Director Rahul Dholakia recently shared an interesting anecdote about actor Shah Rukh Khan from the filming of Raees. During a scene at a roadside eatery, the script required Shah Rukh to eat mutton while sitting with Zeeshan Ayyub. However, his team initially refused and arranged for chicken from a luxury hotel instead. Rahul insisted that eating mutton was essential for authenticity, as Shah Rukh's character was a gangster from the lower-income neighborhoods of Gujarat, not a refined individual. Shah Rukh agreed with the director's vision and quietly told him to serve the mutton without informing his team. He ate the mutton naturally, tapping and sucking the bones as his character would, which made the scene feel genuine. The 2017 film also featured Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Mahira Khan, and others. Shah Rukh will next appear in King, directed by Siddharth Anand, releasing in 2026.
Director Recalls Shah Rukh's Commitment to Authentic Performance
Rahul Dholakia explained that for a dhaaba scene in Raees, he wanted Shah Rukh to eat mutton to stay true to his character, a gangster from Gujarat's ghettos. The actor's team refused, providing fancy chicken from Oberoi hotel instead. Rahul believed the scene would not work unless Shah Rukh ate homemade mutton with bones, matching how his character Miya Bhai would behave. Shah Rukh sided with the director, saying he would eat the mutton and asked Rahul not to tell his team. He consumed the mutton naturally, making the scene more believable. Rahul praised how Shah Rukh surprised him in every scene, prioritizing the character over personal preferences.
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