- Title: INDIA: BOLLYWOOD STAR SHAH RUKH KHAN PREMIERES HIS LATEST FILM " ASOKA" IN INDIA
- Date: 27th October 2001
- Summary: NEW DELHI, INDIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) SMV BOLLYWOOD SUPERSTAR SHAH RUKH KHAN COMING TO THE PODIUM FOR A NEWS CONFERENCE TO PROMOTE ASOKA SMV CAMERAMEN AND PHOTOGRAPHERS SLV KHAN AND HIS FELLOW CO-PRODUCER AND BOLLYWOOD STARLET JUHI CHAWLA POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS SMV MORE OF PHOTOGRAPHERS SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) BOLLYWOOD SUPERSTAR AND PRODUCER/ACTOR OF THE MOVIE ASOKA SHA
- Embargoed: 11th November 2001 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEW DELHI, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAEKT1VJ6D6MXJRGMF37Q2CWPV4
- Story Text: "Bollywood" superstar Shah Rukh Khan's latest film "Asoka" is premiering this weekend across India, hopefully setting the standards for a new generation of Indian films with international appeal.
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is hoping the peace message in his latest film about a third century B.C.
emperor who gave up war to become a Buddhist monk will strike a chord in these war-torn times.
"Asoka", the first historical Hindi-language big budget film in nearly two decades, traces the life of Emperor Asoka who is said to have ascended the throne after killing his brothers and expanded his kingdom through a series of ruthless wars.
But the king had a change of heart after a brutal war when he saw thousands of corpses strewn on the battlefield. He converted to Buddhism and began spreading the religion in his kingdom and outside it too.
Khan said he was trying something new by making this film universally appealing.
"We are trying to stay within the parameters of commercial films and try something different so that if it works it might open a window and people might get encouraged to make historical films, which have not really been made for the last 20-25 years. We don't make films about space, no spoofs, no horror films --- this is an attempt to introduce new genres and as producers we believe that hopefully one day we will hit the bull's eye."
He is currently criss-crossing continents as part of a publicity blitzkrieg to promote the 120-million-rupee ($2.5-million) film.
He said he was taking the film beyond traditional overseas markets for Indian films to far-flung territories such as Japan where he hoped its Buddhist message would draw viewers.
However, he added that the film still maintains its Indian roots despite a universal theme.
"It does showcase India in a light which is made by Indians.
It is not a film made by foreigners who've come here and think India is like that --- India is little backward, India is technically not so good.
So when you see a film which is technically very fine, when you see an interpretation of cinema in this time. I think internationally the audience should see it and we should be very proud that a film like this should be seen by them."
The charismatic star has swapped his more typical hip western clothes for a traditional "dhoti", flowing locks and heavily-kohled eyes in "Asoka" to bring to life the emperor who until now has just been a name in history texts.
Khan said he hoped the film, which was premiered at the Venice film festival earlier this month and releases on Friday (October 26), would be India's entry for the Academy awards.
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