Shahrukh Khan won’t be making the move to Hollywood any time soon – he says he is happy in the Hindi film industry.
When asked recently by reporters if he had any desire to follow Anil Kapoor (currently appearing in hit US TV series 24 opposite Kiefer Sutherland) into Western film and television, Shahrukh revealed that being dubbed “King of Bollywood” doesn’t necessarily translate into global offers of work.
“I’ve never been offered anything. You need to work much harder and prove your mettle a longer time maybe to come in to a different world with a different language like Anil has done,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ve got what it takes. I’ve never been offered something…I won’t lie. I’m quite happy doing the films I do.”
Khan was full of praise for Kapoor, whose appearance as a gameshow host in Danny Boyle’s Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire brought him to the wider attention of the Western audiences. Ironically, Shahrukh Khan was offered – and declined – this same role.
“[Anil Kapoor is] one of the finest, most conscientious, hard-working actors and one of the few people who I met initially in my career and was very helpful,” he said. “He always has a positive thing to say, one of the most positive actors I’ve met…really nice.”
While he has no plans to move to Hollywood, Shahrukh spoke of his intentions to get back into filming for Bollywood after a year-long break due to injury.
Next up is RaOne, a film Khan describes as a “kind of superhero film, never tried in India before”, which starts filming in March, followed by Don 2 in September. Are either of these Khan’s dream project?
“Every film that I do is a dream project… It is the most important film. I take it always as the first film I’m doing and maybe the last one. So it becomes very important that I fulfill that film to its limit…I think my work is just making dreams.”
Khan was speaking to reporters while on a visit to New York to promote the upcoming release of My Name is Khan on February 12.
