Shah Rukh: 50 per cent of my films have flopped but I'm still a star

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Shah Rukh Khan, who caught up with the media at a launch event in Mumbai recently, reflected about his long career and how cinematic failures affect him.

He said he is happy that he has survived in the industry and is still a star despite having several flops behind him.

"It has been an amazing journey till now. It is a fantastic time to be here," he said.

The Chennai Express star said one should not get disturbed by a film's failure.

"I have done 70-80 films, out of which 50 per cent were flops, but I am still a star... those films are close to me. "My favourite film is Paheli, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani. You need to be proud of films that go a little wrong."

Shah Rukh feels fortunate to be a part of Indian cinema at a time when it is going through several changes.

"There are so many wonderful filmmakers and actors who are edgy and want to take risks, chances and take Indian cinema forward, the extent to which Indian cinema has shifted from just being a trend and fad internationally to becoming part and parcel (there)," Shah Rukh said.

"Bollywood was just a cool word earlier and it was all about singing and dancing... now when I travel abroad and talk about Bollywood, there is a sensibility and understanding of different modes of storytelling which is coming out of India."

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Director Jeethu Joseph, who is riding high on the success of Mohanlal starrer Drishyam, refuted reports that his script drew inspiration from any Japanese or Korean authors' books.

"My movie is based on a thought, a situation narrated by a person during a meeting some 12 years ago. It has not been inspired by any Japanese or Korean authors," he said.

Joseph said the person was explaining the problems of two families and how they were at each other's throats and he wanted to be neutral and try to bring things around.

"I caught hold of the thought, situation and started thinking in terms of how this could work in cinema and that is where the seed for Drishyam germinated," he said.

He was reacting to reports that the Malayalam movie was reportedly inspired by Japanese author Keigo Higashino's book The Devotion of Suspect X, the rights of which Ekta Kapoor has acquired.

Some industry people had reportedly asked Ekta's creative team to watch Drishyam, pointing out that some elements are similar to the Japanese author's book.

Jeethu said the Korean book has the story revolving around two murders. 

There was another report that Drishyam was based on Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon, he said.

He feels in any movie one can find some similarities with themes in books or even films. "But that does not mean that you have copied or been inspired by it."

"Drishyam is a murder cover up. The script is original, a work of three-six months," he said.

The murder-thriller, released in December, has turned out to be a blockbuster and is fast approaching the 75-day mark in many theatres.

Besides Mohanlal, Meena, Siddique and Asha Sharath enact key roles in the movie, revolving around the family of a cable TV operator and how things go topsy-turvy when a murder occurs in the house.

Jeethu earlier had Mammootty in mind but as the star found it difficult to give dates, decided on Mohanlal.

Asked if a good script can ensure a movie's success without the presence of superstars, Jeethu retorted, "Come on, so many movies have become hits. If the script is tight, good, it is easy for a director to visualise how the roles pan out.

"Of course the range of success will be different if a superstar acts. Take for example, if Shah Rukh Khan acts, the success of the movie will be much more than what another actor can hope to achieve, isn't it?"

Jeethu said he receives feedback from people from all walks of life.

"I have my own team, ranging from a septuagenarian couple to an autorickshaw driver. I showed the Drishyam script to them and received their feedback. Of course, the majority who were enamoured with the script were women."

In all his movies starting from Suresh Gopi starrer Detective to Drishyam, all characters have defining roles. "Each role is properly delineated. But then a film’s success is teamwork."

Drishyam is set to be remade in Tamil with Kamal Haasan enacting Mohanlal's role. Jeethu will be directing it.

"Some sequences will be tweaked to suit the taste of the Tamil audience but the script will be the same. No scope for adding masala," he said.

It is set to be made in Telugu with Venkatesh playing the lead role while talks are on for the Kannada version.