Money, fame, name are windfall games, says Shah Rukh Khan

May 15, 2017

New Delhi, May 15: Hindi film superstar Shah Rukh Khan, one of the world's 100 highest paid celebrities, says the core of his job as an actor remains to spread happiness and that the money, awards and fame that come along are "peripherals", which he is grateful about.

srk

The actor, whose TED Talk in Vancouver went viral on social media with his witty one-liners, words of wisdom, and more, spoke to news agency in an email interview about his thoughts on stardom, how he can motivate others to follow their dreams, how he has so many dreams in his life that if he was to be left alone, he can just live in their company.

How does the life he is living today as Bollywood's King Khan compare to the dreams he had when he entered the industry?

Shah Rukh said: "It's extremely nice to hear the words King and Baadshah, heartthrob, loved, romantic hero, etc... All these things are really positive things. I'd rather be hearing these than some negative aspects that people might attach to my name. So, I'm extremely thankful and happy that this happened."

"Having said that, my core job is to try and entertain people. Like I always say, make them smile... Fulfil some unfulfilled desire or emotion in them that might exist. Give them a couple of hours of happiness. It has to be as simple as that. Everything else that comes is peripheral."

"Everything that gets attached to my acting in films... whether it's the money, the fame, the name, whether it's on a power list, whether it's an award... all of those are windfall games," Shah Rukh said.

"I'm very happy about them and grateful about them. But the core of my job is can I make people happy whenever I'm in touch with them? Through my cinema? Through just talking to them or meeting them. When you're a star, people feel happy just meeting you or seeing you pass in a car. So to me, the core is just that, nothing else."

Often, the 51-year-old star has said he sells dreams. But does the thought that there might come a time when he loses this ability, bother him?

"No. It doesn't bother me. I believe that anyone who has the capability, the ability, the desire to sell dreams, has to dream them first. So, I have lots of dreams. As a matter of fact, if I were to be left alone, I could just live in the company of my dreams."

"I don't really always need to get these dreams verified, quantified or substantiated," he said, stressing that he prefers to see the "optimistic side of life".

Shah Rukh, who has spent almost three decades in Indian showbiz, will be hosting ‘TED Talks India: Nayi Soch’, a global first Hindi TV talk show created in partnership with TED, the non-profit organisation devoted to 'ideas worth spreading'.

Asked if motivational talks by public figures can bring about a positive change among the country's youths, SRK said: "I think 'motivational talk' as a term itself is overrated. It's not about giving motivation to someone."

"I think if you can hold on to the interest of people through your experiences, then it's up to people to take away something of some worth which suits them. Not like the whole talk is going to become something that people are going to live by."

"Some aspects may touch some people, some may not touch people, some may not like it at all. But I think as long as you can make it personal, people everywhere in the world get attached to personal emotions because emotions are universal."

He also said: "For me to sit down and pen down my struggles and romanticise them, I think it's being ungrateful about the success I've got. But having said that, yes, I think it makes a lot of sense when you achieve something, when you come from no background, like I have... When you come from a different city and without anyone helping out... when things fall right, it just feels nicer."

"It also gives the message to people that if you can work hard, and if you have a bit of talent and you believe in yourself, that's more than enough to achieve your dreams. You need nothing else."

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
June 16,2020

Mumbai, Jun 16: In the wake of Sushant Singh Rajput's death, veteran actor Deepti Naval has opened up about her struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts in the early 90s.

Naval shared a poem that she wrote during her struggle with depression on her Facebook page after paying tributes to Rajput, who was found hanging in his Bandra apartment on Sunday at the age of 34.

According to a police official, Mumbai Police found out during the probe that the actor was under medication for depression

"Dark days these... So much has been happening - mind has come to a point of stillness... Or rather numbness. Today I feel like sharing a poem I wrote back in the years when I was fighting depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts - Yes, fighting... and like how," Naval wrote.

The 68-year-old actor made her debut with Shyam Benegal's 1978 "Junoon" and went on to feature in films like "Chashme Buddoor", "Ankahee", "Mirch Masala", Saath Saath among others in the 80s.

Naval's poem, titled "Black Wind", begins by describing how anxiety engulfs a person.

"Anxiety grips me with both hands, spiked claws dig deep into my soul I gasp for breath and stagger around sharp corners of my single bed.."

In the poem, Naval talks about fighting suicidal thoughts and depression, describing it as a "ghoulish lust" she won't succumb to.

"The telephone rings... no, it stops...God damn! Why don't anyone speak? A voice, Just a human voice In this shameless, pitiless Abyss of the night - gloom deepens into darkness, turns purple I feel dark inside."

The actor ends by writing that she will survive the night, its "deathly design" and fight.

"The world's a snake pit, so let it be! I dare the devil to get the better of me! Deepti Naval, Night of July 28, 1991."

In an interview with PTI last year, Naval had mentioned how acting assignments started to thin in the late 90s and as a "serious actor" it was "devastating" to be ignored.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
July 25,2020

Mumbai, Jul 25: Movie theatres have been shuttered for months due to the coronavirus pandemic in the country, but the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has now recommended that the Union Home Ministry allow cinema halls to reopen in August. 

I&B Secretary Amit Khare indicated this at a close-door industry interaction with the CII Media Committee on Friday. He said Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla at the Home Ministry would take the final call.

Khare said that he has recommended that cinema halls may be allowed to reopen all over India as early as August 1, or at the latest, around August 31.

The formula suggested is that alternate seats in the first row and then the next row be kept vacant, and proceeding in this fashion throughout.

Khare said that his ministry's recommendation takes into consideration the two metre social distancing norm, but tweaks it gently to two yards instead. The Home Ministry, however, still has to revert on the recommendation.

Cinema owners, present in the interaction, however, pushed back and said this formula is unwise and merely running films at 25% auditorium capacity is worse than keeping the cinemas shut.

The attendees at the meet included media CEOs like N.P. Singh of Sony, Sam Balsara (Madison), Megha Tata, (Discovery), Gaurav Gandhi (Amazon Prime), Manish Maheshwari (Twitter), S. Sivakumar (Bennett Coleman and Co Ltd), and K Madhavan, Star & Disney, and also Chairman, CII Media Committee.

The OTT platforms present, including Gandhi of Amazon Prime, did not push back. Some Bollywood producers, notably those of Amitabh Bachchan's Gulabo Sitabo, have posted their movies on OTT, rather than live out the lockdown uncertainty.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
March 16,2020

Mumbai, Mar 16: In the wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, all filmmaking and producing bodies have unanimously decided to stop shooting for all kinds of entertainment formats temporarily.

A notification unanimously issued by the Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association, Federation of Western India Cine Employees and other similar bodies have ordered that shooting for films, TV shows, digital and other kinds of entertainment format will have to remain suspended between March 19 to 31.

The notification reads: "In view of the epidemic spread of COVID-19 throughout the world including India, an urgent joint meeting of IMPPA- WIPFA-IFTPC-IFTDA-FWICE held on 15-3-2020 unanimously decided to stop shooting of films, TV serials, web series and all other entertainment, including digital formats from 19-3-2020 till 31-3-2020 as a result of health advisory, closure of all cinema halls, all sporting, educational institutes and entertainment events by the Government of India which has declared a medical emergency over the coronavirus. We appreciate and support all the steps taken by the Government of India to control the virus."

"All units shooting till the stoppage comes into force have been strictly advised to follow all precautionary and preventive measures without fail."

"Decision about re-starting shootings shall be taken on 30-3-2020 after considering the prevailing situation."

It was reported only yesterday that superstar Salman Khan is continuing shooting in the city for his upcoming flick 'Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai' even though the makers insist they are strictly adhering to the safety norms of World Health Organisation (WHO).

Meanwhile, Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan tweeted this morning requesting his fans not to gather outside the gate of his bungalow Jalsa for their weekly meet and suggested them to stay safe.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.