Day 13 - 10 Ka Dum

Today is a special day and I am looking forward to it whole-heartedly. Tonight I will feel even closer to those who love me and closer also to those who do not. Starting tonight, every weekend I will make you meet one of us, common people but very special and charming people. Special because they are real, spontaneous because they are simple, guileless…whatever they do they do straight from the heart, at the spur of the moment. And that is beautiful. It is full of laughter, good cheer and like I said before it is my Shukrana to you - the millions of my fans and people who shower me with so much love. I've got so much from you and I want to give something back! You know, when I started out as a professional actor, my only ambition was to have Rs.10 lakhs in my bank account. Today, I have the chance to give back not 1lakh not 10 lakhs but a full 10 crores and make someone really really happy! Five questions are fielded to two contestants and the one who answers right goes on to play with me. They take back at least Rs.10,000 and play on for a chance to Rs.10 Crores, the highest amount on Indian television. The best part is that in my show you don’t have to be a genius or super intelligent, you just have to think – think like a common Indian!

Starting tonight we will play 10 Ka Dum!! The spirit of our times is expressed in the two words ‘Dus’ & ‘Dum’. I believe, the title of a show or film is the first thing that reaches the audience. In most cases their initial impression proves to be the last impression. 10 Ka Dum - the name itself has been instantly liked - probably because of its sound, the sound that echoes the great zest of the youth. Today’s youth form the ‘damdar’ generation. And like the youth, the title has no pretensions and clearly signals it out from ‘dhyan gyan’ shows. I like it most because it is simple, everybody understands ‘Dum’. It’s a favorite with the janta. I take it as life force or inner strength. It also means physical strength. The opposite of ‘Dum’ is ‘Bedum’, which means lifeless. This title has a force of its own and Sajid-Wajid’s title track has become an instant hit.

During rehearsals I realized that when the computer shows the right answer, the up and down movement of the indicator is full of suspense – it brings out an expression of hope and anticipation on the faces of the contestants. This process really energizes them and as an anchor I too feel the same thrill because like my contestants I have no idea of the right answer. This element of suspense is really enjoyable.

So join me in playing 10 Ka Dum tonight…on Sony Entertainment Television.

It is not just about the game. It is all about you and me…

Day 12- 10 Ka Dum

Last Sunday, all roads led to the D.Y. Patil Stadium, in Nerul. The sweltering heat and the bumper-to- bumper traffic could not drown the excitement…it was a feeling I was sharing with the entire city, the whole country. The 44day IPL tournament was filled with anticipation, excitement, drama, agony & ecstasy… and the grand finale today was like a rock concert, with laser lights, music and dancers. It was glitz and glamour full throttle and I was to be a part of it.

It is only once you are part of something that you fully feel the passion the glory of it all. I had asked Sajid & Wajid, the music composers, to attend the rehearsals with me. I wanted them to ‘feel’ the spirit and capture it in a Theme Song for the show. They not only captured the spirit, the energy, the pace, the Dum of the show but as expected they did a brilliant job of it. The 10 ka Dum song is a racy pacy youthful number and I loved shooting it in less than four hours!

Serenading my way through the 65,000 odd crowds, I reached the stadium. Amidst waving & cheering crowds, the lights glowed the music blasted and the closing ceremony got started off. A group of dancers performed to some of my popular film songs… soon breaking into the awesome Dum da Dum music track. The entire stadium rocked to the music; while I made my entry …the moment was delirious, captivating! Being in front of, facing thousands of avam - it was simply mind blowing! It felt so good and made me once again realize how blessed I am. So many loving fans who shower so much love and good cheer, frenzied spectators it was like I had hamara bharat & the entire world watching and cheering me on!

When my father, Salim Khan, saw the rush print of my first film Sooraj Barjatiya’s Maine Pyar Kiya, I was very anxious to know his opinion. I approached him with a great deal of apprehension. I was relieved to learn from him that the film would be a major hit. He also said that no one could stop me from becoming a star, expect myself. I couldn’t understand this at that time, but later realized how correct he was.

Parents are amazing people, they stand by you always…

Day 11- 10 Ka Dum

Soon we shifted the rehearsals from Mehboob to R.K. studios, where the set was almost ready. The ever careful and meticulous Babu wanted more rehearsals. For his earlier shows, he could get a month from the star anchors to rehearse and prepare thoroughly. But in my case it was not even half of what he wanted! Due to my hectic double shifts for Boney and Subhashji’s films and the persistent pain in my leg, I couldn’t devote much time to rehearsals.

The heart of the matter is that I don’t like to rehearse too much. I have never prepared myself for my roles. I don’t even know how many acting schools exist. I have often heard of the method school and Marlon Brando in the West & Dilip Kumar in the East, both are masters. It is widely publicized that our dear Aamir also belongs to the method school and Shah Rukh also does a lot of homework. But, I do not belong to any school; however if you insist that some name should be given to my style, lets settle for MAD school.

I believe in the method school where actors go to the places and watch people whom they have to portray. They do this and all kind of things to get into the skin of the character. According to the thumb rule of this school, I should have spent months in a lunatic asylum to portray my roles in Tere Naam and Kyon Ki…. I wish to portray Tarzan but the very thought of spending years in the deep, dark forests, frightens me! And more terrifying is the thought; that if Jane happens to be a tigress, what would happen to me?! How would I say “You Jane, Me Tarzan?

I do not pursue success at any cost. I’ve always worked with friends or people who understand me, my lifestyle. I have never compromised my self- respect to get a film from a big banner or from successful directors, those with the Midas touch... Money could never tempt me. Perhaps, in this respect I’ve been my greatest enemy. My earnest desire has been to be just myself. I may not be a great actor but what gives me satisfaction is that I’ve never copied any established school of acting. Dilip Kumar saab has influenced all actors and I do admire him immensely. But I haven’t copied him even while performing the role of a loser in love. In Tere Naam I portrayed agony as I feel it. It comes naturally to me... These reflections just reconfirm my faith that I should and would only be myself.
In 10 Ka Dum I’ll be true to myself…

Day 10- 10 Ka Dum

The rehearsal sessions continued at Mehboob Studio, near my house in Bandra. I had pulled a hamstring while shooting an action scene for Boney Kapoor’s Wanted therefore I had to limp to the first floor of the studio, where they had put up the temporary set. While climbing those wooden stairs, memories of the great Sony recordings flooded my mind. Those melodious tunes somehow reduced the pain in my leg. It’s sad that the recording studio has been closed. Imagine once upon a time over a hundred musicians use to record in this great studio. From Naushad saab to Laxmikant - Pyarelal ji they all recorded evergreen songs here. Lyricists like Shakeel saab to Anand Bakshi wrote such time defying songs. The live recording was so exciting but now in a small room, songs are recorded and there are as many cables as there were musicians those days. With these thoughts I entered yet another room full of cables and computers. But the music in my memory had a soothing effect on me and I performed with effortless ease.

My friend Ajay Chhaberia insisted that I do it sitting on a chair because of pain in my leg. You see, those days I was doing two shifts for Boney Kapoor’s Wanted and Subhash Ghai’s Yuvraj and the 10 Ka Dum rehearsal was like the third shift. I rehearsed sitting for a while but soon realized that the whole thing sounded fake and lacked punch. It’s like stale soda; some shows done with anchor and contestant sitting on chairs. The energetic format of 10 Ka Dum does not permit you to sit like a corporate head on a chair addressing your subordinates. The very spirit of informality is lost. So in spite of the excruciating pain I got up from the chair. A very high energy level is necessary for this DUM show…and I wanted to give it all and enjoy it.
I always believe that when you do something, do it with all your heart and you will enjoy it. Once you enjoy what you do, even pain of any kind cannot hold you back…Dum da Dum da dum yes yeh hai 10 ka Dum!

Day 9- 10 Ka Dum

The following night, I arrived for rehearsals at Mehboob Studio, with director Subhash Ghai. I was shooting during the day for his film. We began the mock show in his presence and he got so involved, he wanted to play the contestant! The questions were so funny yet intriguing and we began having some serious fun. In our day-to-day life, we often discuss mundane things with a spare sprinkling of profundity. It reminds me of Charlie Chaplin who once said that “Life in a snap shot is a tragedy, in a long shot its comedy.”

In the next few sessions, my brother Sohail, sisters Alvira and Arpita, participated as contestants. I was very happy that director David Dhawan too liked the format and agreed that most questions should be hilarious and not necessarily Intelligent. My friend producer Sajid Nadiadwala and Director Anil Sharma too gave their inputs. Soon the rehearsal hall became a club where all my friends visited each night, got together and had a great time playing 10 ka Dum with me!

The program begins with two contestants who play against each other and the winner continues to play with me. Unlike other shows contestants here are given an unlimited time to answer the question. This meant that I have to keep the tempo going; I have to keep the viewers entertained. But then that was never a problem for me. Plus the questions are so cool; they reflect common behavioral patterns of common people. As a star of the masses I have always admired and connected with common people. I believe they are and will always be the fountainhead of national energy.

Day 8 - 10 Ka Dum

Mr. Siddhartha Basu and his bright young team - Tanya, Aradhana and Kaveri came to my house with their laptops, the very next night. They wanted me to get the feel of it before the rehearsals began at Mehboob studio.

Boney Kapoor’s son Arjun played the first contestant and won ten crores! Computers work to precision and in my informal approach, I had to see that the elaborate arrangements were not disturbed. The first thing I realized was that in this format, man and machine had to work in tandem. Even a little turn out of sync can bring about this loud deafening noise. It’s like conducting a symphony with an invisible baton. My first session of feeling the equipment didn’t go well but the well experienced Babu (yes, I too began calling Siddhartha by the name he’s comfortable with) was sure that it was a good beginning. Probably they had seen worse or they had no high expectations from me. It’s all about comfort, that’s it. However much my cool exterior may fool everyone, I know myself. I am very comfortable with moving machines that throb with life but steel cold gigantic computers rattle my nerves! My problem was how to be spontaneous amidst all these complicated machines and mechanisms.

I follow my impulses and spontaneity is the watchword for me. Most actors tend to be conscious and competitive. I never bother about stealing scenes from co-stars or out shining others. I have done a lot of stage shows all over the world. I discuss and disclose my ideas freely. If a colleague says he’d like to use one of my exciting ideas of stage entry or exit, I willingly let them. My interest is in the overall impact of the show. Just as I think a lot about the impact of my film in totality.
But, Babu is a perfectionist. How do I convince him that my charm lies in being imperfect? And this is what connects me with people. I am as imperfect as my fans are. And nothing would want to make me change that.