Shah Rukh Khan, who is rightly called as the King of Bollywood, is undoubtedly one of the most popular and loved actors we have in the industry. However, did you know that SRK deeply admired Rajesh Khanna from the begining of his career and aspired to become a superstar like him?
Yes, you read that right! Senior journalist Rajat Sharma, in conversation with ANI, recalled an encounter with Shah Rukh at the airport, shortly after the release of Baazigar. SRK approached him, acknowledging him, but then humorously expressed that he disliked Sharma. He explained that while people showed respect to Sharma by addressing him formally, they casually called Shah Rukh by his first name. SRK joked about the situation, asking what he should do to earn the same level of respect, which left Sharma both surprised and impressed by his charm.
The journalist also shared that he and SRK ended up talking throughout the entire flight, and by the time they landed, Sharma had become a fan of SRK. During their conversation, SRK playfully asked if Sharma had ever hung upside down. When Sharma questioned why, SRK responded that he could hang upside down from a tree for hours and still be called “Ey Shah Rukh,” while Sharma would always be addressed as “Sharma saab.” He jokingly suggested Sharma try hanging upside down sometimes.Sharma also remembered how, as they were leaving the airport, Shah Rukh casually invited him to visit a movie set. Under what Sharma described as a kind of spell, he agreed immediately. SRK then mentioned his red car, saying it had once belonged to Rajesh Khanna, and shared that the driver had worked for Khanna before he hired him. SRK jokingly told Sharma that since he had brought Rajesh Khanna to his show, he should bring Shah Rukh Khan on the show as well, despite SRK having only done one or two films at the time.
Sharma recalled that his team initially resisted the idea of bringing Shah Rukh Khan on Aap Ki Adalat, fearing it would lower the show’s prestige. They argued that having only the biggest superstar, Rajesh Khanna, on the show so far, adding someone like SRK would diminish its stature. However, Sharma believed in Shah Rukh’s potential, and the episode turned out to be a massive success.
The journalist recalled that SRK excelled in his first appearance on the show. After that he told Sharma that while 5,000 people loved him before, now 5 lakh did. Eighteen years later, when SRK returned to the show, he paused before Sharma’s first question to thank him for his first big interview, crediting it for helping him become the star he is. Sharma praised Shah Rukh’s generosity, acknowledging that while he was destined for stardom, his heartfelt words showed his big-heartedness.
