Anupama Chopra on King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan
By kamla bhatt • Jul 20th, 2007Category: Bollywood, Books and Authors, Entertainment, India, San Francisco/Silicon Valley, Video
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Film critic and author Anupama Chopra talks about her new book King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan. I sat down with Anu in a car because that was the only quiet spot we could get in Manhattan to find out about the book and King Khan.
An outsider to the Hindi film industry it was raw ambition and hard work that drove Shah Rukh Khan to succeed and become a superstar. Read the book to find out how Shah Rukh rose through the ranks to became a superstar in the Indian film industry.
We also have a short video clip of our interview with Anu.
Anu is married to Hindi film director and producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra. She lives in Mumbai with her family.
Technorati tags: anupama chopra, king khan, shah rukh khan, bollywood, king of bollywood, hindi films
Kamla Bhatt is the host and producer of an Internet Radio show where listeners can find stories about the new and emerging India and the global Indian community. As a pioneer of 'internet radio' format in India Kamla started her first show News about India, followed by TalkNewsIndia in 2005. In 2006 she premiered her new show: The Kamla Bhatt Show: Life, People and Ideas. 
[...] You can listen to the interview here. Technorati tags: anupama chopra, king khan, shah rukh khan, bollywood, king of bollywood, hindi films No comments for Podcast: Anupama Chopra on King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan » [...]
I love how she speaks of Shahrukh Khan.He truly is a man of excellence.Wishing her good luck for the book and very eager to get my hands on it as soon as possible.
Where can I watch the video clip of you and anu?
Rida: The book gives a pretty good backgrounder of the growth of the Indian cinema and the rise of Shah Rukh. Hope you get to read it. Glad that you enjoyed the show. We have another episode with Anu, where she talks about Bollywood.
Sharuk: Sorry about the lack of link to the video…I have corrected it and you can watch the video now.
Thanks both of you for listening to the show.
Kamla
Kamla,
I spent a curious and pleasant few minutes listening to this podcast this Sunday.
Normally I don’t comment on Bollywood posts and podcasts.
But I will make an exception this time.
I look forward to this book as Shah Rukh is my favorite Khan.
I am proud of my ability.
What ability?
Long, long ago, I took one look at this Fauji guy and I remember telling my wife, that we have a winner in this young pup. I predicted confidently “He will go far, Wait and see”
His future performances and progress exceeded my wildest expectations.
His greatest and latest achievement was in successfully filling a void that no one thought was possible.
I am talking of the continued success of the KBC TV show after Shah Rukh took over.
I told myself. This is his acid test. He came out with flying colours.
I don’t have too many idols in this film world.
I am choosy and my choice is not the popular choice.
My matinee idols are:
1)Kamala Hasan for Tamil films, and Shah Rukh Khan for Hindi films.
Among the seniors:
In Tamil films, I rate Shivaji Ganesan highly except for his tendency to be theatrical while delivering his dialogues. In Hindi films, it’s of course The Big B
In Tamil films, I am unable to understand the fan following that Rajnikaant has.
I am no fan of his. He hams. Mannerisms may go down well with the masses. But I have other tastes.
Even wild horses will not succeed in dragging me to the movie halls to see his “Sivaji the boss”.
I’m not saying Rajni is not capable.
Many years ago, as a young man, I accidentally entered a movie hall screening one of his films.
This was probably one of his biggest flops but I rated it very highly.
He was simply brilliant in a double role as father and son.
The film had no dishoom dishoom or stunt scenes.
It was a heart wrenching family drama and Rajni simply lived his roles.
I still remember the name of the film.
It was “Engeyo Ketta Kural”.
This film and his debut film with Balachander as Director shows that he has enormous talent.
Not one of his fans wants that talent to be exploited.
They have more use for his “style” and his stiff and jerky mannerisms and his cigarrete popping stunts.
As regards the Khans, there are four of them.
Here is the pecking order in my purely subjective, highly prejudiced and personal opinion.
1)Shah Rukh – My top rated actor. He is simply amazing. None of the other Khans can hold a candle to him. I don’t even want to debate this. Period.
2)Amir – Charming fellow. I like him. I like the guts he displayed when facing his detractors who tried to victimize him on the Narmada Dam affair. I can’t stop watching Lagaan. His other films were not in the same class. But in sheer acting talent, he can’t match Shah Rukh.
3)Saif. What a transformation!. He began as an effeminate sissy, propped up by aristocratic and proud parentage. But he can stand on his own today. I saw his performance in Parineeta and Omkar. Man, he has improved beyond my wildest expections. But he can’t reach standards set by Shah Rukh.
4)Salman. Ugh! Not my choice. Too many negative images cloud my mind. Can any one erase the following images that flash before my mind when you mention his name?
a)A bleeding body of a foot path dweller run over by a recklessly driven Sports Utility Vehicle?
b)The most beautiful face in the world sporting a black eye?
c)The piteous face of an innocent dead black buck with its eyes still open that has just had its throat slit by a blood thirsty “Hunter” who has no guts to hunt lions and tigers and picks on harmless deer instead.
d)A threatening and menacing voice on the telephone talking the language of the Underworld Dons in Mumbai?
Talking of Bollywood, what is this unholy fuss about the letter K?
Must names always begin with K for success?
It was the Kapoors initially who held sway.
The Kumars followed.
Now it is the Khans.
The Hindi TV serials too hang on to the coat-tails of the letter K.
Do you also need the letter K to be a successful blogger and podcaster?
I am talking of Kamla which also begins with a K. Coincidence?
Maybe my fortunes as a commenter on your blogs will improve if I revert to the old long name that I was given as a baby during the naming ceremony to the accompaniment of Vedic chants , viz, “Kaashi”-Vishwanathan, and, which my Dad way back in the fifties shortened to the more cosmopolitan and pan-Indian Vishwanath while admitting me to an English medium school in Mumbai.
Regards
G Vishwanath
JP Nagar, Bangalore.
Thanks for listening to the Bollywood podcast and taking time to leave an exhaustive set of comments that definitely makes you think.
Last comment first about K. Dunno, maybe it is divine intervention or providence that has led to this K phenonmenon (led by Sunita Menon) in the media. Who knows where I am headed with this “k” thing.
Back to the SRK and the four khans. Never saw SRK in Fauji…so I missed the whole thing. I believe I first sawy him in Darr or Baazighar…not sure which one.
The only thing I will offer in defense of Salman Khan is that he is an entertainer and he does bring a smile to my face when I see how seriously he takes himself and his body, and flaunts it everytime. But, yes all those other points you mentioned about the “shirtless wonder” does definitely paint a very different picture of him. A picture tha is quite unattractive.
Saif has been a total surprise transformation and yes he did a great job in Omkara.
On Kamal and Rajni…I have to defend Rajni. He is a hero for the masses and of the massees and I enjoy watching his films. Like I maintain: “Dheemak ghar may chhod kar jane ka hai.” Somehow I have a hard time watching Kamal’s movies, esp the recent ones. I liked his older films with K. Balachander with Sujatha, Saritha etc. But, his later movies…there are very few that I can sit through. Plus when you compare the dance steps of the two…Rajni can still carry it off I think
.
I believe the SRK book will be out sometime in August. If you don’t get it, I will be happy to lend you my copy of the book.
Don’t forget to listen to the part-2 of the interview with Anupama about Bollywood.
Thanks for your feeback.
Kamla
Kamla,
Thanks for your reactions to my comments.
Briefly:
1)You don’t have to rush to Rajni’s defense. I never “attacked” Rajni. I am merely deploring a situation where a talented actor is misused by the Industry for commercial gains. Rajni is a great actor sacrificed at the altar of commerce for the satisfaction of the masses. Kamal is for the the discerning! Recall the last scenes at the Railway station as the train leaves in the Tamil film Moondraam Pirai. Where is another actor who can perform like he did? I don’t see any one other than perhaps Shah Rukh. After watching that scene, for days on end there was lump in my throat. So moved was I by the acting and direction.
2)I am not impressed by Salman. To be idolized, it’s not enough to be a great entertainer. Others are equally good or even better at it. He must be a greater human being than he is. His going shirtless may perhaps make immature and crazy teenage girls swoon.
To impress me, it has to be a person like Mahatma Gandhi who went shirtless for life to empathize with his poor country men.
Salman, is merely a “shirtless wonder”. Gandhi was a shirtless Saint.
I see greater strength in Gandhi’s frail and bony frame than in Salman’s rippling muscles. Anyway, to each, his own.
With apolgies for my old fashioned views and looking forward to part 2 of the podcast and with regards,
G Vishwanath
Vishwanath:
I was not defending “Rajni” not at all…sometimes I am unable to convey the tone and humor in my writing as I can do with voice.
I was merely pointing out the difference betweent the two actors.
Good point about Mahatma Gandhi vis-a-vis our current shirtless wonder.
As always thanks for your clear and lucid thinking and input.
Kamla
[...] In Part-I Anupama spoke about her new book on Shah Rukh Khan. Listen Now: [...]
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If Amitabh Bachhan King of bollywood
Then Srk God of Bollywood