Shah Rukh at the AMRI Hospitals on Friday. Pictures by Aranya Sen

On Don: I start shooting for Farhan Akhtar?s Don in 20 days in Mauritius. It is one of the best screenplays I have come across. Still, I don?t think we would be able to outdo the original Don. It was one of the greatest cinematic experiences of my childhood. So, I believe, for all those youngsters who are, say, in their teens or 20 years old and who have not been introduced to some of this great cinema, they will see the new Don. They should not be bereft of such great films.

On his other films: I have just completed shooting for Karan Johar?s Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. It should release some time in July. Then in August I start Happy New Year, which is a home production and will be directed by Farah Khan. I produced Main Hoon Na and Paheli in a span of 11 months, two films which are as different as they get. Happy New Year will again be a commercial film. It?s not about what kind of films I want to do. It?s more about what kind of films directors come to me with. This year, I will just have two releases ? Don and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. So, I would let other actors do better this year. I have also committed to Shimit?s (Amin, of Ab Tak Chhappan fame) film which is tentatively titled Chak De and is about the Indian hockey team.

On Paheli: I was myself pleasantly surprised when Paheli was selected as India?s entry for the Oscars this year. We have hired the best publicists in Hollywood to try and pitch the film to the Academy members. Three ladies are heading this publicity company (Rogers and Coen) and they are doing whatever they can to make Paheli be seen there. The whole Oscar campaign is too complicated a process to explain here. I have never been one who has tried to go to the West, but I am proud to represent my country. Without sounding immodest, I would like to say that the West can come to us.

On Calcutta: It is one of my favourite cities. I do not find enough excuses to come to Calcutta. The last time I was here must be five years back (for the Anandalok Awards). Very few people know that during my university days, my final project was an audio-visual on Calcutta. I have been here many times, done a lot of theatre with kids and with Anamika Kala Sangam. I have also stayed in a lot of hotels here. The city is definitely the cultural centre of the country. You have such great films of Mr Ray. I would love to bring my Temptations show to Calcutta. But it is such a costly affair with so many stars that it would be unaffordable. As for my doing a Bengali film, I think no one has approached me after hearing my Bengali in Devdas!

On smoking: My smoking habit is a personal choice and not for public consumption. But I did make a resolution to cut down on smoking when I turned 40. The youth should not take to smoking. Those who don?t smoke should never smoke. I am too old to give up on bad habits. But I have cut down by one-hundredth of what I used to smoke. The entire time that I was here (AMRI Hospitals in Dhakuria), did I smoke at all?

On healthcare: That?s the reason I have come here. When last November, Aditya (Agarwal) and Manish (Goenka) came to me in New York on the sets of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, they wanted me to come and be part of the inaugural celebrations of their new building at AMRI Hospitals. I agreed immediately because of two reasons. One is the Emami family? who are all very nice people and of course I am their brand ambassador. Secondly because of the noble cause. Doing something for healthcare is doing something for humanity. And whatever little I know of medicine and medical facilities, I believe this is not only one of the best hospitals here but also in India. It was very nice meeting the children and also patients of the general ward. For people outside the hospital, I just pray that we do not have to come here and go through all this.