Recently, Shah Rukh Khan gave an interview while on holiday in London. During the interview, the question was raised regarding rumours of a rift or on-going battle between himself and Amitabh Bachchan. Here is the question and Khan's reply:

"Do the constant reports about a rift with the Bachchans disturb you?

They don't disturb me because it's all so stupid and unfair. Some journos need copy at any cost. The news on my bungalow has been exhausted. No newcomer is around to oust me. I'm bored with all this. During my 16 years here, my career obituaries have been written constantly, I've been knocked out by every new actor. I would just like to say please don't undermine me. This is King Khan. I'm the Ronaldinho of acting. I'll be there for another five to six years, then maybe you can think of some other actor.

I've been low key of late. But the Bachchan-Khan stories are completely false. I know the Bachchan family too well. I don't see any issue, I'm very comfortable with them. Mr Bachchan is 64, the age my father would have been. I just cannot have any negative feelings for someone of that age."

Now, much has been made in some sections of the media of late over one statement in what was a lengthy interview.

"This is King Khan. I'm the Ronaldinho of acting."

This one statement has been blown out of all proportion by many sections of the media. It has been seen as arrogant and grandiose by the same media who constantly refer to him as King Khan and the Baadshah of Bollywood.

Shah Rukh Khan rarely uses the term King Khan himself, most of the time he modestly denies he is such. It has been the Indian Film industry, his fans and the media who have "crowned" him with these titles; yet, on the rare occasion Khan chooses to openly accept the "crown" and use one of the titles bestowed upon him, he is ridiculed.

Even Amitabh Bachchan, the elder statesman of Indian Cinema, has stated that Shah Rukh Khan is the Baadshah of Bollywood.

So much has been made of this single statement, yet nothing has been said about the fact he mentioned his knee has been hurting of late and therefore he could not play football with his children for a few days. No concern for the mans health?

Nothing has been made of the fact he said he would be headed for Paris to finish the Don shoot, and his children would be joining him - no mention of his wife. Actually, no mention of his wife in the entire interview...but nothing was made of this. Why not? It could have been just as "news worthy" as the single comment seemed to be.

The point is, anything can be picked out of an interview and made more than it is.

Later in the same interview came these questions:

"What would you say about being a superstar for so many years?

It's terrific. I'm respected, recognised. I'm paid well. Many magazines call me the icon of the country. Of course, of every 100 fans, two will pass a snide remark. But 98 of them are with me. I don't need any more money than what I'm earning now. I don't get frustrated if one film doesn't do well. The fact is I'm blessed, it has been a charmed life.

You seem to have isolated yourself a bit lately.

I do hang out as long as the conversations are worthwhile. I don't want to keep talking endlessly about myself. That would make me a megalomaniac."

Once again, the point has to be made...which Shah Rukh him self made...it is the media that create the labels that stick to Khan; such as Icon, Hero, Superstar, Megastar, King, Baadshah, etc. These labels stick because they are earned and deserved. Yet, he does not talk about himself at length, unless the situation warrants or he is prodded, as he rightly said, to talk about himself all the time would make him "a megalomaniac"; but why would he need to talk about himself, when the media do it enough for him?

Shah Rukh Khan is recognised the world over; he is known in places even the top actors of Hollywood - such as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Tom Cruise - are not. This is a man who can honestly boast of billions of fans.

So, why shouldn't he occasionally polish the "crown" that has been thrust upon him?