When Aamir Khan refused Darr, told Shah Rukh Khan he would be perfect for the role

In the interview, Shabina Khan said, “I’d like to share a strange, career-defining incident that took place. This happened at Salman’s annual Eid party, and everyone was in attendance – from Aamir to Shah Rukh to the top heroines of the 90s. The party was winding up and I was among the last to leave.”

The costume designer-turned-producer continued, “Aamir Khan, SRK, Gauri, and I were standing in Salman’s compound when Aamir told Shah Rukh about a narration he heard the previous day. Though he refused the film, he strongly thought that Shah Rukh was perfect for the role and urged him to call Yash Chopra for the same. The film was Darr, and in that one casual conversation Aamir literally handed over Yash Chopra and Yash Raj banners to Shah Rukh. Darr made a hero out of a villain, history was written for Shah Rukh Khan, as he became Yash Raj’s favourite actor and Yash uncle’s eternal ‘Rahul’.”

Two years after Darr, Yash Chopra produced Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), which marked the directorial debut of the former’s son Aditya Chopra. Shah Rukh went on to work with both Yash and Aditya for their banner Yash Raj Films in movies like Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Mohabattein (2000), Veer Zara (2004), Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) and Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012).