This Article is From Apr 20, 2016

Shah Rukh Khan Reveals What His Fans Liked and Disliked in the Film

Shah Rukh Khan Reveals What His Fans Liked and Disliked in the Film

Shah Rukh Khan in a still from Fan.

Highlights

  • Fan casts Shah Rukh as superstar Aryan Khanna and his obsessed fan Gaurav
  • SRK feels like doing 'different' movies as that keeps him 'going.'
  • 'Filmmakers are clear about the target audience,' said Shah Rukh.
Mumbai: Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, whose new film Fan has been garnering positive response, said that he took a chance with this film as he wanted to present before the audience something which they had never seen before.

"Fan is not a film that the heartland audience will like. But we took a chance thinking, that hopefully they will like it. But they need song and dance. I am not unrealistic," Shah Rukh told PTI.

Shah Rukh, 50, has delivered blockbusters such as Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Chennai Express and Happy New Year. But some of his films like Swades and Chak De! India did not do good business at the box office as compared to his other commercial films.

"My last film Dilwale had cars flying. There was dance and all, so more people saw it and the non-heartland didn't see it. The idea is to make a film that everyone would watch," said Shah Rukh.

Shah Rukh praised filmmakers who propose unique ideas.

"While we were making Swades, I had told Ashutosh Gowariker (director) that I hope you know this film will not make much business as the other commercial films do. But he had the guts to make a film like Swades with a star like me," said Shah Rukh.

"I think this is what we should celebrate. When a new kind of a filmmaker comes, and makes something different with new people as he doesn't have access to others stars, I really appreciate that. I think it is more appreciated when an established director, producer, star does something unusual like Fan," said Shah Rukh.

Shah Rukh added that he chose to do different stuff onscreen as it excites him.

"As a person, it keeps me going. I feel that I have done something different. It also enhances your way of making cinema. Then after six months, you can make a commercial film. Will Smith does that. He makes a film for numbers as well one, which don't make that much numbers. I feel most actors should try and do that," said Shah Rukh.

According to Shah Rukh, there are two types of audience - one that enjoys offbeat films while there are others who like commercial films.

"There is thinking and talking audience that views world cinema and assumes our cinema should reach there soon. Then, there is an audience in the heartland of the country, who still believe in values and thoughts and entertainment in a certain way," he added.

"Language is a barrier. Everybody does not watch English and Spanish filmd. So, when you make a film like Fan, you know that the film is not going to be universal. The heartland people are not going to understand. I don't think anyone is a hypocrite as far as this is concerned," said Shah Rukh.

Shah Rukh isn't disheartened with the fact that unusual films do not do much business as compared to the commercial films.

"Filmmakers are clear about the target audience. You just have to believe that this film is meant for these people and release it. Beyond that, if these (unusual) films do more numbers than you thought it would, it's really good. When I made Dilwale, the attempt was to get much bigger numbers. Like Chak De! India was a beautiful film, but it did not have the numbers that Chennai Express had. But, you can't get disheartened," said Shah Rukh. (Also Read: Madhuri Dixit Watched Shah Rukh Khan's Fan. Here's What She Said)

Shah Rukh said that he feels sad when both unusual and commercial films don't make money.

"It is disappointing if the film doesn't collect those numbers. The feeling of loss is similar but from two different point of views," said Shah Rukh.

Directed by Maneesh Sharma, Fan casts Shah Rukh as superstar Aryan Khanna and his obsessed fan Gaurav. "When you make a film about fans, we have shown that there could be someone like this (Gaurav). The film is a kind of a fantasy. When you sit down and think of a film like this, it's quite a fancy film, like how a look alike reaches his home and uses his look. So, it's a fantastic idea that way. I don't think there are people like this and even if there was someone like Gaurav, he wouldn't even know the film is about him as he is a bit off. So, he would be alright. I don't think there was any chance if the film would have misfired with the audience. It's a nice intriguing story," said Shah Rukh.

Shah Rukh said that the audience liked Gaurav more than the character of Aryan Khanna in Fan as the role was very fresh and different.

"We have been completely divergent from a star, who is known to have song and dance sequences in his films. People like different stuff. But if we keep making it again and again, maybe they won't like it. I think people liked Gaurav more as that was different," said Shah Rukh.

Shah Rukh also said that some fans have complained about certain aspects of the film.

"Some of the fans said that there should have been songs in the film. There should have been an apology as to why Aryan Khanna is so mean. You are not like that in real life, they told me. Why did Gaurav have this kind of an end? Gaurav was not wrong. There are some complaints. There are some flaws that people are saying. There will be critical acclaim. But overall, it's a different story telling," said Shah Rukh.

According to Shah Rukh, if a film starts a discussion, then it means that it is interesting.

"When you discuss a film later, it means it has left an impact on you. Some people said that the second half is not good. But this is how we felt that the story of Fan should have been narrated that way," said Shah Rukh.
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