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Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla‘s story goes beyond just co-stars in hit movies like Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, Yes Boss, Darr, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani etc or business partners in ventures like the Kolkata Knight Riders. They’ve been friends for decades, a bond forged in the early days of their Bollywood journeys. Taking a trip down memory lane and riveting those early days, at the recently held Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry event, Juhi painted a picture of a young, ambitious Shah Rukh fresh off the train from Delhi, who “didn’t have a place to stay in Mumbai.”
This one was special. It was a complete disaster and completely written off. Our failure made us, Aziz @iam_juhi & me stronger. Love PBDHH
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) January 20, 2018
She revealed, “I don’t know where he stayed. There was no one to cook for him. He used to have tea with the unit, eat with the unit, and blended in the unit seamlessly. Unit ke plate mein khana khaana. Haansi mazak, sabse ghul mil kar rehte the. He also did 2-3 shifts then. He was doing Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman with me, Dil Aashna Hai, and another film (Deewana) with Divya (Bharti). He was very driven.”
Exclusive : Juhi Chawla in a recent event of GCCI in Gujarat, talks about SRK ‘s early days- ” Shah Rukh Khan had one gypsy, he used to do 2-3 shifts. But unable to pay EMI , they took it away. Now look at him.”#ShahRukhKhanpic.twitter.com/SQMzUPHDbS
— ℣ (@Vamp_Combatant) June 30, 2024
Things weren’t always smooth sailing for Shah Rukh who faced financial crunches and struggled to pay his EMIs at the beginning of his career. Today, he might be counted among the richest actor in India and topping the IMDb list with an approximately net worth of Rs 6300 crores, but SRK didn’t have an easy start. Juhi also narrated the story about Shah Rukh’s black Gypsy getting repossessed.
A still of Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani featuring Juhi Chawla and Shah Rukh Khan. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)
The actress recalled, “He had a black Gypsy. But it was taken away one day because he couldn’t pay the EMI, or there was something. He had nothing. He came on our set very dejected. I told him, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll have many more cars one day.’ And he still remembers that. Because it’s true. Look at him today.” From those humble beginnings, Shah Rukh’s career skyrocketed, just as Juhi predicted. Their friendship, however, remained grounded.
Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi in Yes Boss
Yes Boss, featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla, released in 1997. Juhi, during the event, also recalled producer how Vivek Vaswani painting a picture of Shah Rukh for their first film, Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman as he compared the actor with her earlier Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak co-star, Aamir Khan. Juhi who didn’t see Shah Rukh’s work on TV, had no idea what he looked like. “We had done a movie when even I was still new in the industry, named Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman. Producer Vivek Vaswani said big things that your hero was in Fauji and he’s very famous and looks like Aamir Khan. In my mind, I pictured a chocolate-faced, good-looking hero, like Aamir. So I said, ‘yes, why won’t I do the movie!” Juhi shared.
Shah Rukh Khan in Darr. (Photo: Express Archive)
The Darr actor, however was disappointed when she actually met SRK in person. “When I reached the set, that was when I first saw him. Shah Rukh, patla sa, dubla sa, brown colour ka, white shirt mein duble patle se. Moti naak, mote honth. Maine bola, ‘ye kya hai?’ Ye toh mere saath dhokha ho gaya. (Shah Rukh was thin, brown coloured man standing in a white shirt. I asked, ‘From which angle is he looking like Aamir Khan? I have been betrayed),” she said. The actor ended up doing the film with SRK despite the disappointment. “Dekho, usko bhi star bana diya maine (See, I made him a star too),” she joked. However, she added that she enjoyed working with the actor. “The director would lean on to him ki jab woh aayenge to shot accha ho jayega. He used to rehearse and improve. He didn’t work selfishly. He would suggest things to you and I had great time working with him,” she recalled.
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