Politics, no thanks: Shah Rukh Khan

Son Aryan discusses the household dogs, describing three of them as very friendly and the other as not so. Daughter Suhana is into crayon drawing. And dad is tackling more issues than he can count on his fingers.

Next morning, he leaves for a month-long shoot of Don in Kuala Lumpur. There are a 100 people who want to meet him for just “five minutes” and I seriously wonder if the scheduled interview will happen. It does.

After all with Shah Rukh Khan, nothing is impossible. Quaffing coffee, he answers every question in the quintessential SRK-ishtyle:

Walter Semkiw, a San Francisco psycho-therapist, has claimed that you were the celebrated Bengali dancer Sadhona Bose in your previous birth. Do you believe this at all?
Can I get Sadhona Bose's pictures please? I am Islamic. I don't believe in a past or future life. You have to make the most of the one life you get. That's why I work 20 hours a day. If I believed there was another life, I'd take it easy.
 
Are you spiritual?
I think spiritually. I believe in a supreme being and a supreme power. I believe in goodness which is the essence of spiritualism.You have to become spiritual once you receive so much in life. Deep down inside, you feel you don't deserve all this.
 
Do you pray often?
I've always believed very strongly in God. Of late, I've started talking more about religion..because I have to impart my beliefs and what my parents taught me to my children. Though I don't get the time to do the five-time namaaz, I pray within my heart. I make the kids pray at night. (Smiles) Gauri taught the kids to brush their teeth before sleeping, I taught them to pray before sleeping.

Are you disappointed that you didn't win any awards this year?
For my film work on a scale of 1-10..and I'm not deriding Paheli..I would give myself one. This year it would have been very foolish of me to even think of winning an award. Clearly, you have to be visible constantly. If you're not prolific, your genius, talent and success are pointless. You can't rest on your laurels.

Whenever I think I can take it easy, I realise that if I want to enjoy success – in terms of awards – then I need to do threefour films a year. So to answer your question, no, I'm not disappointed. Last year, I spent a lot of time with my kids and gave my back a rest, both of which were  extremely essential.

Will your banner, Red Chillies, produce at least two films this year?
Officially, the films I have on my head after Don are with Ram Gopal Varma, Farah Khan and Shimit Amin. Two are my own productions – with Ramu and with Farah.

When I asked Ramu if he would make the film for my banner, he very sweetly said, “It would be an honour.” I was really touched because he has his own successful production company.

What challenges you as an actor today?
Challenges are more for the filmmakers. Obviously there is a set pattern to my acting which the audience has come to accept. Sometimes they like what I do, sometimes they don't. The challenge for a director is to do a Swades and  present me differently.

The challenge is for someone like Farhan (Akhtar) to take me for Don and do the film
differently. I can only give it my best shot. I like to work with filmmakers who say, “We will take Shah Rukh and try to do some interesting stuff while making sure that the popularity of the project is kept in mind.”

The challenge for me is more in terms of technology. I would like to set up a special effects studio. The challenge is to create something new and gift it to the industry. I'm very proud of introducing the Jimmy jib to the film industry. I would like to introduce more new technical equipment.
 
What do you do in between film projects?
I spend a lot of time with my kids. Till they were three four, they didn't know who I was. They just knew I was a guy who was related to them genetically. That was only because I didn't spend much time at home. But now I can sense a difference. I don't ever want my kids to say, “Spend some time with us papa.”

Both are studying. My daughter is in the first and son in the third standard. I have to teach them personally. I have very middle class values that way. Now I must teach them to speak Urdu and Hindi. I can't let my children grow up speaking Hindi in the awful tone they do. (Grins) Otherwise, I will never be able to convince myself they are well-mannered kids. They have to speak saaf Hindi.

Are you accustomed to being a big star?
I'm at peace with myself. You get used to things that are going to be permanent in your life like your family and home. But I can never get used to being a big star because it is not permanent. I can become bigger but that's according to my standards. I wish it continues forever. Still I don't have sleepless nights over this.

What about the tag of King Khan?
(Chuckles) I don't believe I'm King Khan. There's a saying, “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.” The strange aspect of being a star in India is that people think that just because you act well, you can solve their problems which you can't. (Smiles) I can't solve my own problems. For instance, I'm not in control of my time. There are so many people I want to meet and chat with but I can't.

Talk is that you are joining politics and are likely to get a portfolio in the cabinet. True?
That's really silly because I don't even chat with anyone about politics. I'm too tired and too tied up. Politics is the furthest thing from my mind. I've no interest, inclination, desire, requirement, feeling or ambition to be a part of politics. (Laughs) Maybe 15 years down the line, you can use this quote again..when I become the Prime Minister of the country! But at this point of time, no I'm not joining politics.

Hypothetically, whom would like to be reborn as?
If there is rebirth then, God let it be me. And God, tell me about this now please, so I can ease off and do quite a few pending things in my next life. I'm told that according to
Mr Walter Semkiw, Sadhona Bose died in 1941. I was born in 1965. So there's been
a difference of 24 years between my two births. By that logic, I can keep some shooting on hold for 24 years and say, “Yeh wapas aake kar loonga.” (Laughs) Maybe if I come back as a dancer then I can do the role of Chandramukhi in another remake of Devdas.

In a recent poll, Amitabh Bachchan was voted the No.1 role model and you No.2. Your reaction.
(Smiles) I have to try harder.