Vijay, Atlee and Shah Rukh Khan (From Left). (Courtesy: Georgeviews)
Atlee Kumar made his Bollywood debut with a bang. The historic and record-making success of Jawan is a testament to the statement. The film has collected (so far) over Rs 850 crore at the global box office. In a recent interview, the filmmaker talked about “bringing two icons [Shah Rukh Khan and Vijay] under one roof” on his birthday, last year. According to Atlee, “it happened naturally.” FYI: Atlee had shared a picture from his birthday party with his two “pillars” Shah Rukh Khan and Thalapathy Vijay. The director told Siddharth Kannan, “Vijay sir was very happy meeting Shah Rukh [Khan] sir” and “their discussion was something else.”
Atlee said, “Last year, around the same time…I conducted a party in Chennai. I have very few friends in the Cinema. So, I called Vijay [Thalapathy] Anna…every birthday party of mine… he will attend. He came. It was bringing two icons under one roof [and it] was something else… It happened naturally. Vijay sir was very happy meeting Shah Rukh [Khan] sir. Their discussion was something else. It was a dream-come-true type to me. So, they were talking like kids: ‘Sir, what time do you get up? How much workout do you do? What workout do you do?' It was really fun and finally, they both told me ‘Atlee, bring a script so we both will do.'”
At first, Atlee thought the two superstars were talking about working together in his [Atlee's] film because it was his birthday. However, the next day – Atlee recalled — “Vijay [Thalapathy] sir said, ‘If you are going to write, definitely I am a part of it.' Shah Rukh [Khan] sir, at the same time, said, ‘Sir you are serious about it, no. We are going to make a film together, right?'” The filmmaker mentioned that the two stars often enquire about the said script every now and then.
Spilling the beans about this much-anticipated script, starring both Vijay and Shah Rukh Khan, Atlee said, “I am definitely seriously working on it. Someday, it might crack, then I'll go to both of them and get their dates.”
Meanwhile, Atlee and his wife Priya Mohan welcomed their first child, a baby boy, earlier this year in January. They named him Meer, which is also the name of Shah Rukh Khan's late father. During the same interview, Atlee revealed that Shah Rukh Khan “was very happy” after Meer was born. The filmmaker also shared what SRK told him after holding Meer in his hands for the first time.
Atlee said, “His name Meer is Shah Rukh [Khan] sir's father's name. So, it was very emotional for us. He was very happy after Meer was born because he was taking care of us like anything because we shifted our entire system to Bombay. That time, we were supposed to fly back to Chennai but Gauri [Khan] ma'am and [Shah Rukh] Khan sir really looked after us and more than everything, they are family to us.”
When Shah Rukh Khan held Meer for the first time in his hand, he told Atlee, “Aryan [Khan] brought me a lot of happiness in my life, Suhana [Khan] brought me happiness in my life, AbRam [Khan] has brought a lot of happiness in my life. Meer is going to bring a lot and a lot of happiness in your life. As a father, I am just saying you are going to have a great thing in your life. When you have a baby, your life is gonna fly.”