Director Atlee Spills The Beans On How Shah Rukh Khan Approached Him For 'Jawan'

Taking about the first time Atlee met Shah Rukh Khan, he shared, “I was busy shooting for ‘Bigil’ and all of sudden I got a call from Shah Rukh sir’s office. I flew to Mumbai and met Khan sir. It was a moment to cherish all my life."

Pic Courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Superstar Shah Rukh Khan is one of the most humble stars in the Indian film industry and treats everyone he encounters with a lot of respect. At the recent 'Jawan' success event in Mumbai, he once again proved that he is a  Badshah of generosity and humility.

During the event, he noticed that director Atlee and a few members of 'Jawan' team were sitting down for the photo. He instantly came in front and joined them by lying down on the floor,  striking a very cool pose. This humble gesture of SRK not only won the hearts of his fans but also left Atlee in complete awe. On this particular “down to earth” act by SRK, Atlee told ANI that Shah Rukh Khan is a very simple human being.

"(Sometimes), we had to tell him that he is the Shah Rukh Khan. He is a very basic human being with a basic heart. (At the event) When I sat down he told me to come and stand with him but there were a lot of people on stage and we had to accommodate all…then he came and lay down on the floor. He is always the same. He can never be changed. I love him. ‘Jawan’, which has been ruling box office, hit the theatres on September 7. It features SRK in a dual role along with versatile actors such as Vijay Sethupathi, Nayanthara and Deepika Padukone. Interestingly, it was SRK who first approached Atlee to make a film for him.

Recalling his first-ever meeting with Shah Rukh Khan and how he came on board for him, Atlee shared, “I was busy shooting for ‘Bigil’ and all of sudden I got a call from Shah Rukh sir’s office. I flew to Mumbai and met Khan sir. It was a moment to cherish all my life. He humbly said, ‘I want to work with you.’ I was surprised to hear this. I replied, ‘Sir, it’s a great honour for me but I am just four films old.’ He then said, ‘You can make it…just do an Atlee film for me. I want to be a part of your world’.  I came back to Chennai, worked on the script for eight months and then we finally came up with ‘Jawan’.”

There’s no stopping for ‘Jawan’ at box office. The action-packed drama has entered the Rs 800 crore club at the worldwide box office, as per trade analyst Manobala Vijayabalan. Atlee considered  ‘Jawan’s success as a “big responsibility”. “The success brings a lot of happiness to me and confidence as well. After ‘Jawan’, my responsibilities towards the audience have increased. I have to be so much responsible for my next,” he said.