When a guard stopped Shah Rukh Khan from entering his film’s muhurat: ‘Personality toh hai nahi, yeh kaise hero hai?’
Shah Rukh Khan is probably the most recognisable Indian across the world but the Pathaan actor has been in situations which can only be described as humbling. In an old interview with Simi Garewal, Shah Rukh recalled an anecdote when a guard did not know him and hence, did not allow him to enter the muhurat of his own film. The incident happened during the launch of a film called Shikhar, which eventually got shelved.
Shah Rukh shared that he was in Delhi for the muhurat of the film when a man stopped him from entering the venue. “This guy stopped me from entering my own muhurat. It’s a little strange saying, ‘look, I am Shah Rukh Khan’ and I’m saying that I am the hero of this film,” he said. The guy did not believe that Shah Rukh was a film actor and said, “Bahut dekhein hain heere moti maine tere jaise (I have seen so many who claim to be stars).”
Shah Rukh kept repeating that he is the hero of the film and recalled saying, “Sab mera wait kar rahe hain aur iske liye mujhe stage pe aana hai. Please mujhe jaane do. (Everyone is waiting for me on the stage. Please let me go).” The guard stood his ground and said that Ila Arun had already gone in but did not allow Shah Rukh through.
Ultimately, another crew member from the film’s team was called who told the guard that Shah Rukh was indeed the lead hero and to this, the guard said, “Personality toh hai nahi. Yeh kaise hero hai? (He has no personality. How is he a hero?)
Shikhar was announced with Shah Rukh Khan and Jackie Shroff but was eventually shelved. Subhash Ghai was to direct the film but after it was shelved due to budgetary issues, he made Pardes with Shah Rukh Khan. Ghai told PTI in 2017, “Before Pardes I had designed a film called Shikhar, staring Jackie Shroff and Shah Rukh, where we were to cast a new girl. It was a love story with a war backdrop. We had done our muhurat too and recorded a song after signing A R Rahman.”
