Shah Rukh Khan faced a difficult time in his life when his son, Aryan Khan, was embroiled in a narcotics-related controversy. Actress Girija Oak, who was shooting for Jawan with SRK at the time, has now opened up about how the superstar became inaccessible during that time of his life.
She revealed that while SRK didn’t shoot while the case was ongoing, he returned to the set like his usual, gracious self once things became better.
In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Girija said, “I had shot with him during the most difficult phase of his life. While shooting for Jawan, the Aryan case was going on.” She added, “This was followed by another controversy during Lata Mangeshkar’s funeral when he said a dua (blessing). People had started accusing him, and it was all in very bad taste. In spite of this happening, the craze that man holds.”
Girija said, “Not once has he lost his cool on set; he never shouted at anyone, and I’m sure he must be going through turmoil in his life at that time, but he showed up on time no matter what and always did his part well. And two years is a long time to judge anyone’s personality, and I shot with him for many months, so I have really gotten to see him through all of these phases.”
Girija added, “When the case happened for 3-4 months, Shah Rukh did not attend any public event, and he was also not shooting for Jawan. So I didn’t see him during this time; nobody had access to Mr Khan at that point in time. We met him when we resumed shoot and by that time the case was almost over, and he was the same person that he was before, absolutely professional, composed, and graceful.”
Jawan (2023) marked a powerful return to the big screen for Shah Rukh Khan, reaffirming his status as one of India’s most enduring superstars. Directed by Atlee, the film presented SRK in a larger-than-life avatar, blending mass entertainment with strong social and political undertones. In Jawan, Shah Rukh Khan played a dual role, portraying a vigilante determined to challenge corruption and systemic injustice. SRK’s commanding screen presence, intense dialogues and transformation were widely praised by audiences and critics alike.