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New Delhi:

Shah Rukh Khan’s performance in Dunki is garnering praise from film enthusiasts. This project marks the first collaboration between the superstar and Rajkumar Hirani. Recently, the director shared insights into how he first noticed SRK’s on-screen talent in the TV series Circus and explained why it took two decades for them to work together. Recalling his earlier days, Rajkumar Hirani shared, “Mai ek kahaani batata hu aapko. Mai film institute mein padhta tha. To vahan to sabka struggle yeh rehta hai ki bahar nikalke film banani hai aur banegi kaise? Producer kaun milega? Actor kaun milega? To vahan ek common room tha, kabhi kabhi hum baitheke vaha TV dekhte the. To vahan ek din ek series chal rahi thi Circus. Aur usme ek scene tha, platform pe. And I vividly till date remember. Mujhe camera angle bhi pta hai kitna tha. Aur ek monologue sa chal raha tha. [Let me tell you a story. I was studying at the film institute, and there, everyone struggled with the idea of making a film and how it would happen. Who will be the producer? Who will be the actor? There was a common room where we would sometimes sit and watch TV. One day, a series was running. There was a scene on a platform, and I vividly remember it to this day. I even remember the camera angle. There was a monologue]”

“And there was an actor performing, who I did not know. Maine dekha, maine kaha, ‘Bada kamal ka actor hai yaar ye. Ab hum yahan se paas out honge, hamare saath Bachchan sahab (Amitabh Bachchan) thodi kaam kar lenge. To ye actor hai yaar, mai isko nazar mein rakhta hu. Mai nilkunga, aur mai isko approach karunga, aur iske saath film banayenge.’ Jab tak mai nikla tab tak vo Shah Rukh Khan bahut bde star ban chuke the. To uske baad mujhe 20 saal wait karna pada. [When I saw him, I said, ‘This actor is amazing. Once we pass out from here, it is not like we will get to work with Bachchan sir (Amitabh Bachchan). This is a good actor. I’ll keep an eye on him. I will approach him, and we will make a film together.’ By the time I graduated, Shah Rukh Khan had become a huge star. After that, I had to wait for 20 years,” Rajkumar Hirani added while completing his story.

Dunki released on December 21. In addition to SRK, the film features Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, and Boman Irani in important roles.