"I remember my first meeting with Shah Rukh. I had done the casting for the play Anne Get Your Gun, and we were rehearsing. Suddenly, a boy tapped my shoulder from behind, and asked me if he could work in my play. I turned around and saw a good-looking young man, who spoke very well, and was very confident. He ended up singing and dancing. Actually, only dancing. I insisted that he lip-sync the song because he wasn't too hot at singing!" Barry laughs.

SRK soon joined TAG, and stayed on for three years.

"Because of his age, looks, energy and gymnastic abilities, he worked in a lot of children's plays, which we specialised in," Barry continues. "I saw in him a preference for comedy. He never undertook any serious or tragic roles.

"It's legendary that when we did the casting for Whose Life Is It Anyway -- about a paralyzed man, who wanted to take his own life -- I did not give Shah Rukh the main part though he wanted it.

"The whole play is about his patient's fight to die. SRK wanted to play that central character but I gave the part to Rituraj, who went on to make his career in television. Shah Rukh played a ward boy. That was the last play that he did. He probably left with a sour taste in his mouth," Barry said.

SRK has since never kept in touch with Barry.

Also read: Amitabh's early years

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