Dubai: Move over Santa Claus and make way for Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan. The 48-year-old Indian icon, one of Bollywood’s highest paid actors with hits such as Chennai Express and Om Shanti Om, has taken it upon himself to spread some cheer this season. Sporting a beard and a ponytail, he came across as a fitter, suaver version of the festival figure in red. (Plus, he likes to have the occasional puff — which we are sure Santa wouldn’t approve of).
“Acting is a job about giving. It’s like a job of a jester, because my idea is to make our end users — the consumers — happy for those two hours while they watch my movies or watch me perform. It’s a ritual that I enjoy,” said Khan at a press conference ahead of his Access All Areas concert at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday night.
Khan will hit the stage with Deepika Padukone, Madhuri Dixit, Jacqueline Fernandez and rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh for a dance-song spectacle. Khan has promised to make it a fabulous night for all his fans in this region.
“Imagine you are at a party with 20,000 people and you have invited Madhuri, Deepika and me to your house. It’s a request-based live performance because we sent out questionnaires to find out what songs they want us to dance to. Our show goes beyond the usual dance numbers, those 20 jokes and high production values,” said Khan.
A friendly face-off between Bollywood’s top dancer Dixit and himself will be one of the highlights of his show.
“I am very nervous … But the good thing is that Madhuri is so wonderful on stage that nobody looks at you,” said Khan. Access All Areas marks the return of Khan in a live show after his spectacular 2008 Temptations Reloaded show in the city.
“But you what, I dance better than her. I just know it. It’s that feeling,” said Khan mockingly. A few minutes earlier, Dixit had revealed that she had offered him a tip to keep his legs closer while dancing.
“Shah Rukh and I began our journey together in Bollywood. We both came from nothing and made it in this industry on our own. We didn’t have any support, so we have this dynamic between us,” said Dixit about her co-star from Dil To Pagal Hai and Anjaam.
tabloid! sat down with Khan for a round table interview to speak about fame, playing the evil guy and more …
Q: You are one of India’s biggest stars. Is there a price attached to that kind of fame?
The price is not big enough for me to remember. If you are a public figure, there will be some negatives. I wish there was lesser scrutiny of my personal life. But I tell all those who ask me: ‘don’t you feel like going down the street and having a sandwich’. My answer is: ‘No, if I wanted that I would have become a star.’ I am not being pompous here, but today if I want coffee, I will get Starbucks in my office. I don’t say it with disrespect or arrogance.
As Jack Nicholson said, ‘half a life you try to get recognised and then the next half you hide behind those big glasses’. So what’s the point? I like being a star and I love that feeling that people love me. They may not know me and I may be a bad person in reality, but they still love me. I will always be thankful for that. Also, knowing that I am in a position to enjoy all that I worked so hard for is a great feeling. I may charge for it, but deep down I know I am doing all of this because I can make people happy.
Q: It’s been 20 years since Baazigar (Khan’s first blockbuster) released. You played an anti-hero in it. Will we see you in such a pure evil avatar again?
Over the years, I felt there is a strange dichotomy in my career. Some people say I do the same s*** in all my films. But that’s nonsensical because why would people watch them? They could just revisit my old films. Sometimes, I ask my team to send me posters of my films to see what I am doing differently. It’s not self-appraisal, but it’s to check out all that I have done in 20 years. I feel proud to have done a My Name Is Khan followed by an Om Shanti Om and even Ra.One. Perhaps, that’s why I didn’t want a bank teller job because I don’t want to do the same thing over and over again. But if I do a Baazigar today, the younger people may like it but the older ones won’t. I have friends in my circle who say, ‘please, don’t play a bad guy. We love you the way your are and my kids don’t like it when you kill people.
Q: What’s the reality behind acting which is a make-believe world?
Lots of people say acting is about wearing different masks and expressions. But it’s about baring your soul. We are all shy people and it’s tough to open up. The reality of acting is that it’s raw and difficult.
Q: You performed in Dubai in 2008 with Temptations Reloaded show. What took you so long to return?
It takes two months to prepare for a world tour and another month needs to be set aside to tour the world. It’s not easy to make such a commitment because of work and family. Plus, it’s important to get the right mix of talents. Right now, we have got people who respect each other immensely and enjoy hanging out together. All that will translate on stage.
