Actor Shah Rukh Khan has revealed that filmmaker Aditya Chopra spoke about doing an action film with him ahead of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995). Shah Rukh said that at that time he too wanted to feature in an action film but Aditya narrated the DDLJ script. Shah Rukh Khan has now thanked Aditya for fulfilling his promise with Pathaan ‘after 30 years’. (Also Read | Siddharth Anand says ‘boobles’ line in Pathaan was improvised by Shah Rukh Khan, fan says ‘Deepika’s reaction was real’)
In a new statement, Shah Rukh said, “We were shooting for Darr and during the shoot all of us – Pam aunty, Adi, Juhi, we used to play Scrabble at night. From the entire unit, I was very close to Adi, as we were of the same age and we had a good understanding. I have always been very fond of Adi. One day, it was Adi’s birthday, and he asked me if I will do a film and I said ‘I would love to do it’. And then he narrated something where I would be an action hero. Because I was doing Darr as well, I also got excited about it.”
He added, “Then 3-4 years later, he called and said I am coming to narrate an action film. I really wanted to play an action hero because no one was offering me that genre. So, it was my dream to do an action film – where I am wearing a white vest, I have a great body, there’s blood, I am with a girl, holding a gun. Then Adi came and narrated the film to me in Mehboob studio – That film was Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.”
Shah Rukh continued, “I was like ismein action kahan hai (Where is the action in this)?! I called Yash ji and asked him what has happened to Adi? What has he narrated saying it’s an action film?’. Then Adi said we will do it next. But then we did Dil Toh Pagal Hai. That also did well, but we never did the action. In fact, he narrated to me one more some four years ago too. Then when they came last, Adi told me that he will come with Sid, and narrate the first 15 mins.”
Shah Rukh concluded, “They came, narrated the script and left. I was sitting with my manager – Pooja [Dadlani]. I told her ‘Adi is lying. He will not make an action film’. But I really really thank him that after 30 years, he fulfilled his promise and made Pathaan with me. Today, in Maratha Mandir, our DDLJ is going on and so is Pathaan. So, I am very happy that Adi kept his promise. And I am happier that with Pathaan, I have proven it to Adi that I can do action as well. I hope Adi takes me in more action films.”
Pathaan, Shah Rukh’s latest film, has earned ₹729 crore gross worldwide in ten days. According to Yash Raj Films (YRF), the Siddharth Anand directorial made ₹14 crore nett on Saturday in India (Hindi – ₹13.50 crore, dubbed versions – ₹50 lakh) taking the domestic gross collection to ₹453 crore in ten days. In the overseas territories, the film has raised ₹276 crore. The total worldwide gross collection stands at ₹729 crore.
Pathaan becomes the all-time highest-grossing Hindi film worldwide in just 10 days!” the studio said in a press note. The film also stars John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Dimple Kapadia, and Ashutosh Rana in pivotal roles. Salman Khan made a special appearance as Tiger in Pathaan. It is the fourth movie in producer Aditya Chopra’s spy universe.