Not only were we at the press conference for Don 2 at Berlinale, we were also on the red carpet for the Don 2 premiere. Don 2‘s premiere was set for a cold Saturday night at 9:30pm with the stars were expected to arrive around 9pm. However, the German fans made sure they got there early. In case you did not know, Shah Rukh Khan and Bollywood are very, very, very popular in Germany.
German fans (with no Asian or Middle Eastern background), of Shah Rukh Khan started waiting at the red carpet from 11am in the freezing cold. For most people this may seem like a crazy thing to do – to wait for hours in the freezing cold for an actor, but for these women it’s nothing more than normal. They just want to enjoy a few seconds with the man who brings them joy, sadness, makes them dance and love through his films. His personality, his acting, his smile, his eyes and his love for his family are other aspects that are loved by his fans. Shah Rukh Khan is a feeling that cannot be explained in words, but only felt in real or reel life. The love for this man goes deep. One fan told me: “He is like fine, good wine. He gets better and looks better when he gets older.”
They love him as a loverboy in films like Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, but they really enjoyed his bad boy act in Don 2 as well. Most of these fans have not yet seen Don 2, which will play in over 40 cinema’s in Germany, and are waiting to experience the chemistry between SRK and Priyanka Chopra of which they have heard so much about.
The media started coming in around an hour before the premiere. And then at around 9pm director Farhan Akhtar, star Priyanka Chopra and producer Ritesh Sidhwani walked the red carpet, greeted the fans and talked to the media.
Check out this exclusive video
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Ritesh told us that he was really happy being back in Berlin as it felt like a second home to him. “We have been shooting here for soo long so it feels like a second home.” And though it was freezing Ritesh seemed to enjoy the cold. “Its very cold, You know, we don’t get to enjoy this back home in India, so but its ok for just two or three days.”
What is the one trademark of Don you can relate to or wish you had?
Ritesh: “The thing is… I don’t know about one particular trade, what is most interesting is the one-liners which Don has, The Don Says. So he got some really cool dialogues in the film which is new in the way Farhan has written. He just replies to you in one line and that says it all.”
For Priyanka, we asked her the same question but of course relating this to her character of Roma. Priyanka: “Her strenght. She has a lot of strenght and courage as a girl.”
After they left inside to watch the film, fans outside were shouting for SRK, who hadn’t arrived yet. On Twitter he placed a message that his plane got cancelled and is going to get there on a private plane. Everyone started speculating what time his flight will land and when he will arrive for the red carpet. Everybody kept a close eye on his Twitter-account hoping he would tweet when he landed.
And after two and a half hours the King himself appeared on the red carpet with his wife. Even though they were almost frozen solid, the fans were estatic and screamed their lungs out once they spotted him. The press was wide awake and everybody just simply forgot about how cold it was. He walked on the red carpet with his wife, posed for pictures and went straight to the door.
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He dropped his wife at the entrance and went back to the beginning of the red carpet and started to meet each and every fan who had been waiting for so many hours to catch a glimpse of him. He signed autographs, got pictures taken, received many hugs and kisses and worked his way towards the media, who jumped on him as well.
He couldn’t stay to chat for too long though, as the film screening had almost ended and he had to be inside for another interview and deliver a short speech after the film.
He greeted the last set of fans and went inside. I had bought a ticket for the film (which unfortunately I couldn’t see as I was waiting for The Don) but I still managed to get inside. The film had just ended and the cast and crew were introduced and Khan got the loudest cheers when he made his entry.
Check out the video from inside the theater
httpvh://youtu.be/QjiYuPYydr8
Germany just simply loves THE KING!
