The root cause for Shah Rukh Khan’s constant puffing

Bollywood super star Shah Rukh Khan blames his initial days with theatre for his smoking habit. Recalling his days as a theatre actor in Delhi, he laughed and said: “I remember when a fireplace was put up, the guys used to go behind the fireplace to smoke and put out the fire. That’s how I also started smoking and it is not my fault. It has (this habit) got all to do with theatre.”

The Badshah of Bollywood, who arrived in Toronto for a Bollywood film awards ceremony said he would love to return to theatre as it was his first love.

“I belong to theatre. I started off doing a lot of stage in Delhi... first small time and then a little on the streets. The desire to be a theatre actor was always there. I used to work with people like Barry John and the like — a lot of wonderful producers, directors. We used to go out and perform in small little theatres and on various stages.”

He added that a hit musical wants him to come and perform under the tutelage of dance guru Shiamak Davar. Challenging Dawar and making fun of his knee problem, Khan said, “My dance is better than yours even on one leg.”

When quizzed on a lighter vein if ‘mard ko dard naahi hota’ Khan replied in jest: “Mard ko bahut dard hota hai” and had everyone in splits.

The actor said he was advised two weeks ago not to perform, but he didn’t want to go back on his commitment to the awards ceremony organisers “who have been very kind to me all these years”.

Revealing a little more about his impending knee surgery Khan said that it is scheduled for July.