Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan made his grand debut in the 2000s with his father Rakesh Roshan’s Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai and became a phenomenon overnight.
He was hailed as the next superstar of Hindi cinema. Amid the frenzy surrounding his meteoric rise, reports surfaced about alleged tensions between Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik, with claims that the reigning superstar felt threatened by the newcomer’s sudden success.
How Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan met during rumours of rivalry
In a recent interview with Outlook Traveller, restaurateur AD Singh recalled an encounter between the two stars at his restaurant during the peak of these rumours and revealed that what he witnessed completely contradicted the narrative of rivalry.
He said, “Hrithik had burst upon the scene – he was very big with that first movie – and the media was really making a big thing about the antagonism and fighting between him and Shah Rukh. Shah Rukh, the resident king, and the new king, you know, all that stuff. They were saying they were going to come to punches. And one night, Shah Rukh was eating when the door opened and Hrithik came in. Everybody was aware of this alleged rivalry.”
He added, “Hrithik started walking in, and Shah Rukh got up. The whole restaurant held its breath because we didn’t know what was going to happen. Most people were expecting some sort of punch-up, or maybe Shah Rukh would say, ‘Hrithik, get out,’ or something like that. But what happened was much nicer. Shah Rukh went over and the two of them hugged each other. Shah Rukh said very kind words to him about how successful he was, and Hrithik reciprocated.”
Describing it as a “very nice moment”, AD Singh said the incident made it clear to everyone present that the so-called rivalry between Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan had been exaggerated by the media and that the reality was far more cordial.
About Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan’s upcoming work
Shah Rukh Khan is currently awaiting the release of his upcoming film King. Helmed by Siddharth Anand, the film also stars SRK’s daughter Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Raghav Juyal and Jaideep Ahlawat in key roles. The film is currently under production and is scheduled to release in theatres on December 24, 2026.
Hrithik Roshan, meanwhile, is set to make his directorial debut with Krrish 4. In 2025, Rakesh Roshan announced that he was stepping down from directing the franchise and handing over the reins to his son. Since then, fans have been eagerly waiting to see Hrithik take charge behind the camera.