Shah Rukh Khan grabbed Nikitin Dheer by the hand, made sure he was visible to crowds during Chennai Express promotions: ‘Even if 20 people…’

Nikitin Dheer looked back on warm memories of working with Shah Rukh Khan, on the blockbuster film Chennai Express.

New Delhi | June 5, 2024 01:46 PM IST

3 min read

Nikitin Dheer, Deepika Padukone, and Shah Rukh Khan in Chennai Express.

Actor Nikitin Dheer opened up about working with Shah Rukh Khan on the blockbuster film Chennai Express, and recalled anecdotes about how the superstar made him feel comfortable on set, and ensured that he’s visible during the promotions. He said that he was otherwise accustomed to the heroes of his films becoming insecure and having his scenes shortened, but working with Shah Rukh was an eye-opening experience not only because of the dedication that he brought to the project, but also because of how gracious he was with everybody.

In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Nikitin said that it was Shah Rukh who first told him that a hero is only as formidable as the villain, as he encouraged him to not hold back during action scenes. This was when Shah Rukh was suffering from a shoulder injury and was due to undergo surgery, but he performed the stunts himself and didn’t allow Nikitin to go gentle on him. “On the first day, I was quite taken aback because I was an unknown. Deepika Padukone was there with her entourage, Shah sir was there with his entourage, and Rohit Shetty’s sets are huge. I would sit in the corner and do my thing, but the magnanimity of Shah Rukh Khan… Instead of calling me to him, he brought his own chair next to me and sat down. I’ll never forget it.”

Also read – Nikitin Dheer says he had ‘very bad experience’ on Jodhaa Akbar, addresses rumours that Ashutosh Gowariker became upset with him mid-production

There was a scene in which Nikitin had to grab Shah Rukh’s cheek, and say, ‘Tu apne aap ko bada hero samajhta hai kya (Who do you think you are)?” Nikitin was nervous about the scene, but Shah Rukh said that he shouldn’t hold back. “Do whatever you want, however you want to do it. The more intimidating you are, the better the scene will be.”

Nikitin said that Chennai Express was the first time that he was invited to join in on the promotions of one of his movies, and being bulky, he’d hang back behind everybody else. “I was totally dumbfounded by the audience’s reaction at the trailer launch, because I was a nobody. I was standing behind everybody because I didn’t want to block the crowds’ view, but then, Shah sir grabbed me by the hand and pulled me forward. He said, ‘Out of these 1000 people, even if 20 come for your character, it’s a good thing’.”

He concluded, “When you work with stars of his stature, you realise one thing. It’s easy to become a star, but to maintain that stardom for years is a different level of accomplishment.” Nikitin has also worked with Salman Khan on the films Dabangg 2, Ready, Antim: The Final Truth; and with Akshay Kumar in Housefull 3 and Sooryavanshi.

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