Covering Bollywood and the Hindi Cinema

This is the latest Shahrukh interview from Filmfare:

For Shah Rukh it’s ‘prayer day’; also ‘arm flexing’ day. The phenomenon gets larger each Friday, like the Colossus of Rhodes; making stars of all shapes, sizes and density appear diminutive in comparison. And it amazes the star himself.

I mention worldwide filmi trends. Now, post ‘KANK’, everyone’s looking to have an extra-marital affair – just ‘coz SRK does it, it’s ‘legal’?
“Not at all. Whatever I do in films is completely illegal. What I do in real life is legal. But if you really want to know, what I do in real life is quite boring. What I do in films is larger than life. Sometimes it’s fantastic, at times awe-inspiring; but none of it is real. It’s fiction - like a good book. So you decide if you want your life to be real or fiction”.

In reality, you and Gauri are the perfect couple, but there’s a lot of curiosity in knowing how she reacted to your ‘unfaithful’ act?
“She didn’t like it. I think no woman would like it. When she saw the film she thought it was quite bold. Bold and beautiful. There was a little issue though. She didn’t like the character. Nobody is supposed to like him.”

But while on the subject, throughout your career (even pre-marriage), ever been attracted to married women in real life?
“Not really. I think I’m quite conventional, I won’t say I’m boring but I am pretty traditional. For a lot of things that I say in humour, for a lot of things that I accept in other people without passing a valid judgment or being judgmental, I’m personally not scared of saying that I’m a very conventional guy. I’m square and I think its quite hip to be square”.

So how do you deal with married women throwing themselves at you?
“Do they? Nobody does. Most of the women, pre-and-post-marriage, I’ve met are my friends so I can’t count them in that - and everybody gets married finally. I’ve never declared that married women have thrown themselves at me - unless I didn’t know that they were married, of course.”

There’s talk too that you’re looking a bit ‘tired’ your last few films; you don’t believe in Botox?
“If I had Botox I wouldn’t look tired. But when I try to play a character, instead of putting in too many crutches I become the character. I become that person. There are things that I have to explain. For example, if I have to be a flamboyant guy even without putting on much, without changing; my body language changes. That’s a plus of me as an actor. I don’t have to explain, the audience understands … and I really don’t know the essentials of Botox.”

Shah Rukh Khan – superstar. 40plus – fit and hunkier than he’s ever been. Secret?
“Just the blessings of God. Touchwood, my back pain is a lot less since last year. While in Malyasia, I was upto all kinds of fitness training and am continuing that. I’m feeling good and looking better. I play outdoor games like cricket and hockey and I feel good. That’s a good sign of fitness. I plan to keep it up …”