Shah Rukh Khan, the superstar of Bollywood, is known for his charisma and versatility on screen. But what many may not know is the amount of hard work and dedication he puts behind every scene he shoots. His co-star Ajay Kumar, who plays a pivotal role in Rajkumar Hirani’s upcoming film Dunki, has spilled exclusive beans to Dainik Bhaskar on how Shah Rukh Khan worked tirelessly for six hours straight on a single scene, and he’s set to don three to four looks in the film.
Dunki’s post production in works in Delhi
Some parts of the film are still in post production in Delhi. Ajay said, ‘The film is being kept very secret. These days, some parts of the film are still in post production in Delhi. This is because the dubbing of the artists who are from Delhi is being done in Delhi. In this, my character’s name is Vangi Purappu Venkata Kuppu. I am from Bihar but ‘Dunki‘ is the third film where I got the role of a South Indian. Shah Rukh Khan and Raju sir appreciated my idea that I should not look like a typical South Indian. Just have a little touch of it. I had also done ‘PK’ with Raju sir. In that, I was the person who asked Saurabh Shukla a question in the role of Baba from the audience. Raju sir remembered that work. He told the casting director to find this guy and bring him. For this, the casting director had to make some efforts. Finally, I reached the Mumbai set directly from Delhi on the day of the shoot.”
(Also read: Shah Rukh Khan Starrer Dunki To Drop First Song ‘Lutt Putt Gaya’ On November 22, One Month Countdown Begins!)
Shah Rukh Khan rehearsed 25 variations for a mere two-and-a-half-minute scene
Ajay continues, “The day I had my scene, I came straight from Delhi to the Mumbai set at 10 to 11 in the day. Shah Rukh Khan also came to the set after an hour or so. After this he shot continuously for six hours. During that time, he kept rehearsing during shoot breaks. My role in this is that of an examiner, who takes the test of the candidates going to England. SRK is also in the role of a person who wants to go there. He also has four friends with him.”
After rehearsal, the scene was shot in different variations. In Ajay’s words, “It’s said about stars that as soon as the shoot breaks, they head to their vanity vans or start relaxing. Not Shah Rukh. Believe it or not, our communication scene is just two and a half minutes long. But for that scene to be perfect, Shah Rukh put in a total of six hours of hard work. He continued shooting until 7 in the evening. Even during a 10-minute break between shots for lighting changes, he wouldn’t sit down; he kept rehearsing. Though he had only four lines, he kept rehearsing them. Instead of saying, ‘I’ll do this, so you don’t need to,’
He would ask, ‘If I do this, what will you do?’ After I responded, he would say, ‘Great, let’s rehearse.’ He didn’t just sit quietly after each line; he kept rehearsing. For that two-and-a-half-minute scene, he rehearsed with me at least 20 to 25 times. Shooting in at least 25 different variations. I didn’t see him sitting peacefully for those 6 hours; he worked like a maniac.”
Shah Rukh Khan will have 3-4 looks, one look is his young version
Out of his multiple looks, Shah Rukh Khan will also be seen in his young version in one scene of Dunki. Ajay further said, “In those six hours with Shah Rukh Khan, I did not feel anywhere that he was trying to save his stardom. He gave as much freedom and space to his co-artists as he got. Shah Rukh Khan will have many looks in the film. The scene he has with me is his young version. As the film moves forward, his look will change a lot. For that, there was a whole army of make-up team on the set. They used to constantly alert the makers as to how Shah Rukh Khan’s scene should be kept so that his character’s age does not mismatch. Shah Rukh Khan’s makeup was done keeping that in mind.”
Dunki has released multiple posters and Drop 1 which is creating a lot of buzz among the fans of Shah Rukh Khan, who’s ready to deliver his third blockbuster of the year after Pathaan and Jawan. The film, which is based on the concept of “Donkey Flight”, an illegal immigration technique used by Indians to enter countries like the UK, Canada and the US, is slated to release on December 22 in India and a day earlier in overseas territories.
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