Shah Rukh Khan: When Raees fights, he is going to win!..

Shah Rukh Khan’s Fan has just released and his next, Raees is ready. So what will he shoot for next? There are reports that he has given a nod to atleast five films. Here, SRK talks about the films on his platter and why he isn’t starting his next at least till July this year...

The actor opens up about his latest film and the other projects he has lined up after the film…

Shah Rukh Khan’s Fan has just released and his next, Raees is ready. So what will he shoot for next? There are reports that he has given a nod to atleast five films. So which one will take off first? SRK talks about the films on his platter and why he isn’t starting his next at least till July this year. Confirming a few, he talks at length about his line-up for the year ahead. Read on…

Is Raees ready?

Raees has been shot. I will just watch the film in a few days now. I am really looking forward to this film’s release. It has got great dialogues and has some terrific performers like Nawazuddin, Mahira, Zeeshan…

Is it an out-and-out action film?

It’s not completely action but it is very intense. There are about four-five action sequences, but they are not stretched. It’s not like ki fight ho rahi hai and khatam hi nahi ho rahi. But yes, it’s very hard-hitting, very different from Fan. When Raees fights, he is going to win. You don’t fight withRaees.

There were reports that you have shot only about two-three days for Gauri Shinde’s next. Is that true?

I never said I have two or three days of work in Gauri’s film. People don’t listen carefully, nowadays. I said I have only about two or three days of work left to be shot in that film. So I was completely misquoted. I will finish that now. It’s not a cameo at all. It’s a full-fledged role.

Then you have Aanand L Rai’s film where you play a dwarf. Will shooting for that be difficult?

Techonology-wise, no, it won’t be that difficult. Our VFX team is working on it. And Aanand is working with them. It will need tightening. We will do it once and fail, maybe. But we will get it right because it has been done previously. I think it has been tried in The Hobbit. But we have never used that technology in India. I would have a problem if I have to do it on my knees. I am trying to avoid that part because that looks unreal and in today’s time and age, you don’t want to do that. So we are trying to figure out and we are doing R&D already. Aanand has a collection of ideas about what we have to do. If need be, we will figure out how to do it abroad and then bring it here. I have Imtiaz Ali and Aanand’s film now. Films are difficult till you start them and then explore and find out how you are going to do what you have to do.

Do you start with his film, post Raees?

I am on holiday now. Both the filmmakers of mine are beautifully laidback. Imtiaz and Aanand. (Smiles) So maine bol diya hai. Tumhe jab shuru karna hai tum kar lena. They are still working on it and to be honest, it’s not that I finalise a script and say, ‘This is not okay’. I think they themselves still have a few things to fix up.

And of course, there are song recordings too. So, I don’t want to start a film because of my knee. I want to take few months off till June and get my leg in shape. So June tak nahi ho gaya khair. Maybe, July. But I still don’t know whose film I will start first — Aanand’s or Imtiaz’s.

Is it official that you and Anushka are paired opposite each other in Imtiaz’s next?

We are actually just on the cusp of finalising the whole film. I think, in another month’s time, we will announce it. Imtiaz is getting the technical team ready. He is deciding who has to do what first, apart from the stars. He’s casting the whole film and the technicians. So in another 10-15 days, we will make the announcement. Abhi toh title bhi nahi film ka!

There were murmurs that you are playing a Sardar in Imtiaz’s film…

No, I am not playing a Sikh and it’s not a comedy. None of these stories are true.

And the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film with Ranveer?

No. Sanjay Leela Bhansali has not approached me for any film. I also read that he’s doing a film with me and Ranveer. But no, there’s no film like that on the cards. But we meet each other. I think when you go to somebody’s party, people assume that you are doing a film with them. Ranveer and I went to Sanjay’s party so they started this rumour. If there was another hero, then they would have made it a three hero film. (Smiles) I am not doing a film with Shimit Amin either. I have not even met him for a long time. I have been wanting to meet him.

But you are doing Aditya Chopra’s most ambitious project which he mentioned in that imaginary letter…

I mean, Adi has a plan of a film. But he has not narrated it to me. Just like that, one day he will tell me. He has already told me that once he finishes Befikre, he will start writing that film. It will only happen maybe next-year end. It’s a big project is what he has told me. He told me that I need to spend two months with him and it’s very big and very beautiful. He told me, ‘Hum log teen mahine mein shooting khatam kar lenge. But I need two months before that’ (smiles).

Will it be a romantic film?

I have no idea what he’s making, yaar! He’s told me few days back again ki ‘Time nikal ke rakh tu bas’. (Smiles) He will approach me six-seven months before that actual zone. He was planning one, now, I remember, before he started Befikre. And he said the same thing to me. Ki yeh badi waali hai. Khatam ho jaaye Fan toh yeh karte hai. But I think he wanted to do Befikre before this because that is heartfelt for him, so he wants to do this pretty film and then move on to what he wants to do with me.

What’s the status on Don 3?

Don 3 is something that we have had no talk about currently. There has been no development. It’s just that Farhan has somewhere started feeling that he wants to write it, but he hasn’t started writing yet. So usko abhi time hai.

And the Ra.One sequel?

Let me make one more VFX film and then I will make it, Inshallah!