9 April 2013-Vancouver: Superstar Shahrukh Khan picks films instinctively, but he is especially happy with Rohit Shetty’s Chennai Express as he believes it is a comedy, action and entertainment-packed project “different” from the intense and serious films he has done in the recent past. “I do films which I like at a given point of time and as and when I get the opportunity. So when Rohit narrated a couple of films to me two years back, one was the remake of Angoor and other was Chennai Express.
I like both of them. But Rohit felt he would like to do the latter one first as it is a bigger film and has fantastic comedy, action and amazing songs,” Shahrukh told IANS in an interview on the sidelines of the maiden edition of the Times Of India Film Awards (TOIFA) here. The film, produced by the actor’s wife Gauri Khan under their production banner Red Chillies Entertainment, features Deepika Padukone opposite King Khan. Shahrukh is, of course, happy with the way the movie is shaping up, revealing that he injured his right shoulder while shooting for the film.
“It’s awkward for me to speak of film that I produce, but I just have to say that Rohit has done me great favour while making a film like this for me. It’s fun and I am enjoying it. Yes, I end up doing very intense films like Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Chak De! India and My Name Is Khan, and so, it (Chennai Express) is a nice change for me,” he said. The Bollywood ‘baadshah’ also hopes to do more such films in the near future. “I am enjoying it this way. May be I would continue doing films like Chennai Express in future,” he added. Looking dapper in a black suit, the actor will take to the stage to perform for hundreds of fans at the final day of TOIFA, which has brought a barrage of Hindi movie stars here.
He was in a relaxed mood, and with an excited child-like demeanour, he talked about awards and their significance in his life even after over two decades of being in the industry, and winning lots of them. “I like awards and I appreciate them. I feel most of the awards that we have in India, are for years of work that we have done, rather than just one show, and above all that, it is nice to see the (film) community together (at such events). We get five-seven opportunities a year where everyone get together, so it’s a time to celebrate,” he said. Even though the escalating number of film awards worries him, he admits, “I like them”.
“The more the merrier. I get most of them,” he quipped in his inimitable style. At the same time, he says he feels proud to see the love of Bollywood fans whenever he travels abroad. “I normally don’t go outside, I only come for functions and it is very nice to feel that people love you. More than screaming and shouting, I like the fact that people of all ages, all stages and everywhere in the world appreciate what Indian film is doing,” Shahrukh said. Meanwhile, being the co-owner of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), he is busy with the cricket extrvaganza, apart from having his hands full with acting commitments and production assignments.
But he is managing it all pretty well. One lesson, he says, he has learnt of late is to talk about his new projects only at the right time. “We are making Chennai Express and then there is another film called A for Apple, B for Billi, C for Cutta (ABC). Two others are in the pipleline, but I would like to keep it a secret till the right time. “People are just talking about work so much earlier than it is initiated. I don’t like it anymore. I like to talk about things when the film is ready, and only then would I like to take an opinion about what is good and what is bad,” he said.
