Shah Rukh Khan ‘knew’ he wasn’t going anywhere despite Zero’s debacle, reveals Aanand L Rai: ‘You don’t call him Baadshah for no reason’

Shah Rukh Khan ‘knew’ he wasn’t going anywhere despite Zero’s debacle, reveals Aanand L Rai: ‘You don’t call him Baadshah for no reason’

As a dedicated follower of Bollywood, I have witnessed Shah Rukh Khan‘s journey like a rollercoaster ride – filled with highs and lows, twists and turns. After his rough patch, many wrote him off, but little did they know that the Baadshah was never going to surrender without a fight.


In the years leading up to the pandemic, Shah Rukh Khan was trying out various roles in his films. He portrayed a psychologist, an angry fan, a little person, and a moonshiner, but these roles didn’t translate into strong box office performances. His difficult period culminated in the 2018 flop film Zero, directed by Aanand L Rai. Interestingly, though, the director disclosed that Khan was already working on a comeback while everything else seemed to be going awry.

Following Zero’s disappointing performance, Shah Rukh Khan decided to step away from the entertainment industry for a period of five years. Upon his return, he delivered consecutive hits such as Pathaan and Jawan. In a recent interview with Connect Cine, director Aanand L Rai was asked about Shah Rukh Khan’s transformation during a time when many had written him off. “The remarkable thing is, he knew what he was doing,” said Rai, implying that the superstar was self-assured in his ability to make an extraordinary comeback.

A month after Zero’s tragic end, SRK had a clear plan in mind. As Farhan Rai recalled, “He was decisive. Although it was a secret, he himself knew he would return. In that moment when I was with him, I could sense the determination in his eyes – he knew what his next move would be and how to execute it. He never wavered. He was certain of his presence, not just about survival, but because he is known as the King, or Baadshah, he did exactly what he had planned.”

Following Zero, there were whispers that Khan would direct Saare Jahan Se Achha, a biopic about Indian astronaut Rakesh Sharma. However, he chose to bypass that opportunity and instead plans to return to the big screen in 2023. Last year alone, he had three films under his belt – Pathaan, Jawan, and Dunki. Each of these movies proved to be a financial triumph.

Currently, Khan is gearing up for a new film titled “King,” which TopMob was the first to announce. This action-packed movie directed by Sujoy Ghosh also features his daughter Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, and popular actor Abhay Verma from Munjya. The production for this film is set to start in November of this year.

Instead of Aanand L Rai, let me tell you that his latest project, titled “Phir Aayi Hasseen Dilruba,” was recently unveiled on Netflix. The lead roles were played by Taapsee Pannu and Vikrant Massey in this production.

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2024-08-13 15:53