SRK says no to Hollywood offer

It’s often been said that Bollywood is increasingly making its presence felt on the global cinema scene. So the subsequent mix of talent can’t be ruled out of future projects. In this scenario, can Shah Rukh Khan be left out? More so, when he’s ensuring that the indigenous visual effects in his super hero flick, RA.One, are at par with international standards.

It wasn’t surprising to read reports of a Hollywood producer keen on casting Shah Rukh in his next film. Duncan Kenworthy, who’s produced hits like Love Actually (2003) and Four Weddings And A Funeral (1994), during a recent interview with HT Café, said he wanted to remake My Fair Lady (1964) as a musical with SRK.

Kenworthy, who was also chairman of the BAFTA till 2006, revealed that initially he thought of casting the Bollywood actor as an army officer. “Then I thought I should make the film in two versions, one with Colin Firth and another with Shah Rukh,” he revealed. “I’d like to pair Keira Knightley with Shah Rukh. I think they’d make a great couple on screen.” Interestingly, this isn’t the first time the UK-based producer is planning a film with the actor-producer. He recalls first broaching the subject at NRI industrialist, Lakshmi Mittal’s villa in London a couple of years ago. “That was soon after Yash Chopra was honoured by the BAFTA,” he points out. “Lakshmi introduced Shah Rukh to me then and during our first conversation, we talked about doing a film together. But we got busy with our respective movies.”

However, when told about Kenworthy’s concept, Shah Rukh declined being aware of it. Suggesting that he’d meet the UK-based producer when he visited London next, the actor-filmmaker jested, “I can’t keep on doing films where I don’t have the title role anymore. I want to be the fair lady. That will be different for me.” Wonder what Kenworthy has to say to that.