'Shah Rukh Khan is at the top, but lonely'

'There is not a single film that has dance and heist as its theme. Our film will compete with international films,' Shah Rukh Khan announces, at the trailer launch of his new film Happy New Year.

The trailer of Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Happy New Year was launched with much fanfare at Sahara Star Hotel, Santa Cruz, in the western suburbs of Mumbai.

Directed by Farah Khan, the film is about six ‘losers,’ who get a ‘second chance’.

The poster of Happy New Year did not make as much buzz as the poster of Aamir Khan-starrer PK. Shah Rukh seemed quite offended by the observation and said, “Now we will have another poster, and we will pose naked in it. That will create a buzz.”

“Comparison is in the minds of other people. There is no competition even. All movies should do well, whether it is PK, Kick or Happy New Year. I wish everyone well,” Shah Rukh said.

.

Major parts of it have been shot in Atlantis, Dubai, where Shah Rukh owns a home.

“We shot the film in Atlantis but we never went to my house,” Shah Rukh said. “We stayed together in one hotel. We just went home on the last day of the shoot and partied!”

Shah Rukh explained that the film’s trailer was released on the eve of India’s Independence Day because it was a patriotic film. He wanted to release the trailer along with his Chennai Express director Rohit Shetty’s new film Singham Returns, which releases on August 15.

After playing a Tamilian in Chennai Express, Deepika Padukone plays a Maharashtrian girl named Mohini.

“I hope I sound different from Meenamma’s character in Chennai Express,” Deepika said.

The actress reunites with Farah Khan and Shah Rukh Khan after her blockbuster debut film, Om Shanti Om. “Nothing has changed. They are very possessive and protective!” she exclaims.

Jackie Shroff plays the main villain in the film. He has worked with Shah Rukh in quite a few films like King Uncle, One Two Ka Four and Devdas.

“I remember Shah Rukh when I saw him for the first time on the sets of King Uncle. He was so quiet, sitting in one corner and smoking. He has reached great heights today just because of his hard work. I tell Tiger (Jackie Shroff’s son) to learn from him. He has not changed at all. He is at the top, but lonely.”

I don’t know how much the film will make at the box office,” says Shah Rukh. "The biggest hit so far is Avatar. But I can say that there is not a single film that has dance and heist as its theme. Our film will compete with international films.”

“It’s a kind of a film that Manmohan Desai will be proud of,” Abhishek Bahchan claims.

Abhishek narrated an incident that happened two years ago. When he met Shah Rukh, they decided that they have to make the biggest film in Indian history. “He had said, ‘We have to concentrate on how to behave with each other off screen because that will set the tone of the film’,” Abhishek says.

The show was a grand spectacle, with an hour-long mela where food from various parts of India were served at various counters.

Team Happy New Year celebrated India on the eve of independence, and Shah Rukh and Boman Irani hosted the show.

Dancers from a group called Fictitious performed on Vande Mataram, while composers Vishal-Shekhar sang the song Indiawaale from the movie.

A fashion show was also held, themed on Indian traditional wear. It was designed by Manish Malhotra. The colour theme was navy blue and gold.