Shah Rukh Khan’s shocking confession! He didn’t understand Karan Arjun script

Karan Arjun, one of the most iconic films of Bollywood, still continues to enthrall viewers even after many years of its release. Recently, the documentary series, The Roshans, was released that exposed some of the interesting stories that were associated with the making of this superhit, such as the doubts Shah Rukh Khan had, choices of casting, and his bond with Salman Khan.

SRK candidly reveals in the docu-series: He clearly didn’t understand the idea behind Karan Arjun as Rakesh Roshan made a narration about the film: “Unhone mujhe pehla scene bataya… Mujhe laga mazaak kar rahe hain Rakesh ji. Maine bola, ‘Aisa thoda thoda hai, Rakesh ji.'”

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The film’s reincarnation premise, where two brothers return to avenge their past lives, was unusual for Shah Rukh at the time.
Although he was confused, SRK agreed to the project, trusting Rakesh Roshan and hoping to expand his action credentials

First, Rakesh Roshan offered Ajay Devgn the role of Karan (the elder brother), but Shah Rukh Khan requested to do that action role himself. Rakesh Roshan felt Salman Khan was a rising action star and would do a better job with the role than Shah Rukh Khan.
Shah Rukh Khan did the role of Arjun, which is the more emotional and romantic role, balancing Salman’s intensity.

SRK reminisced about how he and Salman Khan treated Rakesh Roshan like a father figure and used to tease him all the time: “It was like two young kids troubling their father.”

He remembered an instance when Rakesh Roshan asked him to enact the iconic dialogue, “Kutte, main tera khoon pee jaunga!” but SRK had trouble saying it “Main aaj tak aise film main bola nahi. Maine kaha, ‘Rakesh ji, mujhse kutta nahi bola ja raha hai.'” The anecdote shows how SRK was not ready to accept the stereotypical Bollywood dialogue delivery at that time, which is in contrast to his later mastery of dramatic lines.

Released in 1995, the film was a major success, cementing Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan as bankable action heroes while showcasing their onscreen chemistry as brothers. In 2024, to mark its 30th anniversary, the film was re-released in theatres, drawing nostalgic fans and introducing a new generation to this timeless classic.

1. Reincarnation Theme: One of the first mainstream Bollywood films to go through this theme in an action-drama format.
2. SRK-Salman Pairing: Their contrasting personalities SRK’s emotional depth and Salman’s intensity made for unforgettable moments.
3. Memorable Dialogues: Lines like “Mere Karan Arjun aayenge” and “Kutte, main tera khoon pee jaunga” remain etched in Bollywood history.