Thaindian News

Toronto, June 25 (IANS) King Khan has charmed Toronto with his playfulness. At the IIFA Rock show here, when he was asked to present an award to cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee for “Guzaarish”, Shah Rukh Khan had his usual ‘nonk-jhonk’ (banter) with co-hosts Karan Johar and Anushka Sharma.

“I am tired of girls giving me a hug. I want a deep passionate kiss,” Shah Rukh said.

When director Karan Johar reminded him of consequences of a passionate kiss at his home, Shah Rukh retorted: “We are thousands and thousands of miles away. What happens in Toronto, stays in Toronto.”

After presenting the award, King Khan simply walked up to actress Anushka Sharma and hugged her.

Earlier, at the green carpet reception before the IIFA Rocks show, he was busy talking to reporters. But when he saw Hema Malini behind him, he rushed back and hugged the Dream Girl.

The only star to be accorded the red-carpet welcome as against IIFA’s commitment to the green carpet for reasons of global warming, the Bollywood superstar cast his spell on Torontonians, particularly women, the moment he entered the ‘Raja’ Royal Park Hotel here.

He said: “I love Toronto’s weather. People are very warm. The last time I was here, it was very cold. The cold weather gives me the pretext to go out and hug (more and more) people.”

In a rare gesture, Shah Rukh was welcomed by Toronto mayor Rob Ford who presented him with a scroll, Toronto flag and called him “a world famous and iconic figure from the world of Indian film”.

Later, Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty also presented him with the flag of his Ontario province at the end of the FICCI-IIFA Global Business Forum.

Thanking the premier, the superstar said jokingly: “I love Toronto. It is a beautiful city. Its women are beautiful.”

Everyone had a big laugh when he added that having “flirted with (Toronto’s) women, let me move on before they throw me out of here”.

(Gurmukh Singh can be contacted at gurmukh.s@ians.in)