Raees: Shah Rukh Khan at Mathura station
New Delhi:
On Monday, Shah Rukh Khan boarded the August Kranti Express in Mumbai for what was to be an eventful overnight journey to New Delhi to promote his new film Raees. It was both momentuous - SRK first travelled by train between these two cities when left his hometown in the Nineties to make it big in Bollywood - and familiar, courtesy the many films his public has seen him taking the train in. Putting SRK on a train seems an appropriate way to promote Raees, in which he plays a criminal, because both are a reflection of his early film roots - a return to the iconic train scene in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and the anti-hero characters he played in Darr and Baazigar.
Here's a recap of SRK's journey by rail for Raees.
It began Monday afternoon at Mannat, SRK's Bandra bungalow outside which he addressed the press before leaving for the station. "I was so excited and nervous because I was going to travel by train after a very long time, apart from one time with my kids," Shah Rukh Khan said.
5.40 pm at Mumbai Central: For a few heart-stopping moments, it seemed that SRK, late as ever, wouldn't make it. But even superstars have to stick to the timetable - he boarded with minutes to spare, escorted through the massive crowd that had come to see him off. "The train would have waited for me. Even if I hadn't got into the train I would have got on top and done Chhaiya Chhaiya," he told NDTV, referring to his train-top song from the film Dil Se.
On board, SRK settled in comfortably but said that he was missing his little son: "I wish I had brought AbRam along with me. Because he loves to travel. And he knows the whole team, he would have been comfortable.
He also related memories of traveling by train as a young man: "I have some nice memories which I cherish. I went to Agra on a train from my first salary. I have also told this story before that when the train enters Mumbai it gets converted into a local and one can't take a single birth per person. So the passengers scolded us. When I was Delhi then I used to travel by train very often and of course also in DDLJ" Of the DDLJ climax in which Kajol's character runs down the platform towards the train carriage that bears him away, SRK said, "We had very little time and we were running. I had no idea that this scene would become iconic."
7.42 pm at Vapi: SRK received a blockbuster welcome and distributed some gifts. He tweeted.
8.05 pm at Valsad: Just 20 minutes to the next stop. Once more, there was SRK frenzy on the platform.
8.55 pm at Surat: The view from the train
10.31 pm at Vadodara: Tragedy. A man, believed to be a local politician, died of what is believed to have been a heart attack after police used batons on the crowd. "It is extremely unfortunate that someone has died...my prayers are with his family. Our team was there all along, tragic that such an incident still took place," Shah Rukh Khan said later to reporters in New Delhi. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has ordered an investigation.
5.20 am at Kota: A young crowd had collected to see SRK.
6.28 am at Sawai Madhopur: Shah Rukh Khan looked no worse for wear, despite having been up all night and waving to fans.
9.02 am at Mathura: Last stop.
Somewhere along the way, actress Sunny Leone was discovered to be onboard the train. Sunny appears in a special song sequence in Raees, a remix of 1980 hit Laila from Zeenat Aman's film Qurbani.
She tweeted video from Nizamuddin:
Raees releases on January 25 and will clash with Hrithik Roshan's Kaabil. The film co-stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Pakistani actress Mahira Khan.
Here's a recap of SRK's journey by rail for Raees.
It began Monday afternoon at Mannat, SRK's Bandra bungalow outside which he addressed the press before leaving for the station. "I was so excited and nervous because I was going to travel by train after a very long time, apart from one time with my kids," Shah Rukh Khan said.
Shah Rukh Khan waves to the crowd after boarding the train
Shah Rukh Khan waves from inside the train
5.40 pm at Mumbai Central: For a few heart-stopping moments, it seemed that SRK, late as ever, wouldn't make it. But even superstars have to stick to the timetable - he boarded with minutes to spare, escorted through the massive crowd that had come to see him off. "The train would have waited for me. Even if I hadn't got into the train I would have got on top and done Chhaiya Chhaiya," he told NDTV, referring to his train-top song from the film Dil Se.
Shah Rukh Khan photographed inside the train
On board, SRK settled in comfortably but said that he was missing his little son: "I wish I had brought AbRam along with me. Because he loves to travel. And he knows the whole team, he would have been comfortable.
He also related memories of traveling by train as a young man: "I have some nice memories which I cherish. I went to Agra on a train from my first salary. I have also told this story before that when the train enters Mumbai it gets converted into a local and one can't take a single birth per person. So the passengers scolded us. When I was Delhi then I used to travel by train very often and of course also in DDLJ" Of the DDLJ climax in which Kajol's character runs down the platform towards the train carriage that bears him away, SRK said, "We had very little time and we were running. I had no idea that this scene would become iconic."
7.42 pm at Vapi: SRK received a blockbuster welcome and distributed some gifts. He tweeted.
In Vapi Udi Udi jaaye... pic.twitter.com/JnrDqMI0F6
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) January 23, 2017
8.05 pm at Valsad: Just 20 minutes to the next stop. Once more, there was SRK frenzy on the platform.
All lights and love in Valsad. Thank u for welcoming team Raees. pic.twitter.com/0xzP2zIRBE
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) January 23, 2017
8.55 pm at Surat: The view from the train
Thank u Gujarat. This is so beautiful. Thanks for waiting for Raees Surat. pic.twitter.com/SL8bMGhdcg
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) January 23, 2017
10.31 pm at Vadodara: Tragedy. A man, believed to be a local politician, died of what is believed to have been a heart attack after police used batons on the crowd. "It is extremely unfortunate that someone has died...my prayers are with his family. Our team was there all along, tragic that such an incident still took place," Shah Rukh Khan said later to reporters in New Delhi. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has ordered an investigation.
5.20 am at Kota: A young crowd had collected to see SRK.
Thank u all the students...the future of India to be here at the Kota station. All the girls especially...love u immensely & wish u the best.
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) January 24, 2017
6.28 am at Sawai Madhopur: Shah Rukh Khan looked no worse for wear, despite having been up all night and waving to fans.
9.02 am at Mathura: Last stop.
A massive crowd waits to catch a glimpse of SRK at Nizamuddin station
Somewhere along the way, actress Sunny Leone was discovered to be onboard the train. Sunny appears in a special song sequence in Raees, a remix of 1980 hit Laila from Zeenat Aman's film Qurbani.
Train ride!! Almost to the final stop! Most amazing journey! @RaeesTheFilm @DanielWeber99 @yofrankay @911Yusuf pic.twitter.com/IdeP5kG1F8
— Sunny Leone (@SunnyLeone) January 24, 2017
She tweeted video from Nizamuddin:
The train ride w/ @RaeesTheFilm team & @iamsrk is 1of my most memorable trips in India thus far!Will never forget!Srk fans u r so amazing! pic.twitter.com/X67MUcZzt7
— Sunny Leone (@SunnyLeone) January 24, 2017
Raees releases on January 25 and will clash with Hrithik Roshan's Kaabil. The film co-stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Pakistani actress Mahira Khan.
