We've taken interviews of leading pairs together so many times. But never have we felt the kind of friendship, love and just the history that these two share. Then again it's unfair to compare any other pair with Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. An hour after the superhit SRK Dilwale Calcutta Tour show at East Bengal Club, on Tuesday night, t2 sat down with arguably the greatest Bolly screen couple and had a heart-to-heart chat about matters of the heart. Many congratulations on the box office numbers. Personally, what is the best compliment you have received for Dilwale?
Kajol: It was last night in fact when my uncle called after watching the film. I was really, really touched. My father passed away six years back. And my uncle kind of took his place somewhere. So he saw the film and he said, I'm so proud of you... You're the first girl who's been working for 25 years and you're still here and you're still doing the big films. Your father would have been so happy and proud. You are still lighting up the screen'.
[To SRK: I started crying. I cried and cried.]
Shah Rukh Khan: That's so sweet. For me, a friend called me and she said a very sweet thing. She said the whole film felt like a big hug... it was like someone was hugging warmly throughout the film.
K: Awww.
[SRK to K: I'll tell you who said it. You know her.] Right from Baazigar to DDLJ to Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to K3G to My Name is Khan, you two come together every three-four years but there's never a sign of rust on the chemistry. It's as if you guys exist together. How do you do it?
[The two look at each other with smiles stretching from ear to ear and have that beautiful comfortably silent moment.]
K: I love that question. I really love that question.
SRK: (To K) You answer.
K: I don't know. We don't even meet each other in between. I think we didn't meet for as long as two years during a period but when we do meet, we pick up from where we left off. There's never a period of oh I'm uncomfortable or he's uncomfortable or what should we say to each other. We have a lot to say to each other when we meet!
[Both laugh out loud]
SRK: Also I think more than us the people around the world, they just like us. I think we have never been special in terms of glamour, in terms of looks or in terms of a dance moves. We are not known for anything special that we do. We are just so ordinary that everyone considers us to be part of their lives. So, we do about 10%, 90% is done by the people who watch the film. I'm being honest. And we have discussed this sometimes. Yeh karte hain... jo bhi karenge log pyaar denge. There's a strange sense of confidence... hum log theek hi honge, yaar! People love us. We are part of...
K: ...so many families. They have adopted us.
SRK: And it's like even if you are wrong, it's okay.
K: It's how you forgive your family for everything. Love them unconditionally.
SRK: When we go up on stage, we are like Kajol khadi ho jaa yaar, they'll love us anyway. Because we are honest about it. We are really honest. We are not the coolest. We are not the hottest. We are not the best.
K: We are the best!
SRK: Yes, people say that.
K: But we do try the hardest.
SRK: That we do. [Plates of Mutton Kakori Kebab and Chicken Malai Kebab come in. Politeness personified, Kajol asks: "Can I please eat? I'm very hungry." SRK quietly puts the napkin on Kajol's lap.]
In true Rohit Shetty style were there two members from his team as SRK-Kajol dummies for the scene rehearsals?
K: There were two boys.
SRK: There were two boys.
[Both laugh out loud]
K: They would do our part and then we would come in, change everything and go back.
SRK: Very sweetly they would do it...
K: And we would laugh so much when they were saying our dialogues.
SRK: And they would never forget any of the lines no matter how much we laughed.
K: The guy who used to do my part had long hair, by the way. The one-shot five-minute date scene from Dilwale will make it to the best SRK-Kajol scenes of all time. How many takes did that require?
SRK: Two. The second one was just for safety. I think the first take made it to the film. We rehearsed one evening from 4 to 6 and we reached the location very late.
K: It was supposed to be a twilight scene.
SRK: So we had to finish in 30-40 minutes. Very difficult logistically... the camera was on a big car and on a crane and hundred people running around during that shot. Which are your favourite scenes?
K: My favourite scene is the one with him and Varun. When Varun comes home after getting to know of his past and he asks him: You left her?' And he replies, in one heartbeat... I'll find many girls like her but I'll never find another brother like you.' I had tears in my eyes. I like that one and the scene next to that, when you (to SRK) come charging and hold my throat.
SRK: Yes that was intense. The vintage SRK-Kajol intensity...
K: No we've never really attacked each other!
SRK: We've never been so angry at each other. We have usually cried and solved our problems. [Laughs]
K: We've always had problems with others in our films. We've never had a problem between us before. What does it take for you two to come together? You've done an Aditya Chopra film and three Karan Johar films. That was among friends. But this one's a completely different school...
SRK: Let me tell you honestly. Rohit had narrated to me the story first and he had suggested Kajol. And I realised for whatever it is worth, this film is not going to move without Meera being played by Kajol. I'm not deriding anybody else but some films are meant for some actors. We were like hope she says yes'. And while we are close friends, proximity only works better when we don't take each other for granted. She would only do a film if she liked the script. And I would only offer a film which is good enough for her. In fact I go and advise her on other movies, don't do that one'. And she asks me: Why are you doing this?' So I told Rohit tum bahut dhyaan se jaake script sunaao. And I am very fortunate, first as an actor and then as a producer, that she liked the script. Because it's always special to work with Kajol. And I hope we have done something special again.
K: At East Bengal Club earlier in the evening, they had done a mash-up for us. There were bits and pieces of Gerua along with some of the scenes and I told him that we've done some really cool work in the film. I'm really happy. Really happy with us! Kajol, which are the Shah Rukh films you've liked in the period you were not working with him?
SRK: Say each and every one. Say it.
K: Each and everyone. I think the one thing I like about him is the fact that for each and every one of his films, he is totally and completely enthusiastic about it. He brings the same passion, the same interest, the same wanting to each and every film.
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