No special reason for acting in ensemble cast : SRK

Shah Rukh Khan, who has been part of multi-starrers like “Dilwale”, “Happy New Year”, “Om Shanti Om” and “Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham”, says he does not go for an ensemble cast by design.

“There are so many characters – from dadi to nana/nani in certain popular films I played – blockbusters/happy go lucky ones which demand such a (ensemble) cast. There is no special reason. And as an actor I can’t play two roles,” Shah Rukh told reporters here.

“Why (even) for an artistic film like ‘Chak de’ there was an ensemble cast. It had 25 actors.”

SRK dwelt on his journey from “Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge” to “Dilwale”, and said the underlying message for any romantic films was “each person has to find his love story.”

About the success of “Dilwale”, he said, “It has a mix of everything – SRK brand, story, film.”

On so many Bollywood directors having touched base in Kolkata and other parts of Bengal for shooting and why he was bypassing the state, Shah Rukh said, “There has to be some sort of relevance in the story line.

“Whenever I will find that relevance I will come here. After all I am an entertainer by profession,” he said.

Shah Rukh, who has been the brand ambassador of West Bengal, said, “Desh ke liye kam achha lagta hay (Feels nice working for the country). This is extremely humbling.”

Speaking about his relation with Bengal, he said Kajol, who shared stage with him, was surprised to know that he is lovingly called ‘Khandada’ by the people of the state.

Shah Rukh said he found Bengal an extremely intellectual state and described the last edition of Kolkata International Film Festival, which he had attended, as ‘vibrant’.
Referring to her tryst with Bengal, Kajol admitted not

having picked up nuances of Bengali language despite her father being from the state and her mother Tanuja a popular heroine in yesteryear Bengali films.

“I am here after a long time. And when I had told mother about my impending visit to Bengal, she said ‘please convey my best regards to the people’.”

Kajol said “Dilwale” has a very passionate storyline “which need not be the bubblegum type, need not be cute but needed to be different”.

Directed by Rohit Shetty, “Dilwale” marked SRK-Kajol’s reunion after a gap of five years.