Fine actors in 'Raees' will help me improve my performance: SRK

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan hopes the presence of actors as "fine" as Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Pakistani talent Mahira Khan in "Raees", helps him "improve" his own performance in the movie.

Talking about "Raees", SRK told the media on the sidelines of the Times of India Film Awards here: "I think we have a great set of actors. The film is a little more on the real zone. Rahul Dholakia is directing it.

"There is Mahira Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub. We have really fine actors. I am really impressed by the quality of actors we have in the film and hopefully they will help me improve my performance."

The 50-year-old actor even has a film with young and raring-to-go actress Alia Bhatt. It's a yet untitled project to be directed by Gauri Shinde.

Of working with the 23-year-old "Student Of The Year" actress, SRK said: "Alia is not in awe of me. She is beautiful. I have known her since childhood... She is just beautiful."

This year, there's a lot happening on the career front for Shah Rukh. While his "Fan" is slated to release soon, there's also news that he has been signed on to work in Aanand L. Rai's next project.

There has also been a buzz that he is playing a dwarf in Rai's film, but clarifying this, he said: "Who reported this? If journalists have reported this, it is not true. So I'll tell you when I will do the film. Yes, I am talking to Aanand, Imtiaz and five other directors... I start new films in June or July after I finish last bits of 'Raees'," he said.

(The writer's visit is at the invitation of TOIFA organisers. Durga Chakravarty can be contacted at durga.c@ians.in)