“I can tell you of many halwais who wear Dolce & Gabbana vests”

Shah Rukh Khan is delighted at the response to

Chennai Express. Between taking care of AbRam and throwing parties at Mannat, he still finds time to follow his favourite TV series Breaking Bad.

Q. So what explains the Rs 100 crore at the box office on the weekend? A. See, the numbers are rising, as are the number of theatres and the process of digitisation. Anyone who rests on it will be making a mistake. It’s all about the strategy. Q. What’s the nicest thing someone said to you about the film? A. An 80- year- old woman, who caught me by the sleeve as I was walking down the stairs at Excelsior in Mumbai, said: Humse

mil lo. Hum senior citizen hain ( Meet me. I am a senior citizen). She said she watched Chennai Express with her eight- year- old grandson and they both laughed at the same jokes. Q. But a common man,

a halwai no less, who wears a Dolce & Gabbana vest? Really?

A. Hey I am halwai with a franchise. And I can tell you

of many halwais who wear Dolce & Gabbana. Q. With all that action, didn’t you feel the need to work on the body? A. No. My daughter told me, “Papa, it’s so nice you’re trying to beat up the bad guy with a bucket, or with a pan. How hard you’re trying.” My son has become very gentle and kind. He’s for fun. My daughter is someone who helps me with her simple advice when I’m sad and down. Q. So what does the film’s success mean to you? A. It means a lot of money for my next five productions. I employ 200 people so I have to take care of them. Q. Nice of you to sing a song at the end for Rajinikanth? A. Yes, he was so sweet. After hearing the song, he called me up to thank me. He’d done a scene for me in Ra. One even though he had just come back after surgery. It was really gracious of him. Q. But the person you really want to play is Walter White, right? A. Breaking Bad is my favourite TV drama. Aryan and I downloaded the first episode of Season Six at the same time. That line: “If you don’t know who I am, then maybe your best course would be to tread lightly.” Awesome. In America, there’s a set of people who decide what works for TV and for film. That’s why some of the smartest entertainment is happening on American TV. Q. What’s next for you? A. An MRI on August 19. Then Farah’s ( Farah Khan) Happy

New Year in Dubai and Goa. Then Rahul Dholakia’s film.

Kaveree Bamzai