Toronto: Shah Rukh Khan is currently at the Toronto Film Festival where his latest offering, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, was screened as part of the gala presentation.

The ever busy actor took a moment out to talk to CNN-IBN correspondent Indira Kannan.

Indira Kannan: Your film Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna was a gala presentation at the Toronto film festival. The film dealt with some fairly difficult issues and yet managed to break box office records in North America and England. Did you anticipate such a response?

Shah Rukh Khan: I did anticipate that the film would incite people to ask questions because whenever you deal with reality in a non-real way, people do take it seriously. It is a nice thing and shows that the audiences are amazingly intelligent and are not willing to take anything without discussing it.

Indira Kannan: You are sporting a new look these days (a beard). What is the reason behind it? Some of the fans say that it is a scruffy look but most of them like it a lot.

Shah Rukh Khan: This look is for my latest film Chak De India in which I play a Muslim character. Muslims are supposed to have beards and it's the same reason why they are stopped at airports and frisked. I play this guy who is a little sad in life. He has just one aim, which is to see the Indian tri-colour hoisted with all the other countries' flags. He lives this dream and the story unfolds.

I want to do a film on hockey, which is our national sport but sadly is being neglected due to certain reasons. It has been delegated to some third and fourth stand now. I used to be a hockey player. I want to bring back those memories. So to pay my tribute to the national game I would want to play such a role.

Indira Kannan: You were mobbed at the red carpet event for KANK in Toronto. Is there any country in the world where you think you will not be mobbed?

Shah Rukh Khan: I just hope so. I have started believing the myth that I am a big star and that everybody in the world knows me. The Time magazine says that maximum number of eyeballs turn towards me. So it would be a little strange if I land somewhere where no one looks at me.

Indira Kannan: So your message to the people is 'come on and hug me'.

Shah Rukh Khan: No, my message to my fans is 'thank you for hugging me for so long'. I ask them to keep on hugging me. I would say that if you can bear me for any longer, then keep on hugging me. And I also say 'thank you for hugging me'. I apologise to those who did not find me smelling great when they hugged me.

Indira Kannan: Thank you for talking to us.

Shah Rukh Khan: Thank you.