Shah Rukh Khan ‘sucked on mutton bones’ to play Miya Bhai in Raees, reveals director; recalls narration at Mannat: ‘He was asking too many questions’

When asked about his experience of working with Shah Rukh in Raees, Rahul said, “He spoils the director. It was quite a fabulous experience, a lot of fun. He is keen and sharp. As an actor, he puts in a lot of effort. He comes in very prepared and is always ready to experiment. He surrenders himself, doesn’t come with rigid ideas.”

The director further added, “It was a collaborative experience working with him, I’ll never forget it. He is aware of what’s happening and where in the world, especially in the sectors of liquor, prohibition laws. He is well referenced with films in the past. Basically, he has watched a lot and is well read, it helps in communication.”

A BTS shot of Shah Rukh Khan and Rahul Dholakia from Raees

Recalling the first script narration at SRK’s Mannat, he shared, “I met Shah Rukh at his house for the narration. At the interval point, he started asking a lot of questions, I was even thinking why is he asking so many questions. He read my mind right there and said that I am doing this film, so let’s do all the questions. I told him that there’s a dialogue in my film which is apt for his personality. He remembered that line and instantly said, ‘Baniye ka dimaag, Miya Bhai ki daring’!”

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Rahul continued, “From the first meeting till the last one, he was never distracted, no phone calls, no messages. He makes you feel the way it should be. He respects you and your time, that helps a lot. He makes notes while discussing the script, looks like a studious guy. And, it’s true that he comes down to drop you till the gate, no matter if someone is sitting or what time it is.”

The 55-year-old also shared that he had to wait for two long years for Shah Rukh Khan, to get his schedule for the shoot. “He took some time to get on set, he had to finish Chennai Express and Happy New Year. There was a long waiting period, I waited for two years to start the shoot of the film. I met him in 2013, but started shooting in 2015. We also had a 7 month gap after the first schedule. It was worth waiting every minute.”

SRK played the role of a gangster from Gujarat in Raees, having connections with other underworld figures. “He surprised me in every scene. The second scene was him sitting with Zeeshan Ayyub and eating at a dhaaba. He was supposed to eat mutton over there. We were told that he won’t eat the mutton and his food will come from Oberoi – the chicken. I got all of that but the scene didn’t work till he ate the mutton the way it was supposed to be eaten, because he was miya bhai from the ghettos of Gujarat. He isn’t a sophisticated guy, he isn’t Shah Rukh Khan in that scene. I got my homemade mutton with bones and the fancy chicken from Oberoi as well,” Rahul shared.

A still from Raees

The superstar chose to eat the mutton, but asked him to keep the information to himself and discreet from his team. “I told him that this is the scene and character, and you should eat the suggested mutton, opposed to what some people are saying. He said, ‘Mai toh mutton hi khaaunga na (I will eat the mutton only). That’s okay, you put the mutton over there and don’t tell the team’. Then, he ate that mutton how Miya bhai would eat or how someone who enjoys eating it, by tapping and sucking the bones. It became a very natural scene then, that’s what adds to the scene,” he revealed.

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The director praised Shah Rukh for being a natural on set, getting into the skin of the character. Revisiting another ice scene from the shoot, he said, “Log bolte hain yahan vahan se leke aao, all of this goes on in the background. It’s not about eating the mutton, it’s not using it as a prop in the scene. He did the same thing with ice in one of the scenes. At that time, they didn’t have ice cubes, so we gave him roadside ice, which has no shape etc.”

“He had to tie it in a cloth and break those big chunks because it doesn’t break otherwise. He broke it, put it on his cheek because he was hurt over there and then he started sucking the blood from that ice. He put it in his mouth and even delivered the dialogue that way. He wasn’t told certain things, everything isn’t said or explained, that was all him. He got into the character, that makes it more believable and real,” Rahul concluded.