Actors Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol have gotten into the nostalgic spirit on the 25th anniversary of their hit film ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ and have changed their Twitter display names to Raj Malhotra and Simran, their characters from the movie.
On the occasion, Khan reminisced about the movie and his role.
“I always felt I was not cut out to play any romantic type of character, the ‘King of Romance’,” Shah Rukh Khan, said on Tuesday.
The actor said, “Raj was unlike anything I had done. Before ‘DDLJ’, there was films like ‘Darr’, ‘Baazigar’, ‘Anjaam’, in which I had portrayed negative characters. Also, I always felt that I wasn’t cut out to play any romantic type of character. So, when I was presented with the opportunity by Adi [director Aditya Chopra] and Yash Ji of essaying the role, I was excited to work with him but had no idea how to go about it and also if I would be able to do it well.”
“Actually, I always felt Adi’s love for me made him cast me. I found the character endearing and sweet in the right way — the-over-the-topness is my contribution. It was one of those roles that I realised can do with me using a version of my real self so you might see some quirks, habits and mannerisms that were true to my off-screen persona, especially the sense of humour part,” Khan added.
Khan goes on to say that he is very shy around women and did not know how he would pull off the romantic scenes in ‘DDLJ’.
“I was told by many people that I looked unconventional, very different from what the perception of a leading man was. I did feel, maybe, not being handsome enough or as they called it then ‘chocolatey’ would make me unsuitable for romantic roles. Also, I am very shy and awkward with ladies, and I did not know how I would say all the loving, romantic bits,” he said.
He further revealed that playing the character of Raj in the film had made him feel all ‘fuzzy’ and ‘warm’.
“I have to admit, for someone who does not like mushy, romantic films, the scenes with Kajol and I did make me feel all fuzzy and warm. There, I said it!” he said adding, “I do not change the radio channel when a ‘DDLJ’ song comes on. I can never get sick of them. They bring back memories of a film that shaped my path forward in an unforgettable way.”
For Kajol, ‘DDLJ’ is a movie that will go down in the history of Indian cinema.
“I think ‘DDLJ’ is timeless because everybody identifies somewhere down the line with Simran and with Raj. I think they just like these characters a lot. They have liked them for years and years now and it’s one of those things that you always like and probably will always like,” the actress said. The character played by the actor, Simran, redefined the portrayal of women on screen. Simran was traditional yet modern in her outlook and was hugely relatable to people. However, the ‘Dilwale’ actor found the character a ‘little boring’.
“I thought Simran was a little boring, to be honest, but I recognised her. I realised there is a lot of Simran in almost everybody we know, there is always that wanting to do the right thing in someone. A lot of people don’t do the right thing but we always want to do that. You want to get that approval, you want to get that feeling of you are approved of and that you are doing something right in the world. So, yes Simran was like that. I thought she was just cool, a little old-fashioned but cool,” she said.
