Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; June 27, 2017)

While the sci-fi Ra One was seen as a major step towards upping tech ante so far as Shah Rukh Khan’s VFX company is concerned, the actor claims that his forthcoming venture, the untitled Aanand L Rai production, will change the way technology is used in cinema.

“For me, this film is technologically the most superior one made in India,” SRK says. The actor’s company, Red Chillies VFX, is working on the special effects and he is thoroughly enjoying the process of making it: “Considering the technology we’ve used, it’s quite awesome that we’ve created such a film in India. I am so proud that my team is involved in it. In fact, we have set up a whole new office in Goregaon [for it]. We have shot for around 10-15 days and Anand has told me that he will edit it and show me (the final results).”

The process of working on the scenes, he confesses, is tedious. “It takes a lot of time. For a 30-second frame, we have to work for almost a month. I am dying to see what we have done so far. We plan to finish the film in 15 months.”

There was sufficient buzz around the actor completing 25 years in the industry, but the Badshah says he wasn’t even aware of the milestone. “Someone reminded me about it a couple of days ago. It feels great to spend half my life in the industry. I am really thankful to all the people who have tolerated me,” he laughs.

Talking about his fans’ love for him on the occasion of Eid, the actor said it had everything to do with his ability to keep making good cinema: “Everyday, so many people come outside my house to get a glimpse of me. This really makes me feel that people love us as people, not just as actors. They attach their hopes and aspirations with their favourite celebrities.”

He elaborated by narrating, “Recently, I was shooting in Budapest. I haven’t been there before. But people came in huge numbers to shower their love.”