Shah Rukh Khan’s letter helped Shreyas Talpade buy first home: ‘I was ineligible for loan’

“At that time I wasn’t eligible for a loan. The banker asked me which other films I was doing, and I told her Om Shanti Om. She asked, ‘Who is in it?’ I said, ‘Shah Rukh Khan.’ Then she asked who the director was, and I said, ‘Farah Khan.’ She asked if I could get a letter from them. I called Farah, and within two days, she got Shah Rukh Khan to write a letter to the bank. That very evening, my loan was sanctioned, and we could finally afford the house.”

Farah admitted she had completely forgotten about the incident: “I don’t remember this at all. But I am so happy. We probably didn’t pay you that much for Om Shanti Om,” she joked.

Farah Khan was hesitant to offer Shreyas a supporting role

Farah also recalled how she first spotted Shreyas at a gym and decided to cast him in the film. “I spotted him at Power House Gym and cast him in the movie. We both used to work out there every day. Even Kangana (Ranaut) used to come there. At that time, Shreyas had just delivered the hit Iqbal. I spoke to Shirish (her husband Shirish Kunder) about him, and he said he had seen Shreyas in Aankhen. Even though it was a small role, he was brilliant.”

She added, “I was actually scared to offer him the role because Iqbal had just become a hit, and he was the lead actor in it. Asking him to play a supporting role felt a little awkward. Nevertheless, his role in Om Shanti Om was pivotal.”

Farah also fondly remembered the improvisations between Shreyas and Shah Rukh Khan.

“He and Shah Rukh would improvise so much. Their first scene was ‘Tu hero banega.’ By the evening, they had improvised so much that I finally walked up to them and said, ‘Can you both please stick to the dialogues that have been written?'”

Farah shares Shah Rukh Khan’s generosity towards Deool Band makers

During the conversation, Farah also spoke about Shah Rukh Khan’s generosity, recalling how he waived off a payment for the makers of the Marathi film Deool Band. Talking about Marathi cinema’s success, Farah said, “Marathi movies are doing exceptional business at the box office.” Shreyas added, “This year has been phenomenal.”

Farah continued, “First Riteish’s film and then Deool Band, for which Shah Rukh Khan waived off the money. He let go of Rs 42 lakh. His team told him it was a great film, but the producers had only Rs 12 lakh while the bill was Rs 42 lakh. Shah Rukh simply said, ‘Just leave it. Don’t take money from them.'”

She further praised the superstar for always looking after the people around him.

“Shah Rukh is just like that. Whenever he travelled to London (to promote Om Shanti Om), he took everyone along. For the Happy New Year premiere in Dubai, he took over 50 people with him—the Director of Photography, assistant directors, music directors, everybody.”

Farah also recalled the extensive promotions for Happy New Year. “We had done so much PR for that film that we were completely drained out.”

Om Shanti Om set a new benchmark for film promotions

Towards the end of the conversation, Shreyas remembered how Om Shanti Om became a benchmark for film marketing and publicity. “Om Shanti Om was like a textbook in marketing and PR,” he said.

Farah agreed, adding, “It was the first time we started appearing on television shows specifically to promote a film. It was the first film to do that. We even went to Sa Re Ga Ma for the music launch.”