Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has said that Shah Rukh Khan’s 2007 film Om Shanti Om is his “favourite film of all time.”
During a recent interview with Indian Link CEO and host Pawan Luthra on his podcast, Burke said that the Farah Khan directorial is not just his favourite Bollywood film but “favourite film of all time”.
“I am a big Shah Rukh Khan fan, so let me start with that,” Burke said. “I think there is a real beauty in the story. But there is a line that is used twice, which I think is one of the most simple and beautiful lines and its SRK which uses it each time… it’s simple happy endings, if it’s not happy, it’s not the end, the story is not over yet”.
He said the dialogue holds particular relevance today, noting that “the world is in such a difficult place.”
Burke further said he also ranks SRK’s Chak De! India (2007) among his favourites, noting that much of the film was shot in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
When asked in jest whether he supported India in the film’s final match against Australia, he replied, “No no no although I did cheer for India in Lagaan”.
The 2001 Aamir Khan-starrer also features among Burke’s favourites. Burke also spoke about Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s 2008 film Jodhaa Akbar, calling it a “beautiful epic.”
Directed by Farah Khan, Om Shanti Om follows the story of Om and Shantipriya, who are reborn 30 years after dying in a fire. Last year, Om Shanti Om was re-released in theatres to mark Shah Rukh’s 60th birthday.
Earlier this month, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences shared a clip from Om Shanti Om, revisiting the scene in which he delivers a monologue about how, if you truly want something, the entire universe conspires to help you achieve it.