Ra.One
Shahrukh Khan believes it is time that Bollywoodmade itself more prominent and gave Hollywood some tough competition.
King Khan foresees that Bollywood might be slowly ending into an unpromising future with its number of audiences declining rapidly in the years to come.
This he says is because of the rising popularity of Hollywood films in India. “French, Italian, German and Polish cinemas have already suffered their fates as they lost ground to Hollywood and now it is our turn to end up in the same manner. My son doesn’t think I am cool enough. I am not against Hollywood films. It is just that I want our kids to watch Indian films and to learn from our culture and be proud of it,” says Shahrukh.
He asks why we expect an American superhero to come and save the earth, every time we are faced with a dire crisis. “Why can we not have our own superhero? We have had several in our mythology. I have grown up on comics of “Bahadur”,” said the actor who is playing the role of a superhero, G.One in his upcoming film Ra.One.
The film, he said, signified a new kind of villain, one that was born out of the evils of the digital age. However, the film offers a message too, “Never make a wish, without thinking about it first.”
With great pomp and show, like it used to be once, the music for the film, which is slated for release on Diwali, was launched at the Mumbai Film City. “Chhammak Chhalo” sung by international pop star Akon, was the burning highlight of this dazzling evening. “My son adores him. It was quite surprising how with only three hours of practice, Akon managed to sing the song without a hitch. This goes on to show that the huge size of the Indian audience, makes everyone want to entice them.”
When asked about the condemnation of him using the same buttons when it came to acting, Khan smoothly replied, “The Germans tell me that every time I press a button, Indians begin to cry. It was however different with Ra.One. It was not easy breathing in a superhero suit.”
As for the promotional campaigns, it is the emotional substance that is being highlighted. “It is a bit like an Aziz Mirza film, with a hero, villain and a mother and son caught in the web of happenings. However, once the action gets going, it can be compared to one of the finest in the world. The film may or may not satisfy, but it will certainly be a leading light for Bollywood,” added the Badshah.
He remarked that you couldn’t control emotions and storytelling, but you could definitely conquer technology. He wanted his team to make a superhero film that would stand out. “Our technicians have been offering small services to Hollywood projects, but now we can give them an opportunity to make something big here. Why should only small producers take the risks? I think it is the bigger producers who must show the others the way.”
Ra.One, which is one of the most costly films in the industry, will be released in 2D and 3D with Tamil and Telegu dubbed versions as well. “One of the scenes in the film pays tribute to Rajni Sir, “ says Khan who amazingly had been the first choice for Shankar’s “Robot”, but had declined the offer due to a few creative disparities.
Not wanting any controversial hype about the film, Shahrukh Khan smiled, “We have seen many mother and son films, now it’s time for a father and son duo. I would request you to see the film with a clean heart as it is made with a clean heart.”
