By Surendra Bhatia
Opinions are cheap. They are so affordable that everyone can have them, however unknowledgeable or mentally challenged they may be. Fortunately, Bollywood’s top stars are immune to these unfounded opinions so Shah Rukh Khan is hardly going to be affected by the latest talk about him but it doesn’t stop tongues from wagging, does it?
After deliberating intensely over his career and the stories he had been selecting to shoot over the last many years, Shah Rukh, during his year-long sabbatical from acting, seems to have finally sorted out things in his head and decided to get back into the acting race. For his comeback, for that is what it will be headlined as, he has chosen a project to be directed by, not Karan Johar or Aditya Chopra, not Rohit Shetty or Sanjay Leela Bhansali but directors Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K., whose films till now have been slotted as ‘small’.
So, the industry is now abuzz with many opinions, already terming SRK’s choice of directors and film as ‘faulty’. Do these tongues with heads know the film’s story? No. Has SRK had personal discussions with them to outline to them his strategy for the next phase of his acting career? No. Have they picked up gossip from servants at Mannat who may be privy to SRK’s thoughts? Probably not. But opinions they have many, based entirely on their lack of intelligence.
The latest tongue-wagging opinions are that SRK is committing a blunder by signing up with directors who have experience of making films with budgets less than the promotional spend on SRK’s films. Have a heart. Shah Rukh has taken over a year to finally zero in on a film subject and directors; surely, he would know better what he’s doing than the guys driving past Mannat on a Sunday evening. It’s his money, his reputation and his career on the line so it’s his right to make his decisions. And, promise you, he will do the best he can for himself. Besides, only time will decide whether he is right or wrong, not some random guy in Bollywood or India.
The main objection is that SRK would have done better with a ‘big’ director from his own orbit rather than guys from a smaller orbit. How silly! His last few flops had all the paraphernalia of an SRK film but they didn’t work. Also, never to forget, that one of his most memorable films is Chak De! India, small and quite unlike an SRK big-budget extravaganza… Despite its smallness, Chak De! India was a resounding hit and is today considered one of SRK’s finest offerings. So, breathe deep instead of gossiping about SRK’s choice at this stage. There will be enough time to ponder and gossip after it releases, possibly on Diwali, 2020. Give the tongues, for now, rest.