When Shah Rukh Khan Shot 36 Hours "Straight" For Circus

New Delhi:

There are actors and then there is Shah Rukh Khan. There is a reason why fans call him ‘King Khan’. Agree? SRK is known for his craft, discipline and dedication. 

Now, SRK’s Circus co-star Renuka Shahane has shared her two cents. She recalled the time when Shah Rukh Khan worked for 36 hours straight for the TV show. 

Circus aired between 1989 and 1990 on DD National. It featured Ashutosh Gowariker and Sameer Khakhar. 

Directed by Aziz Mirza and Kundan Shah, the series revolved around the lives of a circus troupe.

During a conversation with Filmfare, Renuka Shahane said, “His [Shah Rukh Khan’s] attitude toward work is like that. I’ve seen him work for 36 hours straight. We had two units on Circus — one managed by Kundan and the other by Aziz — and SRK was in practically every frame of the show. So, I have seen him shooting for 36 hours at a stretch. Yet, not a single wrinkle appeared on his face. He never complained about anything either.”

The actress also shared a wonderful piece of advice that Shah Rukh Khan once gave her. 

She said, “My character, Maria, had a fear of heights, and so did I in real life. Hence, I was really scared while doing some of my scenes, particularly the ones featuring me getting on the trapeze. We all belong to the same age group, and, at that time, Shah Rukh wasn’t a film star. He was already a television star, though. So, after pack-up, we all used to discuss things.”

“I was really scared, especially because I had to shoot with Kundan. Then, Shah Rukh [Khan] came up to me and said, ‘Listen, you are an actor. If the director tells you this is a well and asks you to jump, you jump. You shouldn’t think about your fear of heights and all,’” Renuka Shahane added.

Apart from Circus, Shah Rukh Khan has appeared in various TV shows like Fauji, Doosra Keval, Mahan Karz and Idiot. 

The superstar will be next seen in Sujay Ghosh’s King. The film will also feature SRK’s daughter, Suhana Khan.