I know many of my friends (men) are going to cringe when they read this piece. Rarely have I come across a Shahrukh Khan fan who's a guy. When he first landed in Hindi films, I wondered what the hue and cry was all about. Here was a guy, with a bad hair cut, some pronunciation issues (remember "kkkkkkiran"?) and for all practical reasons (no godfather, not a star-son, television background) no chances of making it big as an actor. Even then, when people told me that the only reason to watch the film 'Deewana' was a song that featured Shahrukh and the now forgotten actress Divya Bharati, I thought it was just hype.
But he did make it big, and how! Its almost twenty years now since his acting debut in the television series 'Fauji', and he can be rightfully described as one of the biggest stars in the world. A recently released Autobiographical DVD attempts to capture the persona of SRK, the phenomenon that he has become and the very humane individual that he is. There are two parts to the DVD, very aptly titled "Inner" and "Outer" worlds.
The outer world is mostly about his shows in the US, where he is accompanied by other actors. The mass hysteria, the popularity of Hindi films and stars, and the spontaneity with which Shahrukh handles the live audience are all very well captured. Not to mention the unlimited energy he puts into each act. On a side note, I couldn't help noticing that how some women who look so glamorous on screen look so normal, almost plain, without makeup. I wouldn't give them a second look if I see them on the road sans the grease paint. And this is Rani Mukherji and Priyanka Chopra I am talking about, who figure occasionally in this part of the show.
The inner world section talks about some very interesting bits. For instance, did you know that Shahrukh had an older sister living with him? Did you know that his son thought his father was Aamir Khan for a really long time? Many more such facts come to the surface. SRK goes back to his school in Delhi and its touching to see how much he loves being there. And then there is the forever long queue of fans waiting for one look from him. Its amazing to see how well he handles all the attention. He never refuses a fan. Such is his popularity that he actually has to sign autographs even while he was visiting his parents' grave.
This DVD, a must-see for all Shahrukh fans, contains immeasurable amount of information about their beloved actor. Also for those who are just plain curious about him, he'll be a revelation, much beyond the Rahuls and Rajs that he has portrayed on the silver screen.
