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Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan who is gearing up to treat his fans with his upcoming movie Zero starring Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif, opens up on a variety of issues like the future of entertainment, the pay gap in Bollywood, the brands he endorses, the gizmos he loves, the books he is reading — and loneliness.
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On acting in Hollywood films, he says,”But I have never been offered an opportunity. I don’t even know if I am good enough to do it — I think my English is a little weak (smiles). My own attempt is to make Indian films watched at that level. Again, not taking away from the greatness of anything that others have achieved, I’d like Tom Cruise to say one day that ‘I’ve been given a chance in a Hindi film’. Man, that will be wonderful.”
Since he is an established actor in the Hindi cinema now, he talks about donning the director’s hat but says that there’s still some time for that to happen. “I’m lonely enough as an actor. The director’s job is the loneliest in filmmaking as they are the only ones who know what their film is speaking. So perhaps I’m not ready for that kind of loneliness as yet. If I am to direct, then I have to write as well, which will take me a couple of years. I’ve been trying to write a book for the last 20 years and I haven’t finished that. I’m a little lazy and it will be difficult to really (be a director), but in small ways, I do participate in designing the action. I don’t know how to say ‘okay’ to something. I always feel it can be better — I have trouble letting go. A director’s job of just saying okay and moving on stresses me; how does this person know it’s okay? I will keep on doing things and until I get to understand that it is okay to say okay, I’ll not be a director,” he said to Economic Times.
Since disparity in pay between male and female actors is a talked about issue in Bollywood right now, Shahrukh opens up about that and says, “It’s a male-dominated industry. You can’t shirk it away or ignore it. I would love it to be different. There should be no disparity. A male actor and a female actor should get the same fees — why is it different, I don’t know.”
His children-Suhana Khan recently appeared on the cover of a magazine and very soon may join a career in acting. Doting Daddy speaks on that to say that he can only give them love as a father. In the industry, they have to figure it out themselves. He says, “People’s perception of stardom could be, for example, “Star ka baccha hai, gaadi tez chalata hoga (He’s a star kid, his must be driving really rash).” The great happiness that I give them as a father, the love and education and teachings that I give them and the fact that I work so hard as a father – it’s their responsibility now to live with it and figure it out.”
Shahrukh will be seen in Anushka Sharma–Katrina Kaif-starrer Zero where Salman Khan will also be doing a cameo.
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