On Shah Rukh Khan's 60th birthday, actors, directors, and producers shared their fond memories of working with the superstar. Rahul Dholakia, the director of Raees, also revealed how Shah Rukh Khan became his screen persona Miya Bhai by gorging on home-cooked mutton while keeping his team in the dark.
What's Happening
During a conversation with Screen, Rahul Dholakia recalled that Shah Rukh Khan's team did not allow him to eat mutton before the scene and suggested he should have chicken instead.
Shah Rukh Khan, known as a director's actor, was willing to experiment. He only requested that his team not be informed about him eating mutton.
"He surprised me in every scene. The second scene was him sitting with Zeeshan Ayyub and eating at a dhaaba. He was supposed to eat mutton there. We were told that he wouldn't eat the mutton and that his food would come from Oberoi—the chicken," recalled Rahul.
"I understood all of that, but the scene didn't work until he ate the mutton as it was supposed to be eaten because he was Miya Bhai from the ghettos of Gujarat. He isn't a sophisticated guy; he isn't Shah Rukh Khan in that scene. I got my homemade mutton with bones and the fancy chicken from Oberoi as well," Rahul shared.
"I told him that this is the scene and the character, and he should eat the suggested mutton, contrary to what some people were saying. He said, 'Mai toh mutton hi khaaunga na (I will eat the mutton only). That's okay, you put the mutton there and don't tell the team.' Then, he ate that mutton like Miya Bhai would or like someone who enjoys it—by tapping and sucking the bones. It became a very natural scene then, and that's what adds to the scene," the director revealed.
Recalling the first script narration at SRK's Mannat, he shared, "I met Shah Rukh at his house for the narration. At the interval point, he started asking a lot of questions; I was even wondering why he was asking so many. He read my mind right there and said that since he was doing this film, let's go through all the questions. I told him that there's a dialogue in my film that perfectly suits his personality. He remembered that line instantly and said, 'Baniye ka dimaag, Miya Bhai ki daring'!"
About Raees
Released in 2017, Raees portrayed Shah Rukh Khan as a gangster from Gujarat. He was paired opposite Pakistani actress Mahira Khan. Nawazuddin Siddiqui also played a pivotal role in the film. Raees is said to be based on the criminal Abdul Latif's life; however, the filmmakers have denied this claim.
