I am an entertainer, not a businessman: Shah Rukh Khan
Q&A with the Bollywood superstar who has undertaken a number of good business decisions
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has always shown an uncanny business acumen. Be it owning a cricket franchise in the IPL, or setting up a production and VFX company, or recently owning 26 per cent in the Kids edutainment theme park KidZania India. In an interview with Gaurav Laghate, the King Khan, as he likes to be called, talks about what makes him invest in any business.
Edited excerpts...
Apart from actor Shah Rukh Khan, you are also considered as a very shrewd businessman by many. How do you classify your business interests?
I do not consider myself as a businessman. I am an entertainer and that's about it. About business, my believe is that if you are able to create a product, which could touch the hearts of the users, you are a successful.
Not that I do not understand... I have been a economics student and I know numbers, but I am not interested in them. I want to create products.
How does taking 26% in KidZania India fits into this?
It fits perfectly. You can touch and feel the product, which is a edutainment theme park, one of the fastest growing brand in this field. Two it is for kids, who I love and want to do something for them and three, it is entertainment.
And to me, any business that has to be for kids is going to be the biggest business. I first saw KidZania in Dubai and my kids loved it. I thought why not to have something like this in India.
The first KidZania India park in Mumbai is going to cost Rs 100 crore...there are plans to launch two more in Delhi-NCR and Bangalore. How do you see the return on investment?
I don't talk about the numbers. I have believe in the product and there is the whole team to take care of business. And to me, KidZania is much more than just another business. If I want to make money, I can invest in other businesses with higher returns.
And Brand SRK will of course help pulling more crowd...
Again, I do not think myself as a big brand. Definitely I will promote KidZania, but not because anyone has asked me to endorse it, but because I believe in it. There is no brand ambassador deal. And for KidZania, kids will be the pullers.
But don't you look for a RoI?
I invest in what I believe. I invested in a super-hero film (Ra.One) for my kids. I could have made any other film and earned more. I invested in the IPL, four years we struggled, but this year we won. So its not just about making money
Talking about IPL, how does that fit to your business interest?
IPL is another mix of sports and entertainment and it touches the consumers. Moreover, I like sports, I like to play. And with Kolkata Knight Riders we are also able to provide a stage to youngsters.
Any other business that you think you would like to invest in?
As I said, it has to have a connect with users. As and when anything will come, would be interested in.