Shah Rukh Khan made his debut on Twitter Townhall on his 50th birthday. The actor was interviewed by senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, who quizzed him on everything from being a Muslim in India, to taking a stand on issues, about working with Kajol and of course his upcoming film Fan.
Here are the highlights from SRK’s candid interaction:
Intolerance in the Country
Intolerance is growing; I can’t deny at all that this country is growing more intolerant by the day. But talking about returning the awards, one has to understand that each award was given on a different occasion for a different purpose. While I respect those who have returned their awards, I don’t have to do the same.
Shah Rukh Khan, Actor
“Don’t Question Me Being An Indian, Ever”
No one can and should ever question my patriotism. I take it angrily, you don’t question me being an Indian, ever. My father played a role, even though it might have been miniscule, in the freedom struggle. I am very proud of that and I am as Indian as anybody else. When they say the top three actors are all Khans and that’s the irony, I say that calling it an irony is the real irony. Khan, Kumar, Kapoor, why should it matter?
Shah Rukh Khan, Actor
On Religious Unity
It’s really sad that we make tall claims but this country has no religious unity. In our family, we have never faced the challenge of coping with two religions like people always question. We just never interfere in each other’s religious affairs, I become a part of Gauri’s rituals without she ever asking me to be and she becomes a part of mine just the same way. In my family, we have sevaiyan on Diwali and burst crackers on Eid!
Shah Rukh Khan, Actor
On His New Film Fan
Fan was a very weird experience. I’m playing a 25-year-old, Delhi boy, playing that for the first time, so a lot of it felt like a recreation of my own life. Very strange and different a feeling. You know a fan believes that because he loves a particular star so much, the star knows him too and feels that love for him too. When I first met the actors I loved, I would just wave out to them and be surprised at not getting a response because as a fan you believe in your belief that the star knows and loves you too. So, when I got to the other side now and played a fan, it almost felt like a schizophrenic experience.
Shah Rukh Khan, Actor
About Kajol
When Kajol and I first worked together for Baazigar, I thought she was too loud and she thought I was really boring. When another actor asked me how she was as an actress, I said that I didn’t like her work until I saw the rushes and she was the only magic in the film. She is amazing. She only does what she believes and I’m technically honed, I’ll do what’s needed so, we are completely opposite as actors but I have to say when she does what she believes in, she’s magic.
Shah Rukh Khan, Actor
“Promise to Give Up Smoking”
Other than having made the promise to give up smoking, I’ve made another one to myself. I’ve decided that I’ll do three films each for the next five years. I want to make 15 wonderful films that make me feel wonderful.
Shah Rukh Khan, Actor
“I Don’t Need to Know Everything”
Real life for a star is very different, we are just supposed to do our art. I don’t know, it’s become so normal for us to be expected to participate in everything, know everything. Often some reporter will just randomly ask me about the budget. I don’t know about the budget, I’m an actor. I don’t need to know everything. Why should we be held accountable to do something about everything that’s happening around us?
Shah Rukh Khan, Actor
On Taking a Stand
America has a certain leeway about speaking up. If I take a stand, people throw stones at my house. If I do take a stand, I’ll stick by it but when I do, people chase me. If I talk about FTII, 17 people would be gunning me down. I feel what’s happening is really wrong but in the larger interest of the job that I do, as pathetic as it sounds, I have to keep quiet. It’s sad to see that if I speak, my film won’t release on a Friday and that’s not just really sad. You’ve seen it happen with My Name Is Khan.
Shah Rukh Khan, Actor
On Not Raising His Voice Against the ‘Ban’ on Pakistani Actors Here
How often should I react and how often should my film be stopped. My actions can ruin the lives of the 200 people who are attached to the film, they suffer. I’m not saying that the millions in the country don’t matter but with power also comes vulnerability. Considering the position I am in, I can’t always do what I want. I have to be practical. And, what I say actually only creates a media thing, not that the purpose is ever solved.
Shah Rukh Khan, Actor
On His Kids
I hate it when someone looks at my kid and says, “Yeh toh hero banega.” Why will he be a hero? He’s young and he will decide what he wants to be when the time is right. I want my children to be educated. I want them to study, at least finish their graduation, get a masters degree. I want them to see the world and then decide. You need to know a lot about the world in order to be a hero.
Shah Rukh Khan, Actor
What He Wants to Be Remembered For
I want to be remembered as someone who tried very hard, didn’t fail because of lack of effort. My wish is to be remembered as the man who worked really hard. That’s what my children also always tell me. They often say that I work very hard for my films.
Shah Rukh Khan, Actor
On Shah Rukh and Romance
I would love to be acting at 75 and even then, I would be a die-hard romantic because you can try and take Shah Rukh out of romance but you can’t take romance out of Shah Rukh.
Shah Rukh Khan, Actor
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