Filmmaker Aanand L Rai, who directed Shah Rukh Khan in Zero and Akshay Kumar in Atrangi Re and Raksha Bandhan, recently opened up about his experience working with the two Bollywood stars. In an interview with Mukesh Chhabra on Mashable India, Rai revealed some interesting insights into their personalities, work ethic, and even their food habits.
During the conversation, Rai shared an anecdote from the sets of Zero (2018), a film that starred Shah Rukh Khan alongside Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. While reflecting on his time shooting with SRK, Rai spoke about their light-hearted chats during breaks, which often included planning their evening activities after wrapping up the day’s shoot.
He recalled a moment when a photograph of himself and Shah Rukh was shown, where they seemed to be having a serious discussion on set. Rai clarified that what appeared to be an intense conversation was, in fact, about their plans for the evening. “We were actually just talking about what we were going to do after the shoot,” he laughed.
Rai went on to share details about Shah Rukh’s food preferences, emphasizing how simple and grounded the superstar is when it comes to his meals. “If you give Shah Rukh tandoori chicken, coffee, and one of his beverages, he could live on that meal forever. But if something is served with love, he’ll eat anything,” Rai said. This revelation gives fans a glimpse into the legendary actor’s uncomplicated approach to food despite his larger-than-life persona on-screen.
Switching gears, Aanand L Rai also discussed his experience working with Akshay Kumar, with whom he collaborated on multiple projects like Atrangi Re and Raksha Bandhan. Describing Akshay’s personality, Rai noted how sensitive and focused the actor is, even though he prefers not to display this side of himself too openly.
“Akshay doesn’t understand things if they’re too straightforward; he likes everything with a little ‘masala.’ He is a very sensitive person but doesn’t show it. He wants to enjoy every moment of the process and make sure that he’s fully immersed in it,” Rai explained. He further added, “He has gotten everything in life because he is very hard-working and focused. No matter how big a star he is, he never forgets his values.”
Though both actors have shared professional successes and failures, Rai praised their commitment to their craft. While Zero was a box office disappointment in 2018, Shah Rukh Khan took a brief hiatus from acting and came back stronger than ever with two massive hits in 2023: Pathaan and Jawan, both of which solidified his position as a reigning superstar of Bollywood.
On the other hand, Akshay Kumar’s journey during this period was a mix of ups and downs. While his film Atrangi Re had modest box office success, their next collaboration, Raksha Bandhan, did not perform well and was labeled a flop. Despite this, Rai’s admiration for Akshay’s dedication to his work remained unchanged.
