Australian Minister A ‘Massive’ Shah Rukh Khan Fan, Names His Favourite Films

Mumbai: Shah Rukh Khan enjoys a huge global fan base, which extends far beyond India. Joining the list is Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who recently revealed that he is a big admirer of Bollywood’s King Khan and even shared his favourite films.

During a conversation with Pawan Luthra on the Indian Link podcast, Burke shared, “I am a massive Shah Rukh Khan fan, so let me start with that. And, I love AR Rahman’s soundtracks as well.”

Asked about his favourite Hindi films, he said that ‘Chak De! India’ is especially close to his heart, noting that it was filmed in parts of Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

“I am biased, I will take Chak De! India because that was filmed here,” the minister said.

Asked if he rooted for India or Australia in the final match shown in the final, he quipped, “No, no, although, I did cheer for India in Lagaan. But (while watching) Chak De! India, I was still going for Australia.”

He heaped praise on Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s ‘Jodhaa Akbar’, calling the film “phenomenal.”

However, SRK’s ‘Om Shanti Om’ remains Burke’s all-time favourite.

“The last one I want to mention isn’t just my favourite Bollywood film, it’s in fact my favourite film of all time, which is Om Shanti Om. I think there is a real beauty in the story. But there is a line that is used twice, which I think is one of the most simple and beautiful lines and SRK uses it each time… it’s simple happy endings, if it’s not happy, it’s not the end, the story is not over yet,” he said.

‘Om Shanti Om’ marked the Bollywood debut of Deepika Padukone. The film also featured Shreyas Talpade, Arjun Rampal, and Kirron Kher in key roles.