A week ago, Yash Raj Films released the trailer of Pathan and celebrated 30 years of Shah Rukh Khan in movies with an Insta Live. It is difficult to believe that three decades have passed by and we also forget that it was Hema Malini who introduced the actor in Dil Aashna Hai.
There is an interesting story about how it happened. Hema Malini was surfing channels like Shah Rukh in Fauji andon investigation, she discovered that he was a stage actor from Delhi. Her office called him up and asked him to come to Bombay but Shah Rukh did not believe them. He thought his friends were playing a prank on him. So, Hema Malini’s niece gave him the office number and asked him to call, Shah Rukh discovered that it was indeed Hema Malini’s office and arrived to meet the actor in Bombay the following morning.
Hema recalls that Shah Rukh was extremely nervous and replied to every question out of breath. They did a screen test but it was not satisfactory because his unruly hair covered his face. So, they gelled back his hair and changed him from a jacket to a normal shirt. Hema Malini approved of what she saw from behind the camera but wanted Dharmendra to give the nod. So, Dharmendra was summoned and Shah Rukh did another screen test. This time he was asked to speak in Hindi and to entertain the celebrity couple, Shah Rukh delivered some film dialogues as well. Dharmendra approved of his diction, his energy, his charm and Shah Rukh was confirmed as the lead Divya Bharati. Year: 1992.