Shriya Pilgaonkar, made her Bollywood debut alongside Shah Rukh Khan in Fan. As the ‘king of romance’ clocks in his 60th birthday today, the actor says, “It makes me feel special that I have, in a way, been his love interest in one of his films. Working with him was such a learning experience. I even got to dance with him to his iconic song Chaiya Chaiya (Dil Se), and what a wholesome vibe that was.”
The 36-year-old further adds, “In spite of all the success, Shah Rukh sir is still a seeker, and that’s why he remains active, relevant, and thriving even today.” Reflecting on her experience working with him in Fan, Shriya recalls, “Gosh, my memories of Fan and working with Shah Rukh sir still feel very surreal.”
She adds: “My fondest memory would be the moments in between our shots. It’s always wonderful to see the stars you admire just be themselves when the camera is not rolling. I have a very special memory of sitting in the car with SRK between takes, discussing books, philosophy, and life. Those conversations are very close to my heart.”
Shriya further mentions, “It’s always really nice to understand the actual person behind the people you admire.” She also recalled a lighter moment on set: “One day after we wrapped, we had a small party in his room, and I got to dance with him. The best part about it was, that we danced on Chaiyya Chaiyya, which I think is so iconic. He’s amazing, and it makes me so happy that, in his career, I’ve sort of been his love interest in one of his films. That’s really special.”
Shriya shares how she has always admired the birthday boy and he is like an inspiration for her. “It’s very important and inspiring to observe what the people you admire are like off-screen, because that’s what really makes them who they are. The determination and the grit he has, no one can be like him.”
