Shah Rukh Khan once believed ‘Pathaan’ would never make

King of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan recalled the promise of producer Aditya Chopra some 30 years ago to make the now-blockbuster hit Pathaan with him.

According to Variety, the DDLJ star recalled in 1993, he was filming YRF’s Darr, in which he played the antagonist.

“One day, it was Adi’s [Aditya Chopra] birthday, and he asked me if I will do a film, and I said, ‘I would love to do it,’ and then he narrated something where I would be an action hero.”

“Because I was doing ‘Darr’ as well, I also got excited about it. Then three-four years later, he called and said I am coming to narrate an action film. I really wanted to play an action hero because no one was offering me that genre.”

However, SRK added the project was delayed due to romantic film hits such as Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and Dil Toh Pagal Hai.

“Then, when they came last, Adi told me that he will come with Sid [“Pathaan” director Siddharth Anand] and narrated the first 15 minutes [of “Pathaan”].

“They came, narrated the script, and left. I was sitting with my manager Pooja. I told her, ‘Adi is lying.’ He will not make an action film,” Khan added.

“But I really, really thank him that after 30 years, he fulfilled his promise and made ‘Pathaan’ with me. So, I am very happy that Adi kept his promise. And I am happier that with ‘Pathaan,’ I have proven to Adi that I can do action as well. I hope Adi takes me in more action films.”

Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Pathaan makes the most prominent Indian blockbuster hit of 2023.