I have known Shah Rukh Khan for a long time, thanks to all the films Anupam (Kher) has acted in with him. But I got a chance to work with him in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas (2002), Farah Khan's Main Hoon Na (2004) and Yash Chopra's Veer-Zaara (2004).

It is always a great experience to work with Shah Rukh. As a producer, he is warm and wonderful. As an an actor, he is very unselfish. He does not want to hog the limelight, as is often expected of a star of his stature. I can never forget how helpful he was to Zayed Khan in Main Hoon Na.

I extend my best wishes for his 40th birthday. But honestly, I feel 40 is just a number. It holds no significance for someone as great as Shah Rukh.

I wish that he grows from strength to strength. Shah Rukh is intelligent enough to realise that he should restrain himself from doing teenybopper roles and must don a mature hat. I am sure he will be as good playing serious people as he is playing a romantic.

In Karan Johar's Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, I play his mom, and I am sure it will be another experience for me to cherish.

Kiron Kher spoke to Indrani Roy Mitra