The seven faces of Shah Rukh Khan

The first Express Adda in Mumbai had King Khan regaling the eclectic audience with his wit and winning ways.

At a time,when Indias engagement with celebrity culture is at a new peak,publicity managers could learn much from Shah Rukh Khan.

Not only does one of Indias biggest stars have a point of view,but knows how to package it with charm,candour and an endearing vulnerability. At the Express Adda in Mumbai,(the first in the series was held last month in Delhi with Sir Martin Sorrell,CEO,WPP),he strode into Olive Bar and Kitchen,the venue of the event,asking to be fed first as he was hungry. Chivas was the associate event partner. Here was a mighty star,billed as the Badshah of Bollywood,showing how real he could be.

Soon after,he was all fun and games. When Editor-in-Chief of The Express Group,Shekhar Gupta,started the conversation with him,hinting at the S words in SRKs life Sourav Ganguly,Shoaib Akhtar,even Salman Khan the actor got into an enjoyable repartee with Gupta,saying that S also stood for Shekhar Gupta.

In moments,he had Guptas co-panelist and editor of Screen,Priyanka Sinha Jha,and the audience nodding their heads as he spoke. He pointed out to filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra saying,Main tumhari chhati pe haath rakh ke kasam khaata hoon ki iske baad main kabhi smoke nahin karoonga. (I swear by you that I will never smoke again).

Everyone roared with laughter. When actor Poonam Dhillon asked him how much truth celebrities speak,he said he was one of the biggest liars around.

It was easy for the audience to follow Khans conversational cues. His candidness and wit opened the floodgates to a very informal chat and the guests,a mix of well-known people from entertainment and media,advertising and business,finance,law and medicine (SRKs doctor was there too) made the most of his mood. Khan preened and performed,argued and defended while answering a range of questions on his personal life,fatherhood,his health,celebrity status and the tyrant called Brand SRK.

He flirted with the ladies in the audience,seamlessly becoming a romantic dreamer like Rahul or Raj,names of his most memorable characters. A few seconds later,he would hold forth on the lack of sporting culture in the country and why cricketers had it tougher than stars.

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One of the few performers who can easily blend irony with celebrity swagger,he spoke about his insecurities with as much intensity as he did about the pride he had in his kids,his filmy obsessions,women friends and his bathroom as his personal haven.

Khan rolled big insights into small anecdotes,for once even standing on his chair to say something,all the while refuting that there was anything enigmatic about him. Why burden stars with social responsibility? Charity is personal and it should be left at that, he told Screens Priyanka Sinha Jha when she asked him about his larger responsibilities towards society.

Immediately after,he was the perfect chief guest as he launched the redesigned Screen congratulating everyone heartily.

If anyone doubted that this was one of SRKs famous public acts,here is a line that may diminish that doubt.

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When I am sad and disillusioned,I keep my children awake till 2 am and pour my heart out to them telling them why I am so sad. They dont understand anything but they hug me, he said.