King of Romance! That is what they call Shah Rukh Khan. He has taken over that mantle from Yash Chopra and held on to it. But Shah Rukh, the actor, comes from a different school of thought. Coached by Barry John in Delhi, he is a theatre actor and one who still wants to be taken seriously. That is why his favourite work always differs from what the audience loves about him. On his birthday, we take a look at SRK’s favourites from his own career. (Also read: Shah Rukh Khan’s 1st unfiltered interview from 1991: When he dissed Bollywood star culture, lack of focus on acting)
Shah Rukh Khan’s favourite film
On a recent appearance on What Cyrus Says, Cyrus Broacha’s podcast, filmmaker Nikkhil Advani dropped a bombshell. “He hates love stories,” he said of Shah Rukh, whom he directed in Ra.One. Sinha recalled his time as an assistant on Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and how Shah Rukh would want to make things less romantic and more dramatic for his character. The filmmaker also revealed another interesting trivia. The man, who has given iconic romantic films and blockbusters like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Dil To Pagal Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Devdas, and Kal Ho Naa Ho, does not count any of these as his favourite film. Advani added, “Dil Se is his favourite film.”
Directed by Mani Ratnam, Dil Se was a commercial failure in India, but a success overseas. The film established Shah Rukh as a known face among European and American audiences beyond the diaspora. But more importantly, it had the actor playing a different kind of lover, one that was flawed and relentless. The critical acclaim that came with it must have meant much more to the actor than some of the box office returns of the other films.
Shah Rukh’s favourite role
He has been synonymous with Rahul and Raj for 30 years. In films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, and Dil To Pagal Hai, he created the template of the genuine boy-next-door, which millennial women still look for in their man. Ask any fan, and their favourite SRK character will probably be one of these, or Mohan Bhargava or Kabir Khan from later in his career.
Ask Shah Rukh; the reply is Sunil from Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa. In this 1993 film, Shah Rukh played not the conventional hero, but a loser. He neither gets the girl nor any grand moments, but he is more real than many of his other characters. To play such a flawed and real character so well so early in his career was a great boost for Shah Rukh, something he values even today.
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