The Bollywood screen hero parried attacks on turning himself into a brand. He said he hadn't realised that he had become one even though he takes care to sign on for not more than two ad campaigns in two years. That sounded surprising, given the number of appearances he makes on television.

He says he's managed to keep in touch with his friends from St Columba'sSchool and Hansraj College, but he misses his parents. Apart from that, his status as the rich and famous Indian poses no difficulties. ``I find it is a good life and one that I'm blessed to have been given.''

He says: ``I value time because when I meet God and he asks me what I did with the time he gave me I want to say `ask me what I didn't do with it.''

Despite his apparent pride in self-effort, Shah Rukh doesn't consider himself a great national hero. ``The sportstars are way ahead of me. The real heroes are Azhar and Sachin Tendulkar,'' says Shah Rukh adding that he even took an autograph from Sachin for his son and himself.

This humility vanishes when he is confronted with dealing with conspiracies like the one where a woman claimed to be his second mother.He was clearly offended when he was asked if it is the many controversies that have contributed to his status as a star, and replied half-jokingly that he was writing a book titled `Get Embroiled in Controversies and Become Shah Rukh Khan.'``Does anyone imagine that controversies and not hard work have made me?,'' he asked rhetorically, adding, ``many politicians in Delhi are always in the middle of wrangles, by this logic will they become good actors like me?''