I enjoyed doing the Lux ad thoroughly: Shah Rukh Khan

[Interview by Subhash K. Jha]

Monday, September 19, 2005

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan is in an exceptionally blithe mood. The Lux advertisement, which has him in a rose petal strewn bath surrounded by four heroines who have modelled for the soap, is something he enjoyed doing thoroughly.

"Some people think it''s a girlie ad, that it questions my sexuality. But I love the idea of getting into the tub, just as I had seen all my lovely leading ladies do," he says.

Shah Rukh Khan''s self confidence remains untouched. The Lux ad has created waves - just like everything he does.

"I can''t help it. It''s not me creating the news," Shah Rukh told IANS in an interview.

Shah Rukh says his Lux ad is not the first for a male celebrity.

"Before me Paul Newman has done the Lux ad. I wanted to get into the tub and not just stand outside watching a lady get in the tub or something. I guess that would've been a more predictable male perception of how the ad should've been done. But I wanted to do it the proper way. I don't know why it should be such a big deal."

He pauses for just a few seconds and then says: "Actually all my favorite heroines I've worked with have done the ad. Lux has traditionally been considered a woman's soap. But I can't remember a time when it hasn't been a part of Indian households, for the male or female.

"I grew up watching all those lovely ladies modelling for the soap. Now I'm part of it. Lux is now 75 years old or something, therefore the need to do something different with the product. I quite enjoyed the feeling of doing the ad, specially since at the end of the ad all my leading ladies come on."

"I just do my job. In fact I've just done a Santro ad with Preity Zinta in Spain. That's why I couldn't be there for Karan Johar's mahurat in Mumbai. But I visited his set at Film City earlier this week. Being on Karan's set seems like being at home."

Explaining why he had to be away from his friend's big day Shah Rukh explains. "Preity needed to get to New York to shoot for Sajid Nadiadwala's film. So I had to re-shuffle my dates and miss Karan's big day. A pity."

What happens to Farah Khan's "Happy New Year"? "I really don't know where that fits in. After Karan's film I go to Farhan Akhtar's 'Don' in February."

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I enjoyed doing the Lux ad thoroughly: Shah Rukh Khan