Shah Rukh Khan : Better films than DDLJ were, will be made

Year 2015 has marked two decades since the iconic Bollywood romantic entertainer “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” (DDLJ) released. The film is still being screened at a Mumbai theatre. The movie’s leading man Shah Rukh Khan holds the film close to his heart, but says there are better films that were made and will be made.

“There are better films that were made and will be made than DDLJ. Yes, realistically and practically speaking, maybe there won’t be any films that will run for 20 years now because of strong digital world, but it’s not that there will be no films better than DDLJ,” the 49-year-old told IANS.

“I am sure there will be 100 films better because all of us (actors and filmmakers) would try to give better than the best with every film,” the ‘King of Romance’ said on the sidelines of the shooting of his next film “Dilwale”.

The team has been shooting the last leg of the film in Hyderabad for a month.

Directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, “Dilwale” will see the magical pair of Shah Rukh and Kajol coming together again on the silver screen and treating their fans with their onscreen chemistry, which has in the past come alive in films like “Baazigar”, “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” and “My Name Is Khan”.

Here, Shah Rukh was immersed in giving a few select media persons a dekko into “Dilwale” at the Ramoji Film City.

SCreened for the media persons was a 20-minute video footage, featuring a song sequence shot in Iceland, recreating the magic of SRK and Kajol; an action sequence of SRK; a few comical scenes involving Johnny Lever, Sushir Mishra and Varun Sharma; and even scenes and songs featuring Varun and Kriti Sanon.

Asked if “Dilwale” has the potential to repeat the magic of 20-year long run of “Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge”, SRK, who’s also a successful film producer, said: “I dont think (so), as time has changed.”

“When we started the film (DDLJ) in 1990S, there was this concept of golden jubilee, silver jubilee and platinum jubilee. Now the function has changed and that era is over. I think audience is more accessible now and also the number of theatres are more. Unfortunately, nowadays we talk about two weeks only,” he said.

Citing examples of Aamir Khan starrer “PK”, Salman Khan starrer “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” and Prabhas starrer “Baahubali”, he said: “There were 150 theatres in the past and now the number has increased to over 40,000. As many as 11 to 12 crore people watch big films like ‘PK’, ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ and ‘Baahubali’. Also, it’s nothing to do with numbers, but accessibility.”

Inputs by IANS