Shahrukh Khan talks about life post IPL

Straight-talking SRK on the state of play: his contribution to the IPL, his refusal to campaign for politician buddies and his equation with Aamir

So his Knights bowed out all too early in this installment of the Indian Premier League, but Shah Rukh Khan has already moved on. The man's funda in life is simple: he's here to entertain, and that's what he's doing post-Billu, post IPL, post all.

King Khan takes you through the reasons why he's still sticking with the producers, with small films and why he's taking advice from Aamir Khan. Read on...

What's your take on the producer-distributor forum and multiplex issue?
Both sides need to understand that neither can move without the other. I think there need to be dialogue between the people who know the details. I am just a spokesperson. I am told what to say and I said it. But having said that, I truly believe that they will not budge till the World T20  is over. Post that we need to have balls to hold the strike for another 60 days. The big film producers have it and I think it will finally help the small film guys as well. Next thing is releasing films in single screens.

In the producers meeting, Aamir took centrestage while you took a back seat. Why?
I think Aamir arranged for everything. He is very actively involved in this. Even now, he texts me everyday to point out some things and then I SMS back with what I feel should be added or taken out and so on. I was supposed to hold fort till I left for the IPL; I did that. There were a few things I was meant to do which I finished and reported back.

So when you and Aamir met for this, didn't you guys talk about whatever you've said about each other in print?
I think it would have been childish, no? He asked me, 'Shah Rukh, should we talk about whatever happened?' I said no, because to be very honest it would have been very juvenile. Whatever I said, I said it with a sense of humour and I would find it very difficult to explain my sense of humour to anyone. If he has taken it seriously then I am immensely sad about it and I would never joke about him. I will find something else to joke about now. I think I will joke only about myself now.

What do you think went wrong with Billu?
I think it did okay finally. As a producer it did work and I have spoken to some of the distributors and whenever I see my film has fallen short, I return the money. So we worked that out so it does well for everyone. It was probably made at a couple of crores more than it should have but that's me but I think this was the level of the film.

You did a small film and it didn't work. Will that stop you from doing a similar film again?
Billu started as a small film but look where it got to eventually. Right now, I know what I am doing I am doing a Khan, Raavan, Happy New Year and Don 2, so where is the time to do a small film in between all this? But as a producer, I will make films which will be relatively small with directors like Roshan Abbas and there a couple more of these small films which will be coming out of my banner.

A lot of actors campaigned for different political parties. Were you approached too?
Yes, I have been approached but I will never do it. See I have friends in politics and they asked me but I think it would be wrong of me to speak for someone just because that person is a friend.
Can I promote you because I like you? I don't know how well you do what you do.
There are two issues: I have one with campaigning. I don't know what I am promoting like soap, or a drink or whatever I can sell. But my lack of knowledge about politics is enough of a reason for me to stay away. As it is,  I have my share of controversies without being a part of politics (laughs). Also I have friends from all kinds of parties I love Sonia Gandhi and I love Atal Bihari Bajpyee too I have met them and they have been very nice to me. Similarly someone like Mr Modi... I see him and find him very organised but regardless of all this, do I know how it all works? No. And only on a friendly level to campaign for someone, I think it is too responsible a position to be in I am not deriding Sanju or Salman, God bless them and they must know all this. Thirdly, my going somewhere is only going to bring in the entertainment value, I don't play the cricketer in IPL I bring in the eyeballs just because I am a movie star. Going and asking for votes is not going to ensure that that candidate is going to win, if that was the case then my team would've won every match.

Source:  Mid-day