I hardly see why Gowariker would go to Shah Rukh Khan first. After the success of Lagaan, why wouldn't you go back to Aamir Khan? Something tells me that Gowariker did go to Aamir first, Aamir rejected the script and like Lagaan, went to Shah Rukh Khan as a second choice. Something also tells me this will be a low-budget production since Gowariker himself is producing it.

In fact AK did reject it and Ashutosh then went to SRK

http://www.indiafm.com/stills/04/swades/still1.shtml

sorry dragun, I saw same still posted here!!

now i can see why aamir didnt wana do another BHUVAN!

viewtopic.php?t=3021&highlight=swades

may be joining time!!

Here is a video clip of shooting at NASA:

Real Player(stream)
http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/track- ... iaid=22850

No copyright protection is asserted for this video. If a recognizable person appears in this video, use for commercial purposes may infringe a right of privacy or publicity. It may not be used to state or imply the endorsement by NASA employees of a commercial product, process or service, or used in any other manner that might mislead. Accordingly, it is requested that if this video is used in advertising and other commercial promotion, layout and copy be submitted to NASA prior to release.

PHOTO CREDIT: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Hollywood has invaded the Kennedy Space Center… but don't expect to find Tom Cruise or Steven Spielberg running around the set. Director Ashutosh Gowariker and his crew shot on location last week at Launch Complex 39 for their upcoming movie "Swades." Gowariker is one of India's most respected directors and the film is his highly anticipated follow-up to "Laagan", a film that earned him an Academy Award nomination in 2002. "Swades" follows the story of a NASA scientist born and raised in India who returns to his home country and realizes the importance of working to build his own nation. The film stars one of India's biggest stars, Shahrukh Khan, in the leading role. Khan's character is a scientist working on an Earth-observing satellite launched on a fictional shuttle mission. NASA's next real shuttle mission, STS-114, is scheduled to lift off in March of 2005.

I'm not too much a fan of SRK and I don't think SRK has as much scope as an actor as does AK. However, I don't think Ashutosh Gowariker is stupid enough to make a bad casting call. I think it has a lot to do with casting an actor who looks the part. And AG might believe that he can exploit SRK's acting skills more than others have. So, this role may suit SRK. It just waits to be seen how the director handles it.

Well, it will be same SRK, whether from CC, PAWAN or BHUVAn, instead of riding truck, being shot in a SHUTTLE????

I agree, SRK is a star of huge fame, but actor of limited potential..

He was pretty good in Dil Se, so I think it takes a good director and project to get a good performance. I too do not like SRK, but I have faith in Gowariker's ability to bring him to life.

Is this shot with sync sound?

I think, LAGAAN's strength was not bHUVAN only!! It was ENTIRE cast..this was Fist film, where it DID'nt Solely STAND on HERo/BHUVAN's SHOULDERS!!

That is some thing, not very common!

I dont know How much of it was due to AAMIR KHAN"s presence and How much Solely Director's GOOD DIRECTION?

I personally believe that A LOT of the credit for LAGAAN has to go to Aamir Khan.....he knows the medium of cinema rather well. The scripting of LAGAAN was totally Ashutosh Gowariker, but the execution had the intelligence and dilligence of Aamir Khan which if you look closely comes across many of his performances, whether 'tis DCH, RANGEELA, EARTH, DIL HAI KI MAANTA NAHIN or HUM HAIN RAAHEE PYAAR KE. It is not without reason that he's called a pain in the butt, in the industry. Apparently he questions every single thing in a script till he's satisfied. He actually makes notes when he is at a narration sitting and brings those along when he is shooting. There would be something in the script of SWADES that did not quite go with him.

SRK and AK are two contrasting schools of acting in my opinion. Whereas SRK relies heavily on mannerisms, charm, charisma (onscreen mainly) and energy, AK relies on his intelligence, intensity to deliver a performance and conviction in the character he's portraying. Even a badly written role like the one in MANN he tried really honestly to elevate above the script. He has made mistakes in his choices (MELA for one, RAJA HINDUSTANI for another) but who has not !

I believe it would be prudent to not expect the world from SWADES. It will at best prove to be a bit like the experiment SRK tried with ASOKA. Great intentions, but with not quite the goods to deliver !

I couldnt have said better!!

I think, thats Why AK opted out of SWADES as Superficially, It does look like BHUVAN act!

I can easily see Swades being one of the three best films of 2004. And by the way, I had later learned that Aamir Khan rejected Swades knowingly that he had already signed Mehta's Mangal Panday. And Aamir as we all know, won't work on two films simultaneously.