Didn't imagine staying in films so long: Shah Rukh Khan

Superstar Shahrukh Khan on Sunday said he never imagined that he would be able to survive in the film industry for such a long time - a good 21 years - and ascribed his long innings to greater opportunities available in the country now.

"Because our country is progressing so fast, a lot of people like me, who perhaps don't even deserve it, get a lot more opportunities than what actors and stars got in years past," the star, who just received the prestigious Chubb fellowship by the Yale University in the US, said.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the first phase of Prayag Film City here in West Midnapore district as the brand ambassador of the film city.

"I come from a lower middle class background and for the last 30 years it has been my habit to work for 18-20 hours a day. Through my hard work I try to make the life of my family better," he said.

Asked if he was drifting towards entrepreneurship from acting, SRK said he considers himself just as an actor.

"I am hardly an entrepreneur. I don't even think of myself as a star. I only try to make a difference in the world with my acting," he said.

Describing acting and sports as two of his passions, he said, "Whatever I do, promotions and other things, they are offshoots and ancilliaries".

Emphasising the importance of a film city, he said he had always wondered why a country like India, which makes the largest number of films worldwide, does not have world-class infrastructure and facilities.

source: http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_didn-t-imagine-staying-in-films-so-long-shah-rukh-khan_1676230

It was nice, as it always happens: Shah Rukh

Unfazed by his detention at a New York airport by US immigration authorities for a couple of hours, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, joked about the incident later at Yale University, where he was honoured as a Chubb Fellow.

Khan, who has millions of fans in India and around the world, was detained at New York's White Plains airport, about 35 miles from New York, when he arrived Thursday on a private plane along with Nita Ambani, wife of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani.

While Ambani, whose student daughter Isha is president of the South Asian Society at the university, and the rest of their group were cleared immediately, Khan was allowed to go only after his hosts intervened and took up the issue with the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, according to sources.

Later talking to students, Khan, dressed in a chic black suit thanked Ambani for getting him to the US after a long flight. Then he was "detained at the airport as always", said Khan adding with a smile, "It was nice, as it always happens."

"Whenever I start feeling too arrogant about myself, I always take a trip to America. The immigration guys kicked the star out of stardom," he said.

But he always has his "small victories" even in such circumstances, said Khan, who was detained at New York's Newark International airport in August 2009 too when he arrived to take part in an Independence Day event in Chicago.

"They (immigration officials) always ask me how tall I am and I always lie and say 5 feet 10 inches. Next time I am going to get more adventurous. (If they ask me) What colour are you, I am going to say white," he said.

However, he made no mention of the incident during a press conference or his lecture to a capacity crowd as he spoke to them about success and failure and how to live life to the fullest.

Encouraging young people to find fulfilment in creativity, to learn to laugh at themselves and to never become cynical about their lives, he said: "Failure is a fiendish friend that can lead to success by teaching one to be pragmatic, to work harder, and to be true to oneself."

But sources said Khan's detention at White Plains airport had caused "tense" moments for Khan and his team as they were "struggling" to get the situation sorted out.

Later, after the intervention by the Indian consulate here, the US Customs and Border Protection authorities expressed "profound" apology in a letter to the mission.

Khan's name was "flagged" in the system and airport people needed approval of 'senior' authorities to clear him, it clarified.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/It-was-nice-as-it-always-happens-Shah-Rukh/articleshow/12652520.cms?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=tweets

Shah Rukh Khan's detention: US apologises, India talks tough

 The US customs and border protection authorities have expressed "profound" apologies for the Shahrukh Khan detention incident.

However, taking the incident seriously, external affairs minister SM Krishna has asked the Indian ambassador to US Nirupama Rao to take up the matter with the authorities.

Reacting strongly to the detention, Krishna said it has become a policy of detention and apology by the US which cannot continue.

Earlier, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan was detained at a New York airport for over two hours by immigration officials after arriving from India in a private plane with Nita Ambani, to address students at Yale University here.

While Nita, wife of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, and the rest of their group were cleared immediately, Khan was stopped and was given immigration clearance only after about two hours, sources told PTI.

46-year-old Khan was to address a press conference at 2pm and deliver his lecture at 4pm at the Yale University.

However, he arrived for the press meet three hours behind schedule and his hour-long lecture started at about 6pm.

"Whenever I start feeling too arrogant about myself, I always take a trip to America. The immigration guys kicked the star out of stardom," Khan said with some sarcasm addressing the students at the University.

He added that he always has his "small victories" even in such circumstances.

"They (immigration officials) always ask me how tall I am and I always lie and say 5 feet 10 inches. Next time I am going to get more adventurous. (If they ask me) What colour are you, I am going to say white," Khan said.

Earlier, when informed about Khan being held up at the White Plains airport in New York, Yale University officials "contacted and spoke with officials at the Department of Homeland Security and Department of US Immigration and Customs in Washington," the sources said.

They added that Khan was "very very upset" at the episode and it "took time for the university officials to make him comfortable again."

The actor, who is scheduled to fly back to India later on Friday night, visited Connecticut-based Yale University, which had conferred him with its prestigious Chubb fellowship.

As part of the fellowship, Khan addressed a gathering of hundreds of Yale students, parents, faculty and other members of the Indian-American community at the Yale campus.

Before beginning his address to the students, Khan, dressed in a chic black suit, said that it had been a long flight and thanked Ambani for getting him to the US.

Ambani's daughter Isha is a student at Yale and is also president of the South Asian Society at the university.

Khan went on to say that he was "detained at the airport as always."

"It was nice, as it always happens," Khan said with a slight smile even as students in the audience gave out a large sigh and booed the US authorities when they heard Khan telling them he was detained.

While Khan told the students he was stopped for about an hour and a half, sources said he was at the airport for over two hours.

They said he told them that this is not the first time he has been stopped at an airport in the country and this has happened to him "three to four times before."

The most recent one was in 2009 when Khan was detained at the Newark Airport in New Jersey.

Khan had said at the time he was detained for nearly two hours at the Newark International Airport because of his last name.

The private plane carrying Khan, Ambani and their group landed at White Plains Airport, which is about 53 kilometres from Manhattan, at around 12:45 in the afternoon.

Sources said while everyone with him cleared immigration soon, he was stopped and had to wait till 2:30pm before he was cleared by the immigration.

The sources said since the White Plains airport is a small facility, everyone who was with Khan waited together for him to get his clearance.

The detention had caused "tense" moments for Khan and his team, who sources said were "struggling" to get the situation sorted out.

Khan did not mention anything about the detention during the nearly 20 minute press conference.

Members of his team as well as the university officials too did not talk about the reasons for his detention.

When contacted, Khan said through a member of his team that he would not make any comments on the episode.

The person said Khan stressed that the American immigration officials "kick the star out of stardom," adding that the episode had left a bad taste. 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Shah-Rukh-Khans-detention-US-apologises-India-talks-tough/articleshow/12648019.cms?prtpage=1

Shah Rukh Khan to become Yale's Chubb Fellow

Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan will join the roster of Yale University's Chubb Fellows, one of the Ivy League institution's highest honours, on April 12 for promoting human ideals through art. Through his films and his philanthropy Khan has been among his generation's most important examples of the power of art to promote higher human ideals and aspirations, the Chubb Fellowship noted. Chubb Fellowship roster has included heads of states, Nobel Prize winners, and leaders from every area of human endeavour who have inspired Yale students to see service to the public good as the highest calling to which a global citizen can aspire. Former Chubb Fellows include Presidents George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter; authors Octavio Paz, Carlos Fuentes and Toni Morrison; filmmaker Sofia Coppola; architect Frank Gehry; choreographer Mikhail Baryshnikov; and journalist Walter Cronkite. Established in 1936, through the generosity of Hendon Chubb (Yale College Class of 1895), the programme is based in Timothy Dwight College, one of Yale's residential colleges. Each year three or four distinguished men and women have been appointed as visiting Chubb Fellows. Chubb Fellows spend their time at Yale in close, informal contact with students and deliver a public lecture. Khan has acted in over seventy Hindi films. He has won fourteen Filmfare Awards from thirty nominations for his work in Indian films. Eleven of the films he has acted in have accumulated worldwide gross earnings of over $1 billion dollars. As part of his visit, Khan will also speak to the Yale community and the general public at an event April 12.



http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/showbiz/bollywood/shah-rukh-khan-become-yales-chubb-fellow-140

Wish Charu gets well soon, will go and see her: Shah Rukh Khan

Ra.One animator Charu Khandal is battling for life after meeting with an accident on March 25. She was commuting in an autorickshaw when a drunk Honda City driver hit her. After days of her accident, superstar Shah Rukh Khan told NDTV, "It is very unfortunate and I will go and see her. I wish she gets well soon."  

Inconsolable, Charu's father doubts she will recover. "I am not sure whether my daughter will survive. All I want to say is that I am not happy that the driver has been given bail," he told NDTV.

"I am sure about the driver that he was drunk," said eyewitness Abhishek Deyy.

Concurs Charu's sister, "After this decision anybody can drink and drive and then pay Rs 5000 to get out of the situation," she told NDTV.

Ra.One animator Charu Khandal

"Charu's condition is very critical...she has broken her survical bone. The doctors are waiting for a couple of days to let her be stable, to be able to operate her. She's a strong girl. And we're hopeful," says Charu's fiance Sagar Thakkar, who looked visibly upset.

Molly Singh, Charu's friend is sure her friend will survive. "She's very strong, after her accident she called her fiance and told him about the whole incident. I am very impressed by the way she is going about it. She told me that we will party very soon. I am sure she'll rock," she said.

Espa Lepcha, another friend of Charu feels something is wrong with the way things are moving, "I will definitely go to the police. Today when we went to the station, they said blood report is not with them. Somewhere or the other some big fish is playing all the game," she said.

The mishap took place in the early hours of Sunday around 1 am, when the 28-year-old victim was returning home in the auto with her sister Ritu and friend Vikrant Goyal.

Manoj Gautam, who was behind the wheels of the car was arrested on Sunday for rash and negligent driving. He was subsequently granted bail, police added.

Source:  http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/831891.aspx

http://www.bollywoodlife.com/style/shahrukh-khan-is-shocked/

The Baadshah of Bollywood speaks his mind without saying a word on the latest cover of a society magazine. We wonder what is troubling the most successful man of B-town…

Gracing the cover of OK! magazine, Shahrukh Khan's square-in-the-eye gaze certainly sets the otherwise cool frame on fire.The thoughtful Khan adopts an unconventional pose for a man. But then SRK is different, isn't he? He can turn the conventional rules on their heads, even for a picture! Everything about this cover is just perfect. Surprisingly, not a strand out of place for the actor who almost always likes to keep it messy, scruffy and real. Though this cover shot looks sun-drenched and has certain warmth about it, SRK looks like he is in a pensive mood. "I get shocked at what is written about me," roars the strap- line. Looks like Shahrukh is getting a bit defensive here. We would like to guess that SRK is talking about his alleged link up with Priyanka Chopra or his infamous punch-gate episode, or maybe both.

Dressed in a light mauve full-sleeved T-shirt with a collared amber tee beneath, SRK keeps the colour-coding linear by wearing stone-washed jeans. A black chronograph on his wrist completes the look. We loved the ambience SRK is nestled in. It gives a homely feeling with those cushions placed in the background, a nearly perfect setting for a heart-to-heart talk. But what stands out the most is the fine blend of brightness (which SRK is unmistakably known for) and the understated somberness that is created by using SRK's reflective eyes.Pretty impressive!

source: http://www.bollywoodlife.com/style/shahrukh-khan-is-shocked/

I am an actor, I love to act: Shah Rukh Khan

 Behind the scenes of a commercial, the Badshah of Bollywood -- Shah Rukh Khan -- recently revealed his larger than life dreams.

Letting out his secret formula for stardom, SRK said, "I still want to make it larger and I dream of how to do it everyday."

A modest SRK also spoke about his love for his craft.

"I am an actor, I love to act. I don't care about how big or small the canvas may be," he said.

Shah Rukh, it seems, knows how to remain the undisputed king of hearts.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/i-am-an-actor-i-love-to-act-srk/1/177422.html