Shah Rukh's next is a super-hero film

By Taran Adarsh

The excruciating pain on his shoulder notwithstanding, Shah Rukh Khan is going all out to promote his new film BILLU (the word 'Barber' has been removed from all posters/billboards).

Tell him that he's the best marketing brain in the industry thanks to the kind of promotion he did for OM SHANTI OM, he just smiles, "Not OM SHANTI OM, but YES BOSS was the film that started it all," he recalls.

Although BILLU is an SRK production, with Irrfan Khan enacting the title role, SRK hasn't forced himself in the story. On the contrary, he has removed two of his scenes from the film.

Not many are aware that Priyadarshan had offered SRK two choices - a film on heist and the other, a story on friends. "I chose the second," SRK tells me. And the actor is extremely happy with the way BILLU has shaped up.

"We had a screening recently for family and friends. I wasn't expecting people to get emotional, but a lot of people did. The last 20 minutes did make me moist-eyed as well. I think the film will connect with the audiences," the Numero Uno star states.

Financially too, SRK will make a neat profit on the film. Reportedly, he has sold the film for a fantastic price (Rs. 50 cr.) to Eros. "The rumours just don't stop. Sometime back I was told I was charging Rs. 100 crores for a film.

I've never over-charged any of my producers. Now this one! The truth is, we've spent quite a bit on the making of the film. Coming to the point, the price is not Rs. 50 cr., but Rs. 35 cr.," he sets the record straight.

Next on the cards is a film with Anubhav Sinha. "It's a super-hero film. I want it to be the best super-hero film made in India. We're hiring technicians from abroad. Am really looking forward to this one," he reveals.