The actor has been allowed to smoke in his hotel room in Berlin, a city where lighting up is banned!

Germany has banned smoking in public and private restaurants since 2008. Those caught flouting the ban would face a fine of up to 100 Euros (approx Rs 6, 116).

Smoking in public places, especially in hotels and restaurants is strictly prohibited not just in Berlin but in other German states as well.

There are 'No Smoking' signs and warnings that the offender would be fined if caught smoking, put up everywhere.

Bending rules

However, the rules have been bent for Shah Rukh Khan, who is shooting in Berlin for Farhan Akhtar's Don 2. The actor can smoke at the Hotel Mandala on Potsdamer Platz for the entire duration of his stay there. It has been two months since he began shooting there.

Recently, a German magazine carried a report about the general manager of the hotel giving Shah Rukh special permission to flout the norms.

A special exception was made for Suite 1107, where Shah Rukh will stay till the end of November. The actor has also been provided an ashtray to make sure he doesn't damage the carpeting and linen in his suite on the 11th floor of the hotel. The rate of the room is Rs 113, 960 per night.

According to law, smoking is forbidden throughout the property's premises. However, the management of Hotel Mandala has made an exception for Shah Rukh because they consider him their most prized guest. The actor's craving for nicotine is well known, but this is the first time that the authorities have bent rules for anyone.

Royal treatment

The German media has already carried articles gushing about India's King Khan choosing their city for his mega-budget film. Berlin's mayor Klaus Wowereit even gave him a personal tour of the majestic Town Hall, the Rotes Rathaus.

It's obvious the Germans are going all out to make SRK's stay in their country as comfortable and memorable as possible.

Producer Ritesh Sidhwani confirms, "Shah Rukh's suite has a terrace attached and they (the hotel authorities) were kind enough to allow him to smoke only on the terrace."

Germans Love SRK

There's a regular stream of fans outside SRK's hotel every morning, waiting just to meet him. It's the same scene when he returns at night from his shoot. SRK happily obliges fans with autographs and poses for photographs.

Incidentally, Hollywood actor Orlando Bloom, who was recently staying at the same hotel as SRK thought he was being stalked by paparazzi but was told by the hotel management that the fans outside the hotel were there for the Indian actor.

Pehle Bhi

The National Organization for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), protested against Shah Rukh, who was shown on TV, smoking during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match on April 21, 2009 in South Africa.

NOTE asked the South African National Council Against Smoking (NCAS) to consider the issue seriously and stop smoking in the stadium during IPL matches. After this, Shah Rukh expressed his willingness to stop attending further games if his smoking would become such a big issue.