On being told to see a particular film, most people ask, “Who is in it?” That’s how a star is born. The audience cannot predict how a film may be but they feel that they can at least depend on the star whom they are accustomed to.

Actually, there is a primary difference between a star and an actor. The star is a charismatic personality while an actor changes from role to role. Prime example: Shah Rukh Khan. Whether he is in an ad film, performing at a dance concert, acting in a film or just being himself, his charisma is constant. In person, I have found him to be far more entertaining and charming than in all of his umpteen blockbusters put together.

An actor essentially plays a character conceived by someone else. It is not him but the character which he is portraying that people connect to. At an awards function, after the release of Satya, when Manoj Bajpai came on stage, people were screaming out, “Bhiku bhai” despite the pesence of Shah Rukh at the event. Manoj was thrilled. I cautioned Manoj not to get carried away. He should realise that they are calling him by his character’s name. Around then, Shah Rukh must have belted out for more than 25 super hits but no one called out his characters’ names. They called him Shah Rukh. That is star power. Actors die along with their characters, stars live on.

Time and again, Shah Rukh is criticised for doing the same kind of acting — for being repetitive. It’s precisely because of this that he has been such a big star. The moment he attempts something else besides the SRK brand of acting, the efforts have failed, like Paheli and Swades.

I think it all works on a psychological level. If you meet a person and you like him, why the hell would you want him to change every time you meet him? At most, you will want him to be in different situations, different backgrounds and interact with different people. But he should never change. Of course, this holds true for Rajnikanth also. He is loved for being the way he is.

However, when a film’s subject matter revolves around extremely believable characters, a star can be an impediment, his image is additional baggage and the audience has pre-set expectations cutting into a film’s credibility. John Abraham’s stardom is due to his deadly looks, following the success of Dhoom. So why spoil it by making a film like No Smoking with him?

At a DVD store, you may often pick up a Hollywood film not for its stars but because of its title, jacket design and synopsis. The content can also be an enticing factor. In Phoonk, I presented the visual of a menacing-looking crow as the star. In Not a Love Story, the pitch was that anything is possible even in a big city where every neighbour knows what’s going on next door. Or do they? In the case, fear was the key factor. No stars were required.