SRK caught lifting JK Rowling's speech

The globe-trotting and so-far invincible star of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, has been caught in yet another controversy. He could certainly have done without this stain on him.

While SRK was in Delhi recently to give a lecture at the National Management Convention organised by the All India Management Association (AIMA), he amazed everyone yet again with his gift of the gab.

But, there was a catch. His rags-to-riches story, which formed a part of the speech, was extremely similar to Harry Potter author JK Rowling's speech, which became famous after she delivered it at Harvard Alumni Association in 2008.

The source of SRK's 'inspiration', if you can call it that, was leaked by a Bangalore-based social media consultant, Agratha Dinakaran, in her blog.

Here are a copuple of excerpts from Rowling's 2008 speech, followed by SRK had to say in New Delhi recently.

Rowling had said: “I quite agree with them (her parents) that it (poverty) is not an ennobling experience. Poverty entails fear, and stress, and sometimes depression; it means a thousand petty humiliations and hardships. Climbing out of poverty by your own efforts, that is indeed something on which to pride yourself, but poverty itself is romanticised only by fools.”

SRK said, “Let me tell you, poverty is not an ennobling experience at all. Poverty entails fear and stress and sometimes, depression. I've seen my parents go through it many times - it means a thousand petty humiliations and hardships.”

Rowling had also said, “Happiness lies in knowing that life is not a check-list of acquisition or achievement. Your qualifications, your CV, are not your life, though you will meet many people of my age and older who confuse the two. Life is difficult, and complicated, and beyond anyone’s total control, and the humility to know that will enable you to survive its vicissitudes.”

SRK added: “But I'd like to tell you all that life is not just a checklist of acquisitions, attainments and fulfilments. Your qualifications and CVs don't matter, your jobs don't matter. Instead, life is difficult and complicated and beyond your control, and to know that with humility, respecting your failures will help you survive its vicissitudes.”

While, it is quite acceptable that Shah Rukh or rather his speech writer might be affected by the Potter mania, it is quite unacceptable to lift key words from famous speech and deliver them, without atrributing it to Rowling.

After this incident, SRK's speech writer can start looking for another job or another career altogether.