With 'main Hoon Na’ a resounding success, King Khan has had yet another coronation. Where does the fire come from?
“I’ve had a good time for the last few years and whenever I decide to make or act in a film, the idea is to bring as many smiles as you can to as many people. I can’t place my finger on what works and what doesn’t. I wish I knew. I’ve seen Fridays where some films haven’t done well and everybody says ‘King Khan toppled’, which is also never taken as seriously as ‘another feather in King Khan’s cap’.”
What’s with the proliferation of production banners? ‘Dreamz’, ‘Arclights’ and ‘Red Chillies’; with a fourth one with Karan Johar on the way. How many production houses do you plan to open?
“As many as the ‘Times of India’ has! Actually, the office is the same and the same people work on these, but for reasons unknown even to me, we have four companies now. Dreamz was started with Juhi Chawla and Aziz Mirza, which later also became an equipment company. Then Arclights was for smaller films. ‘Red Chillies’ happened because Aziz and Juhi were busy - Juhi was having a baby and Aziz’s wife had expired. We had done ‘Chalte Chalte”, which was still on the floors when ‘Main Hoon Na‘ was launched. And we are not a very big company. So we had to take in a partner and use their office. It just became so convoluted that we said that we had to make a different company.”
As a competitive actor and ‘superstar’, did you feel a twinge when Hrithik Roshan won all the awards this year?
“No! I have a blind belief - a stupid belief maybe - that if I don’t get an award, it is the award that loses. I generally live by that belief. Its not ego, it’s not competitive; it’s just a personal motivator. So I get up every morning and like to believe I’m the best actor in the world. But still I go to sleep dreaming that I’ll get up tomorrow and be more fantastic. I don’t have personal menace or ill-feeling towards anyone ever in life. I cannot grudge it any more if somebody else gets an award. I just say I need to work harder.”
With Govinda being so successful in politics, have you considered the ‘polls’?
“No, I can’t act so well, I can’t dance so well. And I can’t dance well enough to the tunes of politicians. I think Govinda is absolutely the right choice - he’s a people’s person. He comes from an area where he’s seen life at a closer quarters than I have. I am a little elitist, rightly or wrongly, fortunately or unfortunately. But I believe Govinda is someone who is going to do some amazing work for the people of his constituency and for the people overall. I liked the way he spoke on Soniaji’s issue. He speaks well, he looks well and, I think, he means well, too. He is doing something from his heart and I wish him all luck in his endeavours.”
Your film ‘Swades’ with Ashutosh Gowariker is being kept a closely guarded secret. Were there any creative differences between two strong thinkers?
“After ‘Lagaan’, I don’t think Ashutosh should be asked about what he is making for the next three years. Whatever he is making, everyone should welcome with open arms. ‘Swades’ is about a part of India that I don’t really belong to – rural India. Ashutosh told me that his father wanted to make this film, so I told him we’re going ahead and making the film, there’s no question about not making it happen.”
How does Shah Rukh Khan play the perfect father to his children - Aryan and Suhana?
“We do all sorts of things that are banned in the house. We dance in the slush, we walk with our dirty clothes on over the white marble floor and then we take hot water jacuzzi baths and we let the bubbles run out. Then we play video games till our eyes water and eat a lot of junk food while doing that. We paint the walls of the house and use crayons on the upholstery. We do everything that is disallowed by their mother.”
Are you flattered when every other newcomer, including Shahid Kapoor, is touted as the ‘next Shah Rukh Khan’?
“I don’t think Shahid or anyone should take it as a compliment to be the next SRK, because that means he is not going anywhere. Only when I go, will there be a next; till then they’ll have to wait. Which is about 32 years, at least. If they are touted as the ‘next Mr. Bachchan’ or ‘next Dilip Kumar’, that will be a real compliment. I don’t think that I ‘m so wonderful that people should be compared to me. It’s a mistake made by the media and the people. The next Shahid Kapoor should be the next Shahid Kapoor. That’s the way it should be!”
Your recent comment stating that you were not very comfortable working with Aishwarya Rai must've upset the lady...
"I know stories were written about the ‘silent battle’ between the two of us, but truly it was all misread by her and everyone else. At that point of time, the way things happened made me uncomfortable. I mean, any one would be! In fact, she would have been more uncomfortable than I was. I was just feeling a little odd to communicate with her knowing the things that were going on in her life, but as long as they are settled, or even
if they are not, I am no longer uncomfortable. We've even spoken after that and worked in a show together. It's a thing of the past."
So what’s left for King Khan to conquer?
“I’ve never thought of myself as King Khan. I forget a film on a Monday or Friday, after I’ve finished seeing it two or three times. Then I’m already on to the next one. I wish I were like Aamir or Mr Kamal Hassan - they’re so clear in their heads about the kinds of films they want to do. I guess I don’t have that type of patience, talent and perseverance to sit back and decide what to do next. Fortunately, I do have some very good friends like Karan, Adi and even Abbas-Mustan, who are making good films. I have to only make sure that they keeping doing amazing work, so that I can just ride along!
