For close to three decades, Shah Rukh Khan has cemented his position as Bollywood’s King of Romance, but the actor would like his fans to see him in a new avatar — as Curious George (the protagonist of the beloved children’s book and animated series of the same name, George is described as “the world’s most curious monkey”).
“I don’t know how it happened but from a very early age, I was very curious about everything. I was like Curious George. I wanted to know everything. I get very upset if someone mentions an idea or a word that I am not familiar with. As a kid, I would run to look up the word in a dictionary. In the days before we had the Internet on our fingertips, I would look up things in encyclopedias,” dimpled King Khan at the launch of the new TV show TED Talks India — Nayi Soch in Mumbai’s Taj Lands End last Thursday.

INTERNET TO TV

Set to air on STAR Plus, TED Talks India — Nayi Soch will follow the signature TED format of prominent speakers talking about diverse subjects in front of a live audience. The series is the first time global giant TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design), which is devoted to ‘ideas worth spreading’, has ventured in to television. At the time when content is moving from television to digital platforms, Shah Rukh explained why TED Talks is moving from the Internet to the small screen in India.

“It’s because of language. TED Talks India — Nayi Soch will speak in a language that most people can understand. This will give an opportunity to our youngsters to share ideas that could change the world. STAR Plus does some lovely general entertainment shows, but when they started Satyamev Jayate (with Aamir Khan), it was a step in the right direction. They took issues and presented it in a such a way that it was easily underst-andable to everyone,” said SRK.

SMALL IDEAS CHANGE THINGS

A self-confessed fan of the TED Talks, Shah Rukh shared how he’s followed it from “even before it became the phenomenon” that it is. “I would always learn something listening to all the men and women on TED Talks. I truly believe that the smallest of ideas can change the world. I hear people talk about world domination and changing the face of ‘XYZ’ but I think it’s the small ideas that change things. The success of TED Talks lies in the fact that it gives a huge platform to the smallest of ideas. They have spread simple ideas throughout the world and unwittingly they have been spreading love.”

AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW WHO I AM

In April, Shah Rukh became the first Indian actor to speak at TED Talk, Vancouver. The 51-year-old superstar spoke eloquently about humanity, fame, love and what the future holds for the world. At the launch, Shah Rukh recalled how nervous he was before his talk. “Even though I have been a professional actor for 30 years, I didn’t know if I could speak there in front of some of the best minds. I refer to them as the best minds not because they had many degrees but because they were willing to share their simple ideas with the world. It is perhaps the most eclectic, intellectual and wonderful gathering I have ever been a part of and perhaps the greatest achievement of my whole career,” he said, while expressing his gratitude to TED curator Chris Anderson and Juliet Blake, head of TV at TED and executive producer of the series.

TED Talks India — Nayi Soch marks Shah Rukh’s return to TV after a gap of six years. The man who started his career with memorable TV shows like Fauji and Circus last appeared in 2011 when he hosted Zor Ka Jhatka: Total Wipeout on Imagine TV.

“For 30 years, I have laughed, romanced, fought and cried on screen but it’s very rare that I get an opportunity to show who I am to the audience. This show would give me that opportunity. This has been one of the most satisfying jobs I have done in these 30 years,” he added.

Chris Anderson promised the show will deliver “riveting television”. “Shah Rukh Khan is as insightful and curious, as he is enigmatic. TED Talks India — Nayi Soch is not just television that entertains but a show that would leave its audience with the gift of understanding, empowerment and inspiration.”

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ABC of TED

Founded in 1984, TED works towards spreading ideas, predominantly through powerful talks. It started off as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged (hence, the name TED), but now it covers a gamut of topics globally — education to global warming, politics to science and even life issues. Now delivered in as many as 110 languages around the world, you simply need to scour the TED website to discover an array of fascinating talks — from “What I learned as a prisoner in North Korea” to “The fascinating secret lives of giant clams”.

Karishma Upadhyay