'...Many of his fans are not Indians.'
'Even in countries where they don't speak or understand Hindi, Shah Rukh is hugely popular.'
Jab Harry Met Sejal was not another Jab We Met, as everyone had expected.
Its writer-director, Imtiaz Ali, admits in retrospect that if he were to make the film today, he would have made it differently, in keeping with Shah Rukh Khan's image of a mega star.
Speaking to Rediff Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya as part of a special Rediff series to commemorate the actor's 60th birthday, Imtiaz describes Shah Rukh as "He is the most cooperative and contributing actor for any director. And as a friend and colleague, he is the kindest, warmest, most intelligent person I know, very generous with sharing the limelight."
'Shah Rukh Was A Cat!'
I had seen glimpses of Shah Rukh's television serial, Fauji.
Then, when I arrived in Delhi, I got to know of him through common friends in the theatre circuit who had worked with him and later, with me.
He was the ascending star, on his way to Mumbai, and they were very proud of him.
So I would say that I knew more of Shah Rukh as a person, second hand from other people, instead of having a first-hand impression of him from watching his films.
I heard that he was an energetic person and that he had always been a high achiever.
He was outstanding in academics and was the captain of the football team, both in school and college, winning the 'Sword of Honour' at Delhi's St Columbus, the school's highest honour, for his all-round achievements.
Today, when he is a movie star, his achievements may not seem so huge, but back when he was just a student, they made him, what you would say in colloquial terms, a 'Cat'.
'There was this girl who was all over him...'
I met Shah Rukh for the first time at an awards ceremony.
He was walking out, and I was standing outside the venue, watching him from a distance.
As he approached, he looked at me, as if he knew me well.
We wished each other, then he went inside while I remained outside.
It was a brief exchange, but the familiarity of his look and greeting was uncanny and left me thinking, 'Of course, I know Shah Rukh Khan, but how does he know me?'
We crossed paths a few more times and the feeling of familiarity grew.
We met at events, film functions, once after Jab We Met released, at a party in London.
Shah Rukh was with his wife Gauri and there was this girl who was all over him.
He was being nice to her while trying to extricate himself from her.
I have since realised that he knew many friends of mine, like Divya Seth and Siddharth Basu, and must have heard about me from them which explained that sense of familiarity.
'Shah Rukh was the perfect choice for Harry because...'
One day, he invited me to his place, saying, 'Yaar aaj jao, come for lunch or dinner.'
I went for coffee and adda.
As we chatted, I wondered how this busy star had so much time to hang out with me.
Shah Rukh said we should do a film together, and asked if I had something appropriate for his age.
I went to him with two stories; he liked Jab Harry Met Sejal.
For me, he was the perfect choice for Harry because there is a dignity about him which is uncompromising and unyielding.
At a time when other actors were hiding their relationships, the fact that they were married and had children, Shah Rukh, who had tied the knot in his early 20s, was very open about Gauri and their children.
He has always been very upfront about his family, and very dignified in his behaviour.
He accords the same respect and dignity to others and in the process, has enhanced the image of a matinee idol.
I felt he would dignify Harry's failures, his sense of loss, and make him far more appealing.
'Shah Rukh had built a park for AbRam'
I had caught a glimpse of Shah Rukh with his three children when I had visited Mannat.
He was more like their friend than a father.
During the shoot of Jab Harry Met Sejal, I saw him interacting closely with his youngest child.
AbRam had accompanied us to Punjab and Amsterdam.
Shah Rukh single-handedly took care of him.
He had built a park for AbRam and they would play endlessly while we put up the cameras and lights.
He was so caring and it was endearing to watch father and son together.
The calibre of a person is judged by the way his children behave and Aryan, Suhana and AbRam have always been very grounded, confident and respectful.
They don't come across as the children of a superstar.
'Even in countries where they don't speak or understand Hindi, Shah Rukh is hugely popular'
Shah Rukh is a mega star, and what's amazing is that many of his fans are not Indians.
Jab Harry Met Sejal was filmed in Punjab and multiple locations across Europe, including Prague, Amsterdam and Budapest.
Several of his fans, all women from Germany, would follow us to every location when we were shooting abroad.
They were always there before us, and when we arrived, would scream out his name.
Even in countries where they don't speak or understand Hindi, Shah Rukh is hugely popular, so much so that we had to look for places where he was not easily recognisable so we could shoot without distractions.
'That cameo in Brahmastra was interesting'
As an actor, Shah Rukh has been exceptional in several films.
I like him most in Chak De! India.
He was also extremely good in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.
Today, if I had an opportunity to collaborate with him again, I would want to make a supernatural fantasy adventure with him playing a superhero.
That cameo in Brahmastra was interesting, maybe we could develop a character like that.
He is a mega star, when people come to watch his movies, they expect something larger-than-life, something out-of-the-ordinary, something out of this world!
Shah Rukh is the most giving person one can image.
He is the most cooperative and contributing actor for any director.
As a friend and colleague, he is the kindest, warmest, most intelligent person I know, very generous with sharing the limelight.
While giving so much love and respect to everyone, he has become who he is.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
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