khan and John Abraham in his next film, based on Chetan Bhagat's book on the IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) culture , 'Five Point Something'.

However, not many will know that Hirani's original cast was Shah Rukh Khan and Abhishek Bachchan (once again after 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna'), but in walked John Abraham, replacing Abhishek Bachchan.

Apparently, Hirani was 'maha' impressed with the SRK-John Chemistry in the recent 'Pepsi My Can' campaign and that is what seems to have tilted the balance in John's favour.

SRK vs AK ?

We are talking about the King,Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar.

Today one’s the Badshah of Bollywood and the other an ultimate Khiladi.

We are talking about superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar, both formidable in their own right, genres and markets. While the two are best remembered together for their film almost a decade ago , Dil To Pagal Hai , they created magic once again in the more recent Heyy Babyy , when SRK made a guest appearance in the Akshay-starrer.

In turn, Akshay will be seen making a rare guest appearance in SRK’s upcoming Om Shanti Om . Insiders insist that they hit it off instantly. But while personally they may be on friendly terms, professionally the two stars are giving each other a tagdi takkar at the box-office overseas.

While SRK had become an instant rage in the overseas market with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge , and has been numero uno ever since, Akki’s action star image failed to strike a note in the hearts of the overseas audience.

However, if the recent trade figures are anything to go by, Akshay’s emerging as the new star on the overseas circuit giving tough competition to the Khan brigade (Shah Rukh, Salman, Aamir and Saif) who have been ruling the roost so far. And with his recent spate of successes, Akshay’s begun a steady climb to the top and is fast catching up with the undisputed Baadshah.

Says trade analyst Taran Adarsh, Akshay’s certainly hot property in the overseas market today. His films have done extremely well both in India and abroad and box-office collections clearly prove that in the overseas market he’s one force to reckon with apart from Shah Rukh.

Sample this: Akki’s Heyy Babyy has grossed approximately Rs 5.58 crores in UK, as opposed to SRK’s Chak De which has grossed Rs 3.47 crores so far. Not only this, Heyy Babyy has also taken the biggest opening in the US this year and the biggest screen average (6,039 pounds) in the UK.

Agrees trade analyst Komal Nahta who says, There’s no doubt that Akki’s raced way ahead of a host of other actors in the overseas segment. But he’s quick to add that it’s too early to consider him a threat to SRK’s reign.

A film distributor reveals, SRK has so far been the untouched king in the overseas market. But though that is quite unlikely to change soon, Akki’s popularity abroad is soaring. His films are being lapped up by overseas distributors with ever-rising prices. Even his films like Dosti that have not done well here, have seen several houseful weeks abroad. So, that way he’s a superhit hero and has been consistent in giving hits.

Analysing the two superstar’s film graphs, Nahta observes that Akshay has done far too many films and has not maintained the exclusivity that’s been one of SRK’s strengths. SRK has been very choosy, doing only one or two per year, as opposed to Akshay. Because of that the success ratio of SRK increased manifold and shot him into the superstar league way earlier, explains Nahta.

But what needs to be considered here are the banners. While SRK made it big, under big banners, its only of late that Akshay’s started doing films under the bigger banners, adds Adarsh.

Box office apart too, the two not only endorse rival cola brands, but also suiting brands. And that’s not all while SRK endorses computers, Akshay endorses a gaming console. While Akshay’s doing away with his action image and doing more comedies and romantic fare, SRK’s geared up his body for some heavy duty action stuff.

Both have the solid backing of good friends and enjoy quite a loyalty among certain filmmakers. SRK has Karan Johar who’s reportedly named his next film My Name is Khan, on good pal highlighting him as the contemporary educated Muslim. Not to be outdone, Akki has been backed by Vipul Shah, who’s film Singh is King shows him as the quintessential Punjabi munda . In fact, many feel that the film was titled to announce his claim to the ‘King’ tag. Now whether the film really establishes his status as the King or not only time will tell.

Rajesh Khanna-Hema Malini's Mercedes in Om Shanti Om!

A lot of ground work had to be done for Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om, before the film actually went on the floors.
In fact, for an important scene/song of the film, the first half of which is based in the psychedelic 70's, Farah wanted a particular vintage car. According to Farah, she was looking for the Mercedes that was actually used by Bollywood's first superstar Rajesh Khanna and the then 'dream girl', Hema Malini, for one of their super hit films.

After lot difficulty, the current owner of the flaming red Mercedes was located and it took quite a bit of persuasion to convince the possessive owner to let the vintage car be used for the film. A lot of yesteryear equipments (lying unattended in R K Studios), were also hired and the scene was canned, with a complete feel of the 70's trend.

Well,Farah's efforts are being appreciated in the promos of the 'Agar Main Kahoon' song, and the real beauty, the Mercedes, stands out, as King Khan opens the door for his 'dreamy girl' Deepika !

SRK Rules on World's Rooftop !

For an Indian on the streets of Lhasa (Tibet), the strains of Indian film music are unmistakable.
Bollywood is India's big brand ambassador, even on the roof of the world, but there's a twist. Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai, they're all big hits here.


So what if they're not actually singing in Hindi or that no one here can remember their names!


In a land where Tibetans worry about being swamped by China and the West, Indian pop culture is welcome by contrast.


One of the reasons is the large number of Tibetans who go to India as refugees and return carrying pirated CDs.


The opening of the commercial route through Sikkim has only added to the unofficial trade. But also it’s how a new generation of Tibetan singers popularise their own songs cashing in on Bollywood’s timeless popularity.


“The song is Tibetan and the image is Hindi movies, it’s become the fashion. Big posters of Indian actors and actresses. I like the Hindi movies,” says a tourist guide Ngutup.


And this one should bring a smile to even the most tear-stained and sindoor-laden small screen star. Indian soaps are being translated into Tibetan and Chinese at local Tibet TV.


"Indian soaps are watched everywhere, and are getting more and more popular in rural areas now,” says President, Tibet TV, Dan Zeng.


So when officials say more than 80 per cent of Tibet’s population of approximately 2.8 million watches the channel, even I am tempted to reach for Tibetan TRPs.

Do the Disco, Meet Shah Rukh Khan

Going by Shah Rukh Khan's 'mantra' of “You have heard the track, now you decide the moves”, CNN-IBN, leading English news channel, has unveiled a novel talent hunt.
In quick time Dard-e-Disco from Om Shanti Om has become a track that has been much appreciated, much debated and much danced to!

While the makers have been closely following the popularity of the song since it was heard first around a month back, they have also come up with a unique idea of involving those very people who have made the song a chartbuster it is today.

Going by Shahrukh Khan's 'mantra' of “You have heard the track, now you decide the moves”, CNN-IBN, leading English news channel, has unveiled a novel talent hunt that is fun, interactive and one that offers the contestants a dream meeting with their favourite stars.

Titled 'Dard-e-Disco Dance Challenge', this mega talent hunt, in collaboration with the Farah Khan directed Om Shanti Om has been launched on its website www.ibnlive.com. The contest would require a contestant to log on to the site and download the Dard-e-Disco soundtrack. Thereafter he/she is required to shoot a video of self dancing to the song and upload it on the website.

States Farah Khan, "I am sure there would be quite a lot of fun in the offering once a common man on the street starts dancing to the beats of Dard-e-Disco. We want every 'bhelpoori wallah' and 'rickshaw wallah' to get grooving to the beat."

Since every man on the street may not really be internet savvy, at their end CNN-IBN would have their Youth Icon, Paras Tomar tour different cities for five consecutive weeks and shoot the Dard-e-Disco dancers. Paras' itinerary in these cities has been listed down on the website.

So is this not going to be one of those true-blue-professionals at work? "It has to be as whacky as possible. I am expecting people out there to really go mad. Madder the dance steps, more is going to be the fun," quips Farah.

Jury members Farah Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone will watch the entries and shortlist contestants in four phases. Short listed entries will be hosted on the website and viewers will rate the videos. Every week five short listed videos will also be aired on CNN-IBN and viewers will vote through SMS.

In the end, five top contestants will be short listed and flown to Mumbai for the Grand Finale. Five lucky winners will get a chance to train with Farah Khan’s dancers.


Sify.com

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CNN-IBN and IBN 7 has launched a reality talent hunt show Dard-e-Disco dance challenge. The challenge is an attempt to find the best dancer to dance in Farah Khan directed Om Shanti Om's item number Dard-e-Disco.

After the audition rounds in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh, the five most talented finalists, chosen over the weeks, will receive personalised choreography lessons from Farah.

The finalists will feature in a special one-hour dance show wherein Shahrukh Khan, Farah Khan and Deepika Padukone will be the judges. The winner will get an opportunity to dance with Shahrukh Khan.The video play outs including the grand finale will be aired on the entertainment section of CNN-IBN, IBN 7 and ibnlive.com.

CNN-IBN and IBN 7 editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai said, "With our interest in exploring interactive reality programming, coupled with Om Shanti Om being one of the most awaited releases of the year, 'Dard-e-Disco dance Challenge' is a first-of-its-kind venture attempted by us."

IBN 7 managing editor Ashutosh said, "Reality talent hunts are a rage these days. However, this dance contest stands apart in that it is directly based on a widely anticipated film whose music is already creating waves around the nation. Active involvement by Farah Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone and wide-spread participation by the public is bound to make this initiative an all-out success."

Bollywood's biggest debuts

Some start out as an actor, and along the way, become a star, while some are stars even before they make their debut.

They've got what others don't -- that extra buzz, the kind that surrounds the Saawariya duo -- Ranbir and Sonam Kapoor.

Om Shanti Om's Deepika Padukone hasn't been denied it either.

Is it because their mom and dad are so and so of Bollywood? Or is it because they won the crown at some beauty pageant?

No matter what the reasons are, they are the chosen ones.

rediff.com profiles a list of debutantes who came with the buzz.