Kanika Dhillon: Shahrukh Khan nurtures young talent

She is 28, has written a book, is a London School of Economics (LSE) alumnus and has penned the screenplay and dialogues of Shah Rukh Khan's RA.One, touted to be Bollywood's costliest film. Kanika Dhillon, the creative content head of Shah Rukh's Red Chillies Entertainment, says the star is among the few producers in Bollywood who nurture young talent. "When I came to work in Mumbai, I knew I wanted to work with Shah Rukh Khan. Look at what he's done, where he's come from...and what he is today. His success story is a fable!," Dhillon, originally from Amritsar, told.

"He is among the few people who nurture young talent in the industry, without looking at the background, the experience, age and other such things. He is one of those few who is so clued in with what the younger generation likes and dislikes...and that's what makes him what he is!" she added.

Dhillon is ready to launch her first novel "Bombay Duck Is A Fish" on Monday. The book traces the journey of small-town girl Neki Brar, who like countless other starstruck people, leaves her cushy corporate job and comes to Mumbai to make it big as a Bollywood filmmaker. And like many, Neki too is enamoured of King Khan. Neki's story is quite similar to Dhillon's. A well-read girl, who graduated from Delhi University's St.Stephen's College, she went on to study at LSE with a major in media and communication for the sake of her parents, for whom her filmmaking ambitions were an "embarrassment".

But Dhillon, who started her Bollywood stint as an assistant director of Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om, clarifies that her book is only 30 percent of her own life. "My book doesn't capture how Bollywood works. It captures the human emotions behind wanting to meet your own destiny. It is a human story about passion, love, faith, betrayal, success and all those emotions that one comes across in the path of achieving their dreams," she said.

With Shah Rukh portrayed as a phenomenon in her book, it was only appropriate that she wanted the superstar to unveil the book. And Dhillon is more than glad that he agreed without hesitation. "I have been working with Shah Rukh for five years. But the feeling was fantastic when he said yes to launching my book. It was a big news for me. For two days, I couldn't believe he would launch my book, but he has been very encouraging on every platform," said Dhillon.

"If people feel that reading my book turns out to be a good visual experience, I would love to turn it into a screenplay. But it depends on how well it is received," she added. Film direction is also on Dhillon's mind - who feels it is a "natural progression" for anyone passionate about filmmaking. For now, however, she is looking forward to the launch of her book and the release of Ra.One, in which she has given some heartwarming dialogues like "Some superheroes wear a mask, this one wears a heart". Dhillon has also started to write her next book "Kalma" - a true story of a Muslim girl.

Posted in: Shah Rukh Khan