Monday, February 16, 2009

Karan Johar is worried about Shah Rukh's health


By Subhash K Jha

If he had his way he'd have got his shoulder operated on Valentine's Day. But Shah Rukh proposes, the marketing law disposes.

Rather than go on the table to cure his acutely painful shoulder, Shah Rukh chose the Valentine week to promote his new film Billu (Barber) vigorously.

Says a friend of the actor, "After attending the special screening of Billu for barbers and hairdressers in Mumbai on Thursday Shah Rukh flew with Lara Dutta and Irrfan Khan to London for the film's premiere. He's expected back on Sunday and prepare for surgery on Monday (Feb 16)."

This time Shah Rukh has chosen Mumbai for the surgery.

Says the friend, "One wouldn't like to call it a politically correct move. But yes, in the past when he got his vital back surgery done in London there was criticism back home about his lack of faith in the desi doctors. Shah Rukh feels some of the finest doctors in the world are in Mumbai. He sees no need to go westward for treatment."

Full security bandobast is being undertaken for the surgery specially now since there has been some unrest regarding Billu.

It is understood that Shah Rukh will need a month-long healing period. A schedule of Karan Johar's My Name Is Khan is affected.

But Karan is not the least bothered. "Films will keep happening. Shah Rukh needs to be well, " he said.

The next schedule of My Name Is Khan will begin on March 14 when Shah Rukh recovers.

SRK has quick surgery after long delay

Put off since November, shoulder operation completed in 1½ hours
For months, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan had been putting off a surgery on his shoulder because of his shooting and promotional schedules. He needn’t have worried; the operation was over and done with in one-and-a-half hours at Breach Candy Hospital.

Once it had been completed successfully, he waved and exchanged smiles with his wife. He will wear a sling around his arm for four to six weeks.

SRK (43) had hurt himself on the sets of a film in November last year. He let the surgery wait for fear that it would upset his schedule, much of which involved promoting Billu.

Dr Sanjay Desai, an arthroscopic shoulder specialist, conducted the operation. “The surgery began at 4.30 pm and ended at 6. It went off as planned,” he said. Apart from Dr Desai, the team attending to SRK included Dr Rajiv Sharma, his personal medical adviser and physician, and Dr Ali Irani, physiotherapist at Breach Candy.

SRK had a supraspinatus tear, a condition where the rotator cuff tears and causes inflammation and pain. This restricts movement of the shoulder. He had suffered a supraspinatus partial tear in 2003; the tear became total after the accident.

“He chose to do physiotherapy to strengthen his muscle. However, when he injured himself again in November last year, the partial tear developed into a complete tear, leaving no option but surgery,” Irani said.

“Shah Rukh had done an MRI and a CT scan in Los Angeles and had the choice of having the surgery there. However, he chose to undergo surgery in Mumbai as he had faith in Indian doctors and also wanted to stay with his family,” said Dr Desai.

“He will require 4 to 6 weeks of physiotherapy. Till then his arm will have to be in a sling. It will take 5 to 6 months to completely recover,” said Dr Desai.

SRK returned from London, halted at his house, then went to the hospital with his wife Gauri and friend Karan Johar.

"They have thrown me out and I'm jobless:" Shahrukh

Shahrukh Khan is no longer the brand ambassador of Pepsi. Shahrukh when asked with regards to the same sarcastically stated, "I am no longer a part of their campaign. They have thrown me out and I am jobless now."

Just days back we had reported about Aamir Khan renewing his Coca Cola contract for a whopping Rs.10 crore deal. SRK's contract with Pepsi had got over in 2008 and he was looking forward to a renewed contract with a much higher price as well.

Sources revealed, "The new Youngistaan campaign focuses completely on targeting the younger generation and Shahrukh doesn't seem to fit in that. Ranbir Kapoor, who has already been on the Pepsi brigade shall be spearheading this upcoming campaign. The company however is still in negotiations for working out a deal for Khan's IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders for the upcoming season but it appears unlikely that he will go in for it."

Pepsi had earlier dropped their cricket star ambassadors Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly. They had very recently shot ads with new entrant Ishant Sharma along with Dhoni and Sehwag.

Dish TV renews contract with Shah Rukh Khan

Dish TV has extended its endorsement contract with Shah Rukh Khan for another 18 months. Dish TV, which leads the DTH category in the country, had signed up with Shah Rukh Khan in '07 to endorse its service. According to Dish TV officials, the service has a base of 4.85 million subscribers. Rival Tata Sky too uses Aamir Khan extensively in its advertising.

As reported by ET last week, Shah Rukh tops the list of celebrity endorsements on TV according to a new Tam AdEx report.

The economic slowdown seems to have had a positive rub-off on the DTH industry, as people have started restricting their entertainment bills and going out less. In the July-September '08 period, the DTH industry was adding six lakh subscribers per month, but the base jumped to one million in the October-December period.


"The DTH sector is witnessing explosive growth and Dish TV is fully equipped with key resources to maintain its leadership position in this growth phase. We have posted robust numbers in Q3 FY09 and are set to garner 8 million subscribers in next fiscal," Dish TV COO Salil Kapoor said.

Dish TV has added 7.89 lakh subscribers in the Q3 FY '09 compared to 5.29 lakh new subscribers in the previous quarter, registering an increase of 49%.

'It’s not great to be Shah Rukh Khan’

Shah Rukh Khan, inspite of nursing an injured shoulder lacked no energy as he answered every question shot at him by journalists about Aamir Khan with aplomb. We present you few of SRK’s most smashing quotes targeted towards Aamir.

Clad in a cool worn out jeans and tee was Shah Rukh Khan, the darling of millions of his fans who thronged his house Mannat in Bandra and even Taj Lands End where he was supposed to be present for this event. Once SRK entered, one couldn’t help but wonder how does a 43-year-old star who is suffering from an injured shoulder gather this humungous amount of energy! The silver shoes and silver stole he sported made for a sexy style statement and soon came the time for the Baadshah to break his prolonged silence on Aamir and the not so flattering comments he had made on SRK.

We present you SRK at his naughtiest best!

When asked about Aamir calling SRK manipulative and only good with PR but not marketing, the Baadshah retorted, “This statement doesn’t require any explanation of me. I do what I do and I don’t need to get anybody else’s suggestions on what I do. I don’t take it too seriously when people compliment me and same goes for criticism. People who work with me know who I am and what I do, people like me and that’s why you see me everywhere. I don’t make films to prove to anyone. I’ve been working for the past 22 years and never have I felt the need to answer to anyone. The comments that Aamir made were out of context and I will talk to him personally about it.”

Talking about blogs he again taunted Aamir by saying, “People anyways think I am a narcissist so if I start a blog or a website it will reinforce their opinion. Jokes apart, after my shoulder operation, I am thinking of starting a website where I will not promote my films or write what food I ate but write about zindagi (life). Also I don’t really feel the need to have a blog as the media conveys all my messages to my fans anyways. I was in fact the first to start a blog but since it was ahead of its time, it didn’t click with the readers.”

SRK’s final reaction to Aamir’s statement was the most entertaining. He said, “It’s not great to be SRK, anyone can be great provided they retain their identity. My films are also ordinary but people have made them extra-ordinary. I am not a good PR person, neither a good media person; I am just a fantastic person.”

Now that’s the SRK we love.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Shah Rukh Khan’s ladies!



The ‘Billu’ release is in many ways a landmark for Shah Rukh Khan, who plays a movie superstar in the movie. ‘Billu’ depends heavily on the famed SRK charisma and star appeal, to make it big at the box office.

SRK movie posters, costumes and other artifacts are reportedly been used extensively, to add to the sheen. And the content is all about reconnecting with your old friends! So, in more ways than one, ‘Billu’ reflects on SRK’s life and times as a superstar.

If a man’s greatness can be measured by his enemies, a movie star’s glory can definitely be gauged from the glint on the eyes of his leading ladies. Here is a parade of SRK’s heroines, right from the ‘Deewana’ days to ‘Billu’.





Divya Bharathi

With due respect to Manjula Avtar (‘Fauji’) and Renuka Shahane (‘Circus’), we crown Divya Bharathi as SRK’s first on-screen lover. The pair looked awesome together, in ‘Deewana’ (1992). Remember the song, “Aisi Deewangee…”!




Deepa Sahi

SRK fans remember Deepa Sahi for that steamy bed-room scene with Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Maya Memsaab’ (1992).




Urmila Matondkar

Urmila played Shah Rukh’s girl on screen for ‘Chamatkar’ (1992). The reunion happened in ‘Om Shanti Om’ (2007), in which Urmila did a guest appearance.




Kajol

Kajol is considered by most SRK fans as one who complimented the Khan’s ebullience with her bubbly charm. Together, they weaved magic in films such as ‘Baazigar’, ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’ (1995), ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ (1998), and ‘Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham’ (2001).



Shilpa Shetty

Shilpa shared screen with the Khan in his first blockbuster, ‘Baazigar’ (1992). Though the pair looked electrifying on-screen, they were never seen together again, until Shilpa’s guest cameo in ‘Om Shanti Om’ (2007).




Juhi Chawla

One of Shah Rukh Khan’s personal favourites, Juhi Chawla shared screen space with SRK in ‘Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman’ (1992), ‘Kabhie Haan Kabhie Na’ (which also starred Suchitra Krishnamoorthy), ‘Darr’ (1993), ‘Ram Jaane’ (1995), ‘Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani’ (2000), ‘One 2 ka 4’ (2001), ‘Paheli’ (2005) and ‘Bhootnath’ (2007). She is also SRK’s partner in film production.




Raveena Tandon

Raveena and SRK did a Romeo-and-Juliet in Ramesh Sippy’s ‘Zamaana Deewana’ (1995). The pair never met again, on screen!




Sonali Bendre

‘Duplicate’ was the film that had Sonali Bendre opposite Shah Rukh. The song, ‘Mere Meh**** Mere Sanam’ became a super hit. Sonali also did a guest appearance in the SRK starrer, ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’.




Karishma Kapoor

Karishma had her day with SRK in ‘Dil To Paagal Hai’ (1997); she landed the Filmfare award for the Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the movie.




Madhuri Dixit

A superstar in her own right, Madhuri Dixit hit it off well with SRK, right from ‘Koyla’ (1996). They came together again for ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’ (1997) and ‘Devdas’ (2002).




Manisha Koirala

Manisha was Shah Rukh’s leading lady in Mani Ratnam’s 1998 take on NE terrorism, ‘Dil Se’.




Aishwarya Rai

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan shared some quality screen space with the King Khan in three super hits: Mansoor Khan’s ‘Josh’ (1999), Aditya Chopra’s ‘Mohabbatein’ (2000) and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Devdas’ (2002).



Kareena Kapoor

Kareena’s first on-screen date with SRK was in Santosh Sivan’s ‘Asoka’ (2001). She also did Karan Johar’s multi-starrer ‘Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham’, the same year. She reprised Helen’s item song in the ‘Don’ remake of 2007. Kareena will be seen dancing with SRK in ‘Billu’.



Sushmita Sen

Sushmita played ‘Chandni’, SRK’s love interest in Farah Khan’s ‘Main Hoon Na’ (2004).



Rani Mukherji

Rani began her “SRK run” with ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' (1998). She went on to star in super hits such as ‘Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham’, ‘Chalte Chalte’ (2002), ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ (2003), ‘Veer Zaara’ (2004, ‘Kabhie Alvida Na Kehna (2005), ‘Paheli (2005) and ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’ (guest appearance).



Preity Zinta

Preity debuted with the SRK starrer, ‘Dil Se’ (1998), and went on to star in SRK super hits such as ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ (2003), ‘Veer-Zaara’ (2004), ‘Kabhie Alvida Na Kehna’ (2006), ‘Om Shanti Om’ (guest appearance) and ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’ (guest appearance).



Priyanka Chopra

Another of SRK’s fav heroines, Priyanka reprised Zeenat Aman’s Roma act in Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Don’ remake of 2007. The performance was received well by fans and critics. Priyanka will also be seen doing an item number in ‘Billu’.




Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone made her debut with the SRK starrer, ‘Om Shanti Om’ (2007); she will be seen with SRK next in ‘Billu’.




Anushka Sharma

Anushka is the latest of SRK's girls. In 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi', the Punjabi lass romances a 40+ SRK, only to find out that he is younger than her. In heart, that is!

Barbers are creative people: SRK

When Shah Rukh Khan wants his hair cut, trimmed, styled, dyed, streaked or whatever, he does not go to a barber’s shop, hair-dresser’s salon or beauty parlour... he has the stylist come home!



And why not — he’s the Bollywood Badshah, after all. In this case it is Dilshad Pastakia, hair-stylist to celebrities, and God’s gift to Bollywood. At Mannat, in his dressing room on the third floor, Dishad cuts and styles SRK’s hair.

She’s being doing this for years. “Ever since Mohabbatein and Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani,” she revealed. Gauri Khan was her client. And one day Gauri brought Shah Rukh into Dilshad’s salon at Bandra. “I was damn nervous and dropped the scissors thrice,” said Dilshad. SRK was himself, and went, “Cut like this, cut like that.” Gauri interrupted and told Dilshad, “Don’t listen to him, do what you want.”

The hair-stylist and the actor have been friends ever since. Now she attends to him at home. On the eve of his new release Billu (the Salon & Beauty Parlours Association of Maharashtra got the Barber snipped from the title on the grounds that the word was casteist), BT sneaked into Mannat where Dilshad was working on King Khan’s hair. The conversation went like this...

SRK: I don’t understand how the word barber is casteist... but I understand the emotions of the association. Hair dressers and stylists, they are creative people...
Dilshad: Yes, we create hairstyles for you...

SRK: But the film is not about the barber’s profession, the profession is incidental, Billu is about love and friendship, it’s about environment, so much fun... it’s the least controversial film.
Dilshad: I have no problem being called a barber. We’re cutting hair, that’s what the profession is about. If you call a barber a hair-stylist, you’re just changing the term, not giving him a different profession.

SRK: The associations issue is that the Hindi word nai, when translated into English, becomes barber. And nai is a caste. Which makes barber a caste. But then so is hair-dresser!
Dilshad: Hajam would have been closer... I’ve been called a hajam for years. Actually, the profession ought to be happy to be acknowledged in a Shah Rukh Khan film...

SRK: Aren’t barbers only for men? And stylists for women?
Dilshad: Barbering is a male technique in which the barber works with clippers and employs the scissors over comb. All over England, you have barber shops... there is dignity in labour there.

SRK: But people do use words to demean professions. It’s like calling Manish Malhotra a tailor.
Dilshad: That mindset should be curtailed.
SRK: Maybe after the film, it would have been... because Billu (Barber) has such a simple message. Whichever world you belong to, as long as you’re true to your emotions and your goodness, you’re a better person already. Your profession does not make you a special person. Your ordinariness is special.
Dilshad: It’s a fab profession, and people are proud to be barbers.

SRK: Are you a real barber?
Dilshad: I am a real barber!
SRK: ... Unless you’ve been lying to me for 15 years and are really a choreographer and cutting my hair!
 
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