When Jackie Shroff recalled seeing Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Akelapan’ on Devdas set, "Woh ladka akela kone mein baithta tha..."

Jackie Shroff recalls watching Shah Rukh Khan Akelapan on King Uncle and Devdas sets

• Jackie Shroff remembers Shah Rukh Khan's dedication on early film sets.
• Shroff says SRK's introspective vibe matched his own in King Uncle, Devdas
• Jackie and Shah Rukh may reunite in Siddharth Anand's upcoming film King

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In a heartfelt throwback interview, Bollywood veteran Jackie Shroff opened up about early memories of working with Shah Rukh Khan, revealing a quiet side of the superstar that few may remember from behind the scenes. The story highlights how Shah Rukh’s dedication and introspective nature left a lasting impression on him long before the actor became one of India’s biggest stars.

Speaking to journalist Vickey Lalwani, Jackie recalled his first impressions of Shah Rukh on the set of the 1997 film King Uncle, where a young Shah Rukh played his younger brother. He said, "Akelapan. Har actor ko ek lonely feel hona chahiye, mere ko bola tha ye kisi ne. So I saw him sitting out there, on his own. He was playing my younger brother. And he was respectful, focused on his work, he was charismatic, he was charming. But aloof. Like I was aloof, he also aloof. I liked those vibes."

Jackie also reflected on their later collaboration in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas, where Shah Rukh starred as the tragic titular character. "Devdas se pehle bhi humne kayi films ki. One 2 Ka Four kiya aur ek-do films aur. Par Devdas mein normal tha. Mere liye toh mera bhai tha, chhota bhai jo maine dekha. Wohi ladka jo maine dekha tha ki akele kone mein baitha hai. Role bhi waisa tha Devdas ka, aur main jaisa hoon waisa hi tha uske saath (We had done several films before Devdas, One 2 Ka Four and a couple of others. But on Devdas, he was the same. For me, he was still my younger brother. The same boy I had once seen sitting quietly in a corner. Even the role of Devdas suited that vibe. And I was the same with him as I always had been)," admiting that it's lonely at top.

Shah Rukh and Jackie have worked together in several films like Trimurti, King Uncle, One 2 Ka 4, Devdas and Happy New Year, among others. If reports are to be believed, Jackie and SRK are all set to work together again in Siddharth Anand's directorial, King.