'This Guy Is Nothing Like Aamir'

'Vivek Vaswani came over to discuss Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman which he was producing with Aziz Mirza as the director.'
'When I asked who was playing the lead, Raju, he said it was an actor called Shah Rukh Khan. "He looks just like Aamir Khan," Vivek added.'
'It was a shock when I met Shah Rukh on the first day of the shoot.'
'He was thin and tanned, with a fat nose and thick lips.'

They were a much-loved jodi on screen and went on to become co-producers and co-owners of an IPL franchise.

They have remained friends with Juhi Chawla's husband Jai Mehta and her children Jahnavi and Arjun sharing a great bonding with Shah Rukh Khan.

Speaking to Rediff Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya, Juhi recalls her first meeting with Shah Rukh, discloses what he has been quietly supporting all these years and talks about how he was a pillar of support for her during a personal crisis.

Do you recall a birthday of Shah Rukh's that you celebrated on the set?

(After a thoughtful pause) No, but we did celebrate at the Dreamz Unlimited office.

We would put up decorations, get a cake, light candles, then call Shah Rukh to come and bring in his special day with our production team.

Jai (husband Jai Mehta) and I have also gone to his home, Mannat, for the big parties Gauri and he hosted, and even when he didn't throw a party, around three to four of us would land up there to wish him.

Sixty is a milestone birthday, what will you gift him?

What do you gift someone who has everything?

Jai is the one who knows what fancy gifts to get, I will just gift him some trees, maybe 600 since he's turning 60, which will benefit not only him, but his children and grandchildren too.

Let's flashback to your first meeting with him...

(Laughs) That meeting is legendary now.

Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak had just been released and it was a hit.

I had just started to find my feet in the industry when Vivek Vaswani came over to my place to discuss a project with me.

Back then, we were not given a complete script, the plot was sketched out to us in two-three lines.

Vivek, who is a good storyteller, gave me a snapshot of Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman which he was producing with Aziz Mirza as the director.

He promised that it would be a charming film and we would sweep the Filmfare awards.

When I asked who was playing the lead, Raju, he informed me that it was an actor called Shah Rukh Khan who had become famous after his Doordarshan serial Fauji.

"He looks just like Aamir Khan," Vivek added.

Like Aamir Khan?

(Chuckles) Yeah, and I was happy because my QSQT co-star was a good-looking guy.

It was a shock when I met Shah Rukh on the first day of the shoot at Mumbai's Mukesh Mills.

He was around five feet eight inches tall, thin and tanned, with a fat nose and thick lips.

His hair fell messily over his forehead every second shot no matter how many times he gelled and combed it back.

This guy is nothing like Aamir, I decided, disappointed.

Butonce we started shooting, I realised working with Shah Rukh was a lot of fun.

He would do 20-30 rehearsals without complaints, and on camera, he was charming and constantly improvising.

He brought the words on paper come alive on screen, making the scripted scenes warmer, sweeter and funnier while making you a part of the process.

We went on to sign more films -- Darr, Ram Jaane, Yes Boss, Duplicate (she had special appearances in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and Paheli too) -- and also produced Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Asoka and Chalte Chalte.

How would you describe Shah Rukh as a co-producer?

Indulgent and diligent, no effort was too much to get the best results.

I was completely useless, often forgetting that I was the producer because in my head, I was still only an actress.

But Shah Rukh embraced every role and responsibility, from being a helping hand to the boss.

I've never seen him leave anything to the team, he worked with them, taking on additional workload, willingly and wholeheartedly.

And I saw this every day!

Has he changed much over the years?

As a person, Shah Rukh hasn't changed much intrinsically, but everything around him has become bigger.

Now, he is 'King Khan', 'Bollywood's Badshah'. During Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman and Yes Boss, he was eating with the film unit and drinking chai from their glasses.

Back then I worked one shift a day while he was juggling Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman and a few other films too.

His son Aryan is a spitting image of him...

(Chuckles) Yes, Aryan looks exactly like Shah Rukh did in the '90s, he just doesn't smile much.

Even the mannerisms are the same, like the way he greets you with an adaab.

I saw the show he directed, The Ba***ds of Bollywood, it has all the masala, great punchlines and I was thoroughly entertained.

When children of stars become actors, there are the inevitable comparisons, I thought it was pretty cool that he wanted to do something else while remaining within the film industry.

Shah Rukh himself works closely with all his directors to enhance what is there on paper.

I don't see much of him in the little one (AbRam) while Suhana is a sweet, little girl.

All three kids are very hard-working having inherited their dad's work ethic.

You spoke about how when your children, Jahanvi and Arjun, were thoroughly entertained by Aamir and the stories he narrated. Are they as fascinated by Shah Rukh who's also a good raconteur?

They have interacted more with Shah Rukh; he can talk on any subject under the sun and you are fully entertained in his company.

My children find him to be witty, intelligent and interesting.

Even if you have opposing views, he will eventually convince you to agree with him.

(Laughing) Shah Rukh can sell anything, even coals to Newcastle!

Does he share a great equation with Jai?

Yes, even though they are so different.

Jai is always calm while Shah Rukh is energetic and excitable.

Being an actor, he brings drama and entertainment while Jai brings stability.

Tell us about the time when Shah Rukh was a huge support.

I had gone to Prague for Duplicate, and on the first day of shooting, the biggest tragedy of my life happened (her mother was killed in a hit-and-run accident while on a morning walk) and my world shattered!

Thankfully Shah Rukh was shooting with me, and since he has also lost his parents, he could understand what I was going through.

He tried to calm me after the news was broken to me and I clung to him for support.

When I went to see my mother, I asked him if he could accompany me knowing I would pass out if I was alone.

Even after I returned to India, after I resumed shooting, I would ask if I could work with Shah Rukh for a while knowing he would look after me.

Don't miss Part 2 of the Juhi Chawla interview on Tuesday!