SRK’s helping hand 
By Taran Adarsh, August 10, 2005 - 09:30 IST
A helping hand in the time of crisis can really be Godsend. And if the ally happens to be none other than Shah Rukh Khan, you couldn’t have asked for more.
HUMKO TUMSE PYAAR HAI was an ambitious project when launched in 2002. Starring three ‘A’ list stars then -- Bobby Deol, Amisha Patel and Arjun Rampal -- the film, directed by Bunty Soorma and produced by Karim Morani, Bunty Soorma and Aly Morani, embarked on its first schedule in January 2002.
But catastrophe struck in March 2002, when Bunty Soorma passed away in his sleep in a Jaisalmer hotel, while the second schedule was in progress. Suddenly, everything seemed uncertain.
Months later, Vikram Bhatt stepped in Bunty’s shoes to complete the remaining portions of the film. But the project, which was initially supposed to hit the screens towards the end of 2002, will now release exactly after three years -- in Diwali this year [November 4].
HUMKO TUMSE PYAAR HAI took time to reach the completion post. In the meanwhile, Bobby, Amisha and Arjun’s careers underwent a sea-change, with the failure of their starrers. In an industry where fortunes change every Friday, HUMKO TUMSE PYAAR HAI wasn’t a hot proposal that it used to be.
That’s when SRK stepped in. He wasn’t remotely connected to the project in any capacity whatsoever. Nor was the King Khan involved as an actor. But he just stepped forward…
“Shah Rukh and Cineyug [Moranis and Soorma] go a long way,” producer Aly Morani informs me, “He has been a part of our entertainment shows for almost fifteen years. He’s family to us. We have interacted time and again and the bond has only strengthened over the years.”
What prompted SRK to step in? “He kept track of the film all the while, he used to enquire about its progress. He even viewed portions of the film and has been supportive all through, though he has no stake in the film,” Aly reveals.
There’s talk that SRK has spoken to some distributors, so that Bunty’s unfinished dream finally comes true. “He has been guiding us without any ulterior motive. What more could we ask for?” Aly states humbly.
True, instances such as these are rare in this industry!
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