Cricket could show way for hockey, other sports: Shah Rukh

New Delhi, Aug 26 (UNI) His brilliant acting in Shimit Amin's 'Chak De India' as the coach of the women's hockey team, who helps them lift the World Cup, has won him rave reviews with many in the film-critic circles pitching for making him the new ambassador for the game of sticks in the country.

The movie has become a new anthem for sports in the country.

However, for superstar Shah Rukh Khan, portrayal of Kabir Khan's character was just another role and not an advocacy on his part to promote the game.

''It's not for me to decide who's going to do what. I am in the profession of acting and film-making. And I very, very clearly do my job keeping in mind certain criteria...beyond that everybody else knows their job,'' he said adding, ''the sponsors, corporates and film associations, and the sports associations-- they all know their job. I am nobody to turn around and say - ok from today onwards, hockey is going to be the new cricket now!'' ''I am just glad that I could comment about the sport that I love. I don't know whether the film will do well or not... So, let alone whether hockey will change or not,'' King Khan said in an interview to NDTV 24X7 last night.

He, however, expressed the hope that success of cricket could pave the way for other sports like hockey in the country. ''I think we should take a cue from cricket.'' Asked whether he had expected the movie to do as well as it did, Shah Rukh said, ''I don't do any film which I don't think is going to do well. When I think of a movie doing well, I don't think in terms of money. I think of getting something new to do. The team was wonderful. Jaideep, Shimit and Sudeepa who shot the film are my friends and I really like them.'' Shahrukh was also thankful to the producer and director for giving a role he had not done earlier.

''I am very humbled and thankful to all these guys for giving me a chance to do a film like this, because sometimes stardom comes in my way of being able to perform the way I like to.'' There are few films where the makers have the guts to say let's take Shah Rukh Khan but not make it an in-your-face commercial film and give him the freedom to what he does, he added.

''I am thankful to the audience for understanding the ideology behind this film. And I am thankful to Shimit for making me act well,'' SRK said.

On whether he identified with the film's main protagonist Kabir Khan, a Muslim who had to prove his Indianness, Shah Rukh said, ''no not at all. I am Shah Rukh Khan. I am a superstar in this country.

People have loved me so much. Also, I am a complete promoter of the fact that if you have to ask am I a Muslim in a Hindu country, then I am not secular enough. I never asked myself that because I was never built like that.'' ''I am an Indian and And I do not think that what happened to Kabir will happen to me. I am an actor so I just acted it out,'' he said.

UNI