'Had Hrithik not been in films, I would have kept making films with Shah Rukh'

'Shah Rukh had only one bad habit -- he would wake up late. It became my duty to wake him up during the shooting of King Uncle, Karan Arjun and Koyla, since all three films were shot outstation.'

Rakesh Roshan takes Patcy N/ Rediff.com back in time.

Like Kundan Shah, Rakesh Roshan has some very good memories with Shah Rukh Khan.

They have worked in three films together -- King Uncle, Karan Arjun and Koyla.

We continue with Shah Rukh's 50th birthday celebrations, and ask Rakesh Roshan why he loved working with the King Khan:

I met Shah Rukh for the first time at a restaurant called China Garden (in Mumbai). He was with (actor) Viveck Vaswani. I asked Viveck who he was. Viveck told me that he was Shah Rukh Khan and that he was working in a television serial called Fauji, which had not been telecast yet.

I asked Shah Rukh whether he wanted to act in films, and he said yes. He told me he had got a couple of offers but had not signed anything yet.

I signed him on for King Uncle.

He would come home regularly and we would have a good time. He was like a family member.

'He was very obedient, and a spontaneous actor'

After that, I made Karan Arjun with him.

When I narrated the story to Shah Rukh, he told me he doesn't believe in reincarnation. He did the film because I was directing it and he wanted to work with me.

Since the screenplay was ready, I gave it to him to read. Once we started shooting, he never asked me any questions. He completely trusted my vision.

After so many years when he produced Om Shanti Om, based on reincarnation, I asked him why he did it. He told me that after he saw Karan Arjun, he started believing in reincarnation. He told me, 'You made it so believable that I started believing in it.'

He was very obedient, and a spontaneous actor.

'Shah Rukh had only one bad habit -- he would wake up late'

The last film that I made with him was Koyla.

I brought Madhuri Dixit and Shah Rukh together for the film. I had worked with Madhuri in Kishen Kanahiya and Khel. She's a very close family friend, and a very nice girl to work with.

We have great respect for each other. Even today whenever Shah Rukh meets me, he gives me a lot of respect. That shows his upbringing.

I am very happy with the success he has gained in life. I am also happy because my eyes saw talent in him and I knew he would become a big start someday.

Shah Rukh had only one bad habit -- he would wake up late. So during the making of King Uncle, I would go to his room and wake him up. It continued with his other films too. It became my duty to wake him up during the shooting of Karan Arjun and Koyla too, since all three films were shot outstation.

In those days, there were no vanity vans. We had make-up rooms. So during the shooting, everyone would be on the sets.

We would all sit together and have lunch and have fun.

'Had Hrithik Roshan not been in films, I would have kept making films with Shah Rukh'

Shah Rukh has matured as an actor now. He is more confident today. We can see his growth from film to film. He has done all kinds of films -- romantic, comedy and action films. He is an accomplished actor and a complete actor.

Moreover, he is a very good person; he has a good heart, is very down-to-earth and not a complicated person. I have never seen him losing his temper.

After Koyla, I did not cast Shah Rukh Khan in any film because Hrithik Roshan had come into films by then (laughs), so I made Kaho Na... Pyaar Hai with him. Had Hrithik Roshan not been in films, I would have kept making films with Shah Rukh.

My son assisted me on Karan Arjun and Koyla, so Hrithik and Shah Rukh had a good rapport. They respect each other.

Even though we do not meet each other often anymore, we share a nice family-like relationship. His wife Gauri is a very nice person too.

Most of Shah Rukh Khan films are good but my personal favourite is Darr. He played a negative character and did it so well that he became the hero of the film. Nobody can forget his stammer 'Kkkkk Kiran' even today. He left a mark in the film.