Shah Rukh Khan, who plays both the protagonist and the antagonist in his upcoming film Fan, agrees that he has no private life. He says, “I don’t have a private life. Of course I have a family and that life I’d like to be left untouched. But as a celebrity my family life is also not as private as I would like it to be and that is a fact that my kids and my wife have understood. They know I am not only theirs’. I am a public figure, so when I tell Suhana or Aryan that I’ll come at 3 am and I would like to chill and talk, they don’t say no. Because they know that my day time is for the public. But at a party if someone asks Aryan, ‘Oh you are Shah Rukh’s son?’, he says ‘no’, because otherwise he cannot sit with his friends and joke around without people getting judgemental.
“These reasons have forced me to let my kids study abroad so their personal lives are not touched. Yes, I do feel bad if someone uses abusive language about my daughter Suhana or they say something odd about my kids… bahut kharab lagta hai, but I cannot do anything.”
Talking about how his wife Gauri handles it, he says, “After I had been 10-12 years in the industry, Gauri realised that I was going to be mostly out and she understood she would have to keep the family together. She’s made a silent sacrifice for me to continue to do what I am doing today. And this has been understood by my kids as well… they are the ones who ask me not to go along with them to some restaurant as people will not allow me to enjoy my privacy. It’s not that they feel bad, but they feel that I should give them some time at least. Also, when we are coming out of an airport they very understandingly leave me, saying, ‘Papa you will have to click some photos and be with the public, so we will leave.’ It’s strange, but yes my family has made wonderful adjustments.”
‘Realism is better’
After 25 years in the industry, Shah Rukh prefers realistic roles over commercial pot boilers. “If I do not opt for varied roles I will not find them challenging Now, for example I am doing Raees and also I will be playing a dwarf in Anand Rai’s film. There’s also a film with Imtiaz Ali which I feel is very challenging.”
He adds, “I have decided to do three films in a year but they all have to be different. Doing the same kind of hero-like films will not ignite the urge in me. For me, realistic roles are easier than commercial ones. A film like Happy New Year, where I start as a boxer and then become a thief and get off the screen as the world’s best dancer takes a lot out of me to do it convincingly. For me, realistically shot movies are easier to play convincingly, like Chak De India or Swades.
“But at times if such films don’t come to me than I like to do fun films. On the whole I like to be working always.” “When you are younger you tend to think less and end up doing more. Like when I did Baazigar or Darr or Anjaam; I didn’t think twice. Later people told me I shouldn’t have done those roles at that stage of my career. But younger people end up achieving more since they think less. It’s a positive as well as a negative of being young.”
‘Fan is different’
Talking about his upcoming film Fan, he says, “I have been able to perform well in it because of the atmosphere, the dialogues and the actors alongside me. This film is also in a very different zone. The story is such that it required to have the fan look like the star. Not exactly, but somewhat. It was important that I play both the roles because that’s what made me do the film. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been challenging enough for me as an actor. Anyone who has a body of work lasting 15-20 years, like Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar or Aamir Khan could have done the movie but they would have to play both the roles. That’s what is exciting about Fan. If I was not playing both roles, I would not have done it.”
Shah Rukh finds younger roles easier than playing older characters, “I am childlike, because of my physique and height and even mannerisms. Whatever I do, I cannot look like an alpha-male. So it’s easier to play younger characters than older ones. I remember I was having so much difficulty in calling Rani Mukerji “beti” in Veer Zaara. Yash Chopra was so angry with me since we had wasted almost 10 days getting the tone right. It was really tough to think of Rani as my daughter. My mindset was not being able to take it that way. I am a little chulbula, a little boy. My kids also say that I say dialogues of a younger person better.”
Asked if his son Aryan could have played the fan’s part in the film, SRK says, “Anyone who played both roles needed to have some experience of facing the camera. It would be very difficult for a fresher to have done it. I am not saying I am the best. But in spite of being talented, any fresher would have had to have some experience. My son Aryan is too handsome to play me.”
About having obsessive fans he says, “There are a few of them, but thankfully none too violent like Gaurav (from the movie). There is one who has bought me land on the moon! Lindy on Twitter keeps making my sketches. I have more female fans, I’d like to believe that, and girls are mostly sweet.”
On commercial success
We hear that he has been giving Imtiaz Ali tips on how to be more successful commercially. Clarifies SRK, “Let me tell you this honestly… None of us actors, producers and directors know how to make a hit film. We all know how to make films and go about making them in all honesty. Imtiaz has written a sweet film and the creative process of a director is of paramount importance for a film’s success. I spend only about an hour with the script; I spend more time with whoever is making the film. I’ve spent almost a year now with Imtiaz and he has a good idea is already working on the technical cast. Other things will follow.”
