One close-up of Shah Rukh Khan was worth Rs 1 crore: Makarand Deshpande recalls how SRK agreed to cameo in his film, but brought his own cameras

Makarand Deshpande reminisced about his decades-long association with Shah Rukh Khan, as he narrated anecdotes about Shah Rukh's magnanimity.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | April 30, 2024 12:22 PM IST

3 min read

Makarand Deshpande and Shah Rukh Khan in Swades. (Photo: IMDb)

Veteran performer on the stage and screen, Makarand Deshpande recalled anecdotes about Shah Rukh Khan, with whom he worked ages ago on the television series Circus. They later collaborated on the film Swades, and then interacted once again when Makarand was putting together his film, Shah Rukh Bola “Khoobsurat Hai Tu”. In an interview, Makarand said that his producer told that he would immediately get the Rs 1 crore that he wanted to make the film if he is able to get a close-up of Shah Rukh in the film. Makarand gave it a shot, and texted the superstar, who responded instantly.

In an interview with Lallantop Cinema, Makarand recalled, “I was making the film, and somebody was interested in raising money for me. He said, ‘Can you get a close-up of Shah Rukh? If you do, I’ll give you Rs 1 crore’. Social media has brought stars closer now, but back then, there’s was a huge gap between us and them. I somehow sourced his number, and sent him a message saying ‘It’s me, Makarand, I want a close-up of you’. I don’t know if he had his phone in his hand at that very moment, because he replied immediately. He said yes.”

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Makarand continued, “Shah Rukh himself followed up to ask when I want to shoot. He asked me about where I’m raising the money, and he said, ‘You won’t bring the camera, I’ll bring the camera. Just get your cameramen, we’ll shoot’. And that’s Shah Rukh, I guess. I used his car and his camera for his close-up.” Makarand mulled for a second about not having remained in touch with Shah Rukh over the years, even though they started out together.

He said that they would travel like a circus troupe themselves while shooting Circus, and that in the evenings, they’d play extremely competitive cricket. “He used to smack the ball, it would be left in tatters,” he recalled about Shah Rukh. They drifted apart again after the show, but reconnected 13 years later on Swades. “Things had changed by then. Ashutosh Gowariker had directed an Oscar-nominated film, Shah Rukh had become King Khan, and I had moved to theatre. But to my pleasant shock and surprise, when Shah Rukh met me, he knew everything about what I was doing. It just made me feel good,” he said.

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