Shah Rukh Khan has no qualms about his Lux ad, which has raised many an eyebrow.

"Some people think it's a girlie ad and that it questions my sexuality. But I love the idea of getting into a tub, just as I had seen all my lovely leading ladies do," says the King Khan [Images], about his latest endorsement: Lux.

"I can't help it," he says. "I just do my job. In fact, I've just done a Santro ad with Preity Zinta in Spain. That's why I couldn't be there for Karan Johar's [Images] mahurat in Mumbai. Besides, Preity needed to get to New York to shoot for Sajid Nadiadwala's Jaaneman. So I had to re-shuffle my dates and miss Karan's big day. A pity. But I visited his set at Film City (in Mumbai) earlier this week. Being on Karan's set seems like being at home."

SRK [Images] will be starring in Karan's Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, along with a host of stars like Amitabh Bachchan [Images], Rani Mukerji [Images], Preity Zinta [Images] and Abhishek Bachchan [Images].

Shah Rukh [Images] has made headlines for his Lux ad -- a first for a male celebrity. "Not true," SRK corrects. "Before me, Paul Newman had done the Lux ad. I wanted to get into the tub and not just stand outside watching a lady getting in. I guess that would've been a more predictable male perception of how the ad should have been done. But I wanted to do it the proper way. I don't know why it should be such a big deal."

The ad shows the actor in a bathtub.

After a pause, he says, "Actually, all my favourite heroines have done the ad. Lux has traditionally been considered a woman's soap. But I can't remember a time when it hasn't been a part of Indian households, for a male or female. I grew up watching those lovely ladies modelling for the soap. Now, I'm a part of it. Lux is now 75 years old, so there is a need to do something different with the product."

In a week's time, Shah Rukh will leave for New York for the shooting of Kabhi Alvidaa Na Kehna. "I have enjoyed this break from work, reading and playing with my children, being a house-bound dad for a change. Now, it's back to work."

And what happens to Farah Khan's [Images] Happy New Year? "I really don't where that fits in. After Karan's film, I go to Farhan Akhtar's Don in February 2006.

Text: Subhash K Jha