Refusals Of An Escapist

Unlike the promotional material suggests, Sudhir Mishra’s Inkaar isn’t as confusing with its premise. No, it’s not about sexual harassment at work; it’s not about the dark practices inside an advertising agency; and it is definitely not about giving a message. Inkaar boldly tells a tale of love that is hurdled only by strong ambition. It sees the return of Mishra’s muse Chitrangda Singh along with a surprising male lead in Arjun Rampal.

Through a non-linear narrative that oscillates between a sexual harassment court hearing in the present and several instances from the past that are referred to by those involved. Yes, reminds you instantly of what you saw in Social Network, a couple of years ago. But the flow of the screenplay keeps you glued to it without focusing on the inspiration. The treatment fits the plot very well, especially the element where the audience isn’t exterior to the film, but a part of it. Deepti Naval, who plays a social worker who is presiding over the case, becomes the representative of the audience. Her roles and responsibilities where she has to process all the facts before passing a judgment makes you do the same and her dilemma is your dilemma. Inkaar forces you to think and judge the characters’ actions and makes you take sides before ultimately ridding you off all those responsibilities by dumping a conclusion upon you.

Arjun Rampal plays Rahul Varma, a CEO of an advertising agency and recruits Maya Luthra (Chitrangda) who is a prodigy. He trains her, makes her able and while their professional relationship grows, romance also grows under its skin. But Maya’s ambitions exceed all other priorities and the couple fall out of favour with one another. Then begins a saga of bitterness where both parties get hurt and just when the situation reaches boiling point, the film turns off the stove. Mishra builds a strong plot, strong characters and takes the story to a high point, but ends it like an escapist. An ending that might not appeal to a lot of people, Inkaar leaves you wanting a different conclusion to a problem that demands more than a passive submission. The battle between love and ambition, at least in the context of the film, should not have ended in a ceasefire.

Chitrangda Singh shows glimpses of her potential in certain scenes. Her character of Maya, whose journey through seven years is shown in the film, ages well and portrays a 22-year-old girl with equal conviction as a 30-year-old-woman, who is a national creative director of an ad agency. Sadly for Arjun Rampal, the aging through years happens only on paper. He fails to bring the necessary changes in his body language in an otherwise satisfactory performance. With Vipin Sharma and Deepti Naval in important supporting roles, the overall cast ensemble does a good job.

With a terrific first half, Inkaar takes you into the interval on a high, it raises your hopes and makes you wait for an equally intense second half. Unfortunately, the second half only begins where it left and ends up like a completely different film. The typical Sudhir Mishra twist does provide a satisfactory solution which is a grammatically correct full stop for a film. However, as a viewer, one might feel that Inkaar is a sentence that is correct, but just doesn’t sound right.

Rating - 2.5 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on January 20, 2013

Samba Magic on Screen

If you are a football fan, who has vivid memories of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, you most certainly remember the moment when a lofted shot from over the half line beat the out of position David Seaman and hit the net. Yes, that was Ronaldinho's doing. If that is too old a reference for you, you might recollect the time he knocked Chelsea out of the Champions' League in '04 - '05 with an unconventional toe-punt which stunned more than just the Chelsea defence. Yes, the legend of Ronaldinho, which when literally translated means Little Ronaldo, is a major chapter in football history. However, the Olympic medalist and World Cup winner, who has been a real-life hero for many, is now planning to become a reel-life hero.

In a film that is to be released in lieu of the next FIFA World Cup in 2014, Ronaldinho stars in and as R-10. The animated film co-produced by Bala Entertainment (from the group that owns Venky's and Blackburn Rovers), has the lead character inspired from Ronaldinho's on-field heroics. It will see the footballer showcase his skills in football to fight off aliens and save the world. "It is a dream come true for me. I am honored to be chosen as the athlete to play the part of the hero in the film and I hope it does well when it releases," he says while talking to the press on his recent visit to Pune. The film has brought the football legend to the country as the venture is half Indian. Ronaldinho, who is in India for the first time, has already fallen in love with it. "I love India. I want to see a lot more and I want to visit again and again. If possible, I would love to buy a house here and make it my second home," he says.

Ronaldinho, 32, who plays professional football at Atletico Mineiro in the Brazilian League, is in the twilight of his career. After spending some illustrious years in Europe playing for Barcelona and AC Milan, he is way past his prime and is now at a stage where he is closer to being a player you'd love to have in your history books, but not your team sheet. And like many footballers before him, who tried their hand at something other than football, Ronaldinho is trying his hand at films.

We have seen players like Vinnie Jones, the British footballer who made a name in Hollywood as the stereotype hooligan with a British accent, Eric Cantona, who made his film debut in Looking for Eric and we have seen a lot of footballers like Pele, Beckham, Zidane, Ronaldo and many more play cameos in films like Goal, Escape to Victory and the likes.

Some have succeeded and some have failed miserably. For Ronaldinho, 2014 will be the time he finds out his fate. "I would love to be a part of the team that plays the 2014 world cup and at the same time I am looking forward to the film doing well," he optimistically states.

But for a player whose only role in the team in 2014 can be that of a relic, the dream seems too far-fetched. However, if we know Ronaldinho for anything, it is the fact that he is an artiste and has a charm in whatever he does. But whether that means he can replicate the unscripted brilliance of sport onto the screen, only time can tell.

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on December 30, 2012

Peachy but Preachy

After receiving a tremendous response for his previous films, Natarang and Bal Gandharva, Ravi Jadhav brings Balak Palak to the big screen, a film which tells a story that someone needed to tell. Having recreated the life of a legend in Bal Gandharva and having boldly narrated the struggle of a folk artiste in Natarang, the prodigal son of Marathi cinema digs deep into yet another matter of contemporary parenting concern - how to deal with curious teenagers?

The story revolves around the pubescent curiosities of four teenagers, who stand at the doors of a new experience, which requires one to leave innocence behind. In a crisp and focused narrative, the film covers a lot of aspects involving the matters of sex education, curiosity and the dynamics of a parent-child relationship. Set in sub-urban Mumbai of the 1980s, the film throws light on the typical, cultured, middle-class mindset and quite rationally unveils the transactional relationship paradigm that exists within the family. However, this delicate issue is treated in a very light vein. And nowhere does the humour interfere in the deep and observant presentation of the subject at hand.

We have seen a lot of Marathi films set in an archetypal sub-urban chawl but few get it right. Balak Palak paints a great picture of the culture and the period through its distinctly designed characters. The four teens Bhagya, Avya, Dolly and Chiu, played by Madan Deodhar, Rohit Phalke, Shashwati Pimplikar, Bhagyashree Shankpal, along with their friend Vishu (Prathamesh Parab) are characters that are perfectly designed to take the narrative ahead.

Apart from that, the minor characters like the nosey neighbour Pednekar Kaku (Vishakha Subhedar), the colony elder Kadam Kaka (Kishore Kadam) and the adult video store owner (Satish Taare), all add a little something in creating the setting too. The characters each have a different sense of humour and sensibility which blends very well with the plot.

What the film would have done without, is what many Marathi films get wrong. They start off by trying to tell a story, which they do very well until the end where it becomes necessary for them to give out a message. It shows a lack of confidence the maker has in his audience, which probably would understand the underlying message. There is no need for the characters to have a dialogue among themselves, like Sesame Street puppets, in order to convey a moral. A subtle hint or an open end without the final words being spoken would take the film to a whole new level.

Having said that, a part of what can only be described as the Marathi New Wave; Balak Palak is one of the remarkable films of the day not only in terms of the content, but also its execution. For decades, Marathi cinema has been known for quality content that lacks the proper treatment, but that paradigm shift is a welcome change. Balak Palak is a tightly knit story, based on a fairly unexplored subject that is treated with consistency, not only in terms of its narrative, but also its imagery, cinematography and editing.

If you are a proud Marathi manoos, or just a cinema-holic, this is a good film to watch. If you are a parent at that stage of your life wherein you need to have "the talk" with your child, take them with you and watch it. Have a good laugh, learn a little something, and come out with a great experience. This is good ol' cinema.

Rating - 3.5 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on January 6, 2013

Camping At The Cinema

Remember the first time you saw Lord of the Rings - Return of the King or Lagaan or Apocalypse Now or Jodha Akbar or Mera Naam Joker; and thought to yourself, "man!! I was in there for a long time!!"? All those films will appear like a 10 second TV commercial after learning about the scale of a film made by Swedish pair Erika Magnusson and Daniel Andersson  - artists and initiators of Logistics.

Erika and Daniel have made a documentary with a running time of approximately 35 days and 17 hours (51420 minutes). The idea for this film, which documents a journey, came from a curiosity of how certain appliances and gadgets are made available. 

"In 2008, we came across an article in the German weekly Der Spiegel about an electric toothbrush, whose parts came from 10 different countries. We were fascinated by the complexity of the world economy and that the gadgets that surround us in our daily life come from all over the world. Our seemingly familiar, physical world - what do we really know about it? Could one say it gives us a false sense of familiarity?" says Daniel. The little idea grew into this month-long documentary.

Logistics is produced like a road movie recording the journey from Stockholm to Bao'an in China; from a freight truck, to a freight train, to a container ship and back into freight trucks. Erika says, "It is a documentation of a transport route between Sweden and China. Since the documentation principle is absolute - the trip is shot and screened in real time - this documentary in a sense transcends the boundary of the documentation genre and steps into the art world."

The film has broken the record for being the longest film, formerly held by Modern Times Forever. At 240-hours (10 days), MTF too is a documentary, which highlights centuries of decay, compressed into the span of the film, marking Helsinki's Stora Enso headquarters building. "In a direct sense, Logistics is about consumption and time. In a wider sense, it is about the complexity of our society, and our possibility or inability to understand it," Daniel explains. He also adds, "We sometimes think of the film material as poetry. Watching the film in its real-time tempo makes the journey seem almost endless, and might be perceived as a state of mind as well as a physical transportation. The waves moving, the sun rising and setting, the dark nights - the picture is contemplative and beautiful."

There are other lengthy experimental films _ some like the aptly titled The Cure for Insomnia (1987, 5220 minutes) and The Longest Most Meaningless Movie in the World (1968, 2880 minutes). But none have crossed the 10-day mark, at least not in recorded history. Although, if the footage recorded from one CCTV camera is considered to be a movie, we could very well have year-long and decade-long films. Alfred Hitchcock once said, "The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder." If that is true, these films are going to require the audience to evolve into people with massive bladders.

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on January 3, 2013

** Watch this space for the longer version of the interview with Daniel and Erika

On Screen in 2013

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

Ranbir Kapoor, after his much-appreciated performance in Barfi!, has two movies slotted for release this year. Apart from Abhinav Kashyap's Besharam, he will be joining forces with two very interesting colleagues. Being directed by Ayan Mukerji, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, which releases on May 31, will see Ranbir work with Ayan after the successful and fresh Wake Up! Sid. Ranbir will also share screen space with ex-flame Deepika Padukone. Their personal history aside, whether the duo will be able to recreate the chemistry on screen is a question that needs to be asked. But between that film and this, Ranbir has definitely charted an impressive career graph, with films like Rockstar, Rocket Singh and Barfi!, which has set him apart from his contemporaries.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

For a country that is known to forget its heroes, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is one of the rare reminders of one such hero, the Flying Sikh, Milkha Singh. After the reception Tigmanshu Dhulia's Paan Singh Tomar received, it is fair to say that the life of Milkha Singh will definitely draw audience into the theatres. Rang De Basanti director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra returns to the helm after Teen They Bhai. Farhan Akhtar's astonishing resemblance to the Olympian, captured by legendary cinematographer Binod Pradhan adds real value to the film. And with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Prasoon Joshi's hit music and lyrics combo, the film seems to have got it all right before the release. Looks like Milkha may not fall short of a medal this time around.

Nautanki Saala

Slotted for an April release, this Rohan Sippy film is a hilarious real-life drama. Built around the journey of two central characters and a comedy of errors that befalls them, it appears to be a breath of fresh air that one needs when the summer gets unbearable. Starring Ayushmaan Khurana, who amused us with his Vicky Donor performance, and Kunaal Roy Kapur, who has shown tremendous potential and brilliant comic timing in Delhi Belly, in the roles of Ram Parmar and Mandar Lele respectively, Nautanki Saala has the potential of becoming one of this year's best comedies. Whether it is or not, time will tell.

David

Bejoy Nambiar, known primarily for his out-of-the-box film Shaitan, returns with what looks like an equally fascinating film. From the trailers, it projects an image of yet another well-crafted film. The plot revolves around three main characters, all named David, who are about to take a decision that is going to change their life forever. The leads are played by Vikram, who we know from Mani Ratnam's Raavan, Neil Nitin Mukesh, who was at his best in his debut film Johnny Gaddaar and Vinay Virmani, the Canadian-Indian actor from Speedy Singhs. This web of intrigue will open to audiences on the first day of February.

Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola

Releasing next week, this Vishal Bhardwaj movie marks his return after 7 Khoon Maaf, a film that received fairly mixed responses. However, if the quirky trailers are not enough to get you excited to watch this film, maybe this will -- Pankaj Kapoor collaborates with Bhardwaj after a long gap, and a pair that gave Indian cinema two gems in Maqbool and Blue Umbrella. To add to that, the film also brings with it a chance for Imran Khan to catapult his career graph that has been quite inconsistent.

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on January 5, 2013

Hungover Master

The veteran actor-director Jackie Chan, who made his place in the world of cinema with his action flicks and humorous presentations that built an image of China as a country where everyone can walk on tight-ropes, returns with Chinese Zodiac 12, a film that can be seen as a continuation to the Armour of God franchise.

As a stand-alone film, Chinese Zodiac 12 has nothing new per se. It is same old Jackie Chan with the same old stunts that only he could pull off in a fresh setting and for a partially different purpose. This time around, he is a mercenary who is in search for a set of lost mystical artefacts from China.

The 12 bronze heads of animals that form the Chinese Zodiac, that were stolen by the invading British and French colonisers, are now being sought after by the antique collectors from across the globe and Jackie has been hired to retrieve these items by the corporation that auctions them. So, Jackie and his troupe embark on a journey to retrieve all the 12 artefacts, during which he is faced with hounds, pirates and a lot more.

Its typical plot and narrative structure means that the plot points occur at regular intervals just as you expect them. And the USP of the film, which are its action sequences, are nothing but distant reminders of Jackie Chan's previous films. To add to it, the novelty value that Jackie added to his films by doing all the stunts himself, takes a beating with the arrival of high-end graphics. Although most of hand-to-hand combat is still a choreographed routine that he does himself, the more advanced stunts have been visibly done in front of the blue screen.

Chinese Zodiac 12 is mildly entertaining and is recommended for a mindless leisurely activity. But that is all the stimulation one can expect from the film. Jackie Chan is no more the Drunken Master he once was, he is now, albeit a little hungover, a legend.

Rating - 2 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on january 5, 2013

Truth of a Lie

It tries to be a thriller, it tries to build suspense, it tries to pump up the adrenaline, it tries to surprise you, it tries to introduce you to a problem and it fails miserably on all the accounts. Aditya Datt's Table No. 21 is a film that wants to make a point and does eventually make it, but by the time it does, you would have already lost interest.

Critically acclaimed for his performance in Aamir and applauded for his role in Shaitaan; Rajeev Khandelwal stars opposite model-actor Tena Desae as a mediocre couple, Vivaan and Siya, who win a lucky trip to Fiji and find themselves playing a game conducted by one Mr Khan (Paresh Rawal). The game of truth, which has a prize money of Rs21 crores, requires Vivaan and Siya to truthfully answer eight yes-no questions and complete the tasks associated with each of the questions. The only catch being that they cannot quit the game and the only binding rule, "If you lie...you die."

Your mind makes the subconscious association of Rajeev Khandelwal and lie detectors to a similar television show which he used to host; and that, when combined with a few stunts from poorly scripted reality shows, is the resultant plot of the game that is Table No. 21. 

By now, you must have realised that the number 21 has got some significance; precisely the point the film tries to make. It is simply the longest and most uninteresting anti-ragging PSA (public service announcement) which highlights Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, that entails a person's right to protection of life and personal liberty. However, the game, which is used as a metaphor for the atrocities and trauma caused by the violation of the fundamental right is too loose and doesn't blend well throughout.

The inconsistent narrative, coupled with mediocre imagery and unnecessary cuts, leaves you irritated by the time the film goes the ill-timed interval. The dialogues are too suggestive and appear too crafted and unnatural. Rajeev Khandelwal tries his best to deliver a flawless performance but there's only so much an actor can do with a bad script. Tena Desae, who is a household face, thanks to TV commercials, is tolerable on screen only for the duration of a TV commercial. Paresh Rawal's intriguing character is not half as mystical as his Baba Bangali in No Smoking. His unusual hairstyle, for which the film gives a subtle explanation in the end, isn't enough to establish him as a fearsome bad guy and his repetitive catch-phrases and untimely shayari add to the ridicule. 

Table No. 21 is a noble thought, but is poorly crafted and fails as a drama on more levels than one. The least that can be expected from such superficial attempts at spreading awareness is some craft and Aditya Datt's film lacks that. If you are looking to spend some quality time at the cinemas this weekend, go through all your options before you choose this. Remember, once you enter, you can't quit, apparently.

Rating - 1 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on January 5, 2013

Justice Denied

The modern proverb that says "Don't judge a book by its movie" fits Christopher McQuarrie's Jack Reacher perfectly. Based on One Shot, the ninth book in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child, the film is an example of yet another novel that didn't quite carry its soul onto the screen.

The film begins well and draws you into the premise where a sharp shooter kills five random people and leaves behind a series of evidences which lead to the easy arrest of the wrong guy. The first 10-15 minutes raise a lot of questions which are answered in two words - Jack Reacher. The fearless drifter decides to help Helen, the attorney of the accused, thus entering a web of intrigue which leads them to finding something irregular about what was clearly a psychotic mass murder. However, having seen a lot of crime fiction over the years, some sequences in the film become a tad dull and uninteresting to look at. A simplistic chase sequence, the female lead being taken hostage and a fist fight with the toughest bad guy all lead to a stereotypical action film that is made two decades too late.

 

The screenplay, which is based on a dense crime thriller is very cluttered and comes across as trying too hard to give out information. At the same time, what doesn't work for the story, which was a bestseller once upon a time, is the fact that it was in fact once upon a time. The intriguing character of Jack Reacher, an untraceable ex-army-police officer, with no background records has lost its charm in our world where it requires much more than quirks and mystique to be accepted as a hero. Jack who wears only one pair of clothes until they wear off and his peculiar no luggage, no baggage philosophy is frankly too outlandish for today's sensibilities.

Value addition to this average thriller is done by the presence of notable actors in the ensemble cast. The film has superstar Tom Cruise, bond girl Rosamund Pike, Robert Duvall of Godfather and Apocalypse Now fame and the legendary Werner Herzog. However, between a Robert Duvall who is a vague reminder of a charismatic actor he once was, a misused Herzog, an eye candy in Pike -- who shows her cleavage from time to time to establish her presence, and whatever little is left of Tom Cruise, the film falters in its entirety. What Cruise's screen presence comes across as very unintelligent and some of his dialogues are unintentionally funny.

Jack Reacher is an action film alright, but it would be wrong to call it a thriller, as it fails miserably in causing any thrill, per se. All in all, it is one of those cluttered and unwieldy crime-action-mystery films that offers a little more entertainment than most other films based on books that are cluttered and unwieldy crime-action-mystery novels.

Rating - 2.5 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on December 29, 2012 

Of Hope, Belief and Magic

"We are really busy spreading joy to the children in this world; we have no time for…children," exclaims, Santa Claus, in the voice of Alec Baldwin summarising the message of this Peter Ramsey film which is based on William Joyce’s book series The Guardians of Childhood and The Man in the Moon, a short film by Joyce. Rise of the Guardians is a fascinating re-interpretation of a children’s fable with a super-hero twist, a delightful hybrid that makes it one of the better animated films of this year.

Designed specifically with one desired audience in mind, the film will appeal to children instantly. That is fairly average for any animated film that shows Santa Claus, Sandman, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny and Jack Frost to be larger-than-life characters with a superhero’s aura. However, the success of the film lies in connecting not only to children but to the child in all of us. Incredibly humorous and mildly emotional, at the right places of course, this film plays at some chords deep within your heart, as it tells you to believe in the good and protect it against all your fears.

The story begins when Jack Frost, the spirit of winter, is called upon to join an elite group of children’s mascots that protect the childhood and innocence. The Guardians, which include St North (better known as Santa Claus), the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and the Easter Bunny, have a task at hand as the notorious Bogeyman is back to wipe out all positivity and spread horror in the minds of all the children in the world. Yes, like The Avengers. The Guardians, have to stop him, failing which would lead children to stop believing in any of them. However, unlike The Avengers, Rise of the Guardians has potential to end up becoming one of those family favourites; anecdotes from which are cited at dinner tables and get-togethers. Yes, like The Polar Express.

Although the film has nothing exceptional, it has a heart of gold and characters that are too cute to stay out of love with for long. Apart from a minor materialistic comment that children require gifts and Easter eggs and toys to keep believing in the miracle of Christmas; it has a simple sequence of events which leave you with a pleasant feeling in the end. That being said, the emotionally overwhelming moments in this DreamWorks’ film fall short of spreading across all the corners of your heart, something which Pixar’s animations has a mastery in. The creative visuals, the tiny details add value to the narrative which is like a simple connect-the-dots puzzle that produces the image of a magnificent palace.

Chris Pine as Jack Frost, Jude Law as the Bogeyman, Isla Fisher as Tooth Fairy, Hugh Jackman as Easter Bunny and Alec Baldwin as North, have put their souls into their respective characters; making the word ‘animation’ live up to its meaning of ‘bringing life to an inanimate object’. The casting is perfect so as to fit the characterisation, so much so that the Easter Bunny with a boomerang sounds so convincingly Australian that no one other than Hugh Jackman could have done justice to it. A special mention has to be made about the character of Sandy, the Sandman, which doesn’t say a word throughout the movie and is hence unrepresented in the cast list. The character is adorable and exists only digitally, but feels as real as the rest of them.

A film that will be known for its spirit and remembered by its characters, Rise of the Guardians is a welcome change for animation films in the future. The point this film has made is that there are other ways than dishing out action figures of central characters at fast food joints to make children remember it.

Rating - 3.5 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on December 23, 2012

King's Speech - An Interaction With Shah Rukh Khan

The journey of a thousand miles, it is said, begins with a single step. For Shah Rukh Khan, the undisputed king of Bollywood, the journey has been long and eventful. The first step of his journey, which saw him act in over 75 films on the large screen, was on the small screen where he made his debut in Fauji. Shah Rukh's association with the most beloved piece for furniture in every household (read television) has only grown since.

Having acted in Circus, Wagle ki Duniya, Dil Dariya and many other TV series in the early stages of his career, Shah Rukh has since hosted Kaun Banega Crorepati and Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hain?. His relation with television goes back many a days. Speaking at the launch of Zee Cine Awards, Shah Rukh was visibly happy at the 20 years of Zee, and said, "It is a great achievement. We were present at the inception of Zee, which was India's first satellite channel. It was a time when the idea that something like this could be created and presented to the people was quite unbelievable."

Acknowledging the past glory of the medium, Shah Rukh also envisioned a future for film actors to collaborate into television ventures. "Yes, there have been many occasions where film stars have hosted TV shows but I absolutely don't mind acting in a TV series. The trend is already present in the US where big film stars venture into TV series. Ultimately, we like to tell stories and if a good story is waiting to be told, why would we have a problem?" says the King.

Khan who has more than a billion fans across the world has surfaced as more than just an actor. He is a shrewd businessman who has invested and indulged in all spheres of his interest. Owner of an IPL team and a production house, Shah Rukh has also invested in Red Chillies VFX, a wing of Red Chillies that specifically deals with special effects. "I believe that we are capable of competing with the international standards in terms of graphics and visual effects. We have the machinery and the skill to deliver quality output at an affordable price and visual effects is the way ahead," he says. Speaking about the prevalent mediocrity, he adds, "It is sad that we are okay with what we have. We are okay with our stunts being filmed with the harness visible. That isn't acceptable to me. We must strive for excellence and we are doing that. Ra.One was an attempt at doing that and right now we are working on Krrish 3 too."

But all his interests aside, King Khan says that it is acting that makes him happy. The veteran actor, known across the fraternity for his energy, says that he wants to act as long as he can. "I remember a time, a few years ago when I was frustrated on a shoot due to too much work. Saroj Khan approached me then and told me to leave all the whining for when I am out of work and to soak it all in while it lasts. That's what I have been doing," says Shah Rukh, who is currently shooting Rohit Shetty's next film, Chennai Express. "I try to complete at least two films a year and fit in another half, maybe. The past few years have been a little slow because of my injury but I try to make up for it and enjoy what I do," he adds.

Shah Rukh's bio-data has a list of awards and laurels that gives the amount of work he has done a run for its money. Explaining his distinctive opinion on the awards, "I like all kinds of awards and like all of them. I have received a fresh face award, a power award and what not! Like other kids ask their fathers what toy he brought them today; my kids ask me what award I got home," he humorously states. On a serious note though, he adds, "Viewers' choice awards are great for the popular cinema and then there are critics awards which acknowledge some special performances that would miss out because of the star system that dominates the popular category awards. But we are artists and all we need is applause, no matter where it comes from."

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on December 22, 2012