Shah Rukh Khan in a Zor Ka Jhatka promo still

No one saw this Wipeout coming. After being in hibernation for almost half the year, Shah Rukh Khan comes and announces himself as the host of Zor Ka Jhatka, Imagine TV’s desi adaptation of Wipeout, the game show with the “world’s largest obstacle course”. Just when you thought you had seen enough of him on the small screen — Paanchvi Paas didn’t really pass the star-TRP test — SRK returns with a big bang, er, zor ka jhatka.

“Darr lagta hai... TV pe itne hero-heroine aa rahein hai,” were the first lines Shah Rukh uttered at the show launch in Mumbai’s Grand Hyatt. He also had an instant solution to that darr and a warning of sorts for the Salman Khans and Akshay Kumars of the world. “Mere six pack ke chaar pack waapas aa chuke hain, do ki talaash hai,” SRK winked, the dimple back on the right cheek.

He would later add: “I am ready to bring entertainment back into people’s bedrooms. Bedrooms mein main jo entertainment de sakta hoon aur koi nahin de sakta. Main toh bedroom ka badshah hoon!”

After the press conference, t2 met SRK in one of the banquet rooms of the hotel. The record button was pushed, the cigarette was in place and the adda fire was alight...

We didn’t expect you to be back on TV. That too this soon...

I enjoy being on TV because it’s only on TV that I can fully allow my personality to show through. I liked my stint on KBC and Paanchvi Paas. Here too, things will be impromptu, talking to the participants. I will try and make it fun and nice, rather than a boring chat. Mujhe boredom badi kharaab lagti hai... Log mujhse baat karein aur bore hoke ghar chale jayen, toh khamka kya Shah Rukh Khan hua?

Why this particular show?

I really wanted to work a lot more this year. Last year because of the back operation, I couldn’t do much. So now I want to make up for lost time. My friends in TV like Sameer (Nair, CEO of Turner General Entertainment Networks India, which owns Imagine TV) and even people in STAR... I have been talking to them to do a television show. To do something big. Imagine had this one ready.

You like the concept of Wipeout?

I really like the concept. From Telematch onwards I have liked these kinds of shows and I think they always work. Even Takeshi Castle. I remember spending many evenings watching such shows with my kids (Aryan and Suhana). I am sure that other families will also love watching a show like Zor Ka Jhatka.

Why were you missing in action?

I wasn’t well. I am a very physical person, a very active person and the injury took away a lot of my activeness. I got depressed… I just wanted to get over it. When things are physically against you, you need to just step back and recover. I just decided to stay at home and work out. It used to be two hours of physiotherapy in the morning, read some book, again some physiotherapy, can’t take your bath properly, can’t go out with friends. I remember I had to sleep sitting up for three months. I couldn’t put my shoulder down because the stitches hadn’t come off. The post-operative phase was really difficult. It still pains but now I am much better. I have been working out.

What else did you do?

I spent a lot of time with my children. I did whatever they did. Then my wife (Gauri) took me to Rome. Something I wouldn’t have done on my own. Just took a complete holiday which I have never done. We went to Goa. We went to the Dubai place we have. Now, I am so thrilled to get back to the studios. I have been working for the last five months on Ra.One and Don 2.

How tough was it getting back to action?

Both the films are solid action films. I have not hurt myself. I was really scared before doing the stunts, especially during Ra.One. But slowly I got back into the groove and now I have got the confidence back. Only one hand-fight is left in Don 2.

So what’s the new Shah Rukh Khan, SRK 2.0 all about?

I was sitting at home and I was talking to my kids. And they say very sensible things in their innocence. So, I told them: “Now I am feeling good.” So they said: “Now, you should work Papa and do some really nice films!” I asked what films and they said, “films that we like”. So I quickly did Ra.One and Don 2 because I remember my son liking Don. And Ra.One I believe everyone will like. I don’t want to show off but I think it’s one of the finest films I have made. I have put everything that I have… all the money, all the time, all the creativity. This is a very risky film but I feel very happy that I have been able to do this. For me, Ra.One is as much as doing Darr and Baazigar... for me I am again taking a chance. I didn’t need to do this.

It’s like you are starting all over again...

My life is a lot like Zor Ka Jhatka. The obstacles are there but you treat them with fun. So they don’t seem like obstacles. You take that jump. You take that leap of faith. I have always treated it like that. I have always treated my next film as my first film and as my last film. That’s how I see the obstacles. This is my first obstacle and this is my last obstacle. Let me give it my best shot and let me give it a shot (as if) I won’t get another shot. You have to treat life like that.

dil to pagal hai — when srk met mads

On December 16, during the shooting of the second episode of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa in Filmistan Studio No. 5, around noon when the first shot for the day was about to roll, Shah Rukh Khan dropped by to meet Madhuri Dixit. SRK was shooting in Studio No. 3 for Ra.One and “had to pay a visit” to his Dil To Pagal Hai co-star.

I got to spend two hours with madhuri. It was wonderful to see her. I love her. we spoke about our kids. I am extremely fond of her. Madhuri Dixit is madhuri Dixit. I always say: ‘Ek do teen... the counting of great acting stops with her.’ I don’t know whether she would get into acting again but I would love her to do a guest appearance in my film — Shah Rukh Khan