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Shah Rukh Khan has often been labelled arrogant and self-assuredespecially early in his career. His attitude towards work at the time reportedly rubbed some people the wrong way, even some filmmakers. This contributed to resistance within an industry known for its entrenched hierarchies. Reflecting on this perceived arrogance, director JK Bihari, who directed Salman Khan’s debut film Biwi Ho To Aisi, shared an anecdote in conversation with Siddharth Kannan.
Bihari was working on a film called Inteha Pyar Ki and hoped to cast Shah Rukh alongside Rishi Kapoor. However, Shah Rukh, still new to the industry, insisted on reading the script before agreeing, a demand that did not sit well with Bihari. He recalled, “He was shooting for King Uncle in Mehboob Studios, and I had gone to meet him and offered him the film, but he asked me to send over the script. I was very dejected hearing that. I thought even Rishi Kapoor, who was shooting in Kashmir when I called him, said yes to the film then and there. And look at him, he is asking for a script. So I was very angry then, and I was like I’ll not cast him.”
While Shah Rukh’s demand wasn’t out of the ordinary, it bruised Bihari’s ego. He recalled, “His arrogance is the reason why he became so successful. People shouldn’t have cast him, but they still did. Ratan Jain, who produced Baazigar, even called me and said, ‘There is a new guy who has just come, and he talks all these big things. I don’t know how it will work with him.’ And eventually, he even cast him and it became a huge success despite him playing a negative role.”
When asked why Shah Rukh’s request for a script bothered him so much, Bihari explained, “My ego got hurt. And I was like, what script? You hear the narration, I’ll tell you, but he was like I need a script. So I was a bit hurt there that a new guy who has just come is saying this.”
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In an earlier interview with Teaching Retro, Shah Rukh Khan addressed the label of arrogance and explained his work ethic. He said, “If a person speaks of self-respect as arrogance, then I am 100 percent arrogant.” (If you call self-respect in a human being arrogance, then I am 100 per cent arrogant).” He went on to add, “Yes, I am arrogant. Maybe that’s why the perception exists. Secondly, when I sign a film, I trouble them a lot. You can call it trouble or you can call it detailing. People come to me with a storyline and ask me to do films, but I ask them for a proper script and dialogues. I am a man of the stage; I’ve worked in theatre. Give me a character, and I’m sure I can play it.”
Shah Rukh Khan will next be seen in Siddharth Anand’s King.
