Shah Rukh is always one step ahead of rival Aamir

If Aamir Khan can go all out to promote 3 Idiots, will Shah Rukh Khan lag behind? Aamir's promotional strategy had floored everyone.

So, SRK went ahead and released the first look of My Name Is Khan (MNIK) at the premiere of the mega Hollywood flick, Avtaar, by James Cameron.

But King Khan insists he isn't copying Aamir for the promotion of his film that has been directed by his friend Karan Johar.

Talking about Aamir's promotional strategy and his own for MNIK, he said: "Everyone has their own ideas and plans. I wouldn't like to do so (what Aamir did) and reduce my film to anything (like a gimmick but he didn't exactly use the word). I don't really think about someone else's film. Aamir is a good- thinking person, so he must know what he is doing. And I guess the idea must be in sync with his film's plot too. I think everyone should market the film in the way the film speaks or is. Of course, the more innovative its promotions the better. MNIK is a love story at the core and we will market it that way. For rest, you will have to wait and watch."

20th Century Fox will showcase MNIK's trailer with all its prints worldwide and it will get a much wider exposure. "I am really thankful to them for doing so. It's a first for a Hindi film. Fox Star Studios' is distributing the film and they will be a big help in increasing our market by making bigger films," said Shah Rukh.

MNIK will also be showcased in the Berlin Film Festival and Karan is thrilled about it. Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Karan will be present at the festival, which is from February 11 to February 21. Unconfirmed reports claimed Fox bought the film for Rs 100 crore and plans to release it with over 600 prints world over. It will guarantee the widest release ever for a Hindi film.

Shortest day of winter

Tomorrow is the shortest day of winter.

It is a day when the Earth's axis tilts the farthest from the Sun and is called winter solstice, a term derived from Latin words 'sol' (sun) and 'sistere' (to stand still).

A solstice is an astronomical event which happens twice each year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is most inclined toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun's apparent position in the sky to reach its northernmost or southernmost extreme, Science Popularisation Association of Communicators and Educators (SPACE) president CB Devgun told reporters.

On the day of winter solstice, North Pole points directly away from the Sun and South Pole points directly towards the Sun, he said, adding the Sun shines at lowest heights in Northern skies and at maximum heights in Southern skies.

This results in the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere, but at the same time it's the longest day in Southern Hemisphere.

Devgun said winter solstice indicates peak of the cold season. After this, the length of the day starts increasing and it reaches a point where day and night become equal in length at Vernal or Spring Equinox. The day continues to grow longer till summer solstice, the longest day, he added.

Tomorrow the winter solstice will be at 23.17 pm. In Delhi, sunrise will be at 7.10 am and sunset at 5.29 pm making it a day which is about 10 hours in duration, Devgun said.

A Khagol Mela on winter solstice has been planned by SPACE in collaboration with Nehru Planetarium at Jantar Mantar in the city.

Students from various schools would be performing activities like measuring the sun's angle during noon and finding declination of the sun using Jai Prakash Yantra at Jantar Mantar on the day.