Renowned filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has made a startling revelation about his inability to work with one of India's biggest superstars, Shah Rukh Khan. Despite having collaborated extensively with legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, Varma believes he lacks the qualifications to direct King Khan.
The Director's Candid Confession
In a recent interview with The Hans India, the maverick director opened up about his creative limitations when it comes to working with Shah Rukh Khan. Varma explicitly stated, "I'm not capable of working in a film with Shah Rukh Khan because of what his fans expect from him. That's not the kind of cinema I'm qualified to do."
The filmmaker, known for his distinctive style, emphasized that his casting decisions are always driven by story requirements rather than star power. This principle guided all his collaborations with Amitabh Bachchan, from the iconic Sarkar in 2005 to its third installment Sarkar 3 in 2017.
Comparing Two Legends
Varma offered fascinating insights into what makes Amitabh Bachchan special to him as a director. He described Bachchan as having "a very immobile face" that conveys extraordinary depth through eyes and voice modulation alone. According to Varma, this quality gives the veteran actor "inherent dignity and inbuilt poise and classiness" that he hasn't found in any other Indian actor.
When asked about Shah Rukh Khan being considered Bachchan's successor, Varma countered with his perspective. "Shah Rukh has a very different style, in terms of his charm and everything. Also, the kind of cinema that I grew up on, that impacted me, are Deewaar (1975), Trishul (1978), and Zanjeer (1973). That's why I take to Amitabh Bachchan. Shah Rukh Khan's romantic films aren't my type of films."
Missed Opportunities and Firm Convictions
Interestingly, Varma did consider working with Shah Rukh Khan once for his 2002 crime thriller Company. He even narrated the story to the actor, who showed interest. However, Varma changed his mind after the meeting, feeling that Shah Rukh's "natural body language, very energetic" would work against the character of Malik, who needed to be "subtle, leaning back, doesn't get excited, and cold-blooded in his thinking."
The director believed that trying to make Shah Rukh still would be "doing an injustice both to him and to the film." He eventually cast Ajay Devgn in the role, which became a landmark film in both their careers.
Even Shah Rukh Khan's recent successful image transformation as an action star in blockbusters like Pathaan and Jawan hasn't changed Varma's perspective. The filmmaker maintains that their cinematic sensibilities are too different for a successful collaboration.
Meanwhile, Varma's working relationship with Amitabh Bachchan spans multiple memorable projects including Nishabd (2007), Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag (2007), Rann (2010), and Department (2012). Their most celebrated collaboration remains the three-part political franchise Sarkar, which showcased Bachchan in one of his most powerful roles.
