Shah Rukh Khan is super polite, Salman Khan made us wait for 7 hours, reveals German filmmaker

In a candid and revealing interview, German director Michaela, who has spent nearly a decade in India working in experimental films and theatre, opened up about her experiences with some of Bollywood’s biggest stars. Her remarks, shared in a conversation with Max Chernov, have sparked significant attention—especially her stark contrast in experiences with Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan.

Michaela had high praise for Shah Rukh Khan, calling him “well spoken and super polite.” She recalled her time directing him with fondness and admiration: “I actually directed Shah Rukh Khan. That was really nice. He was very polite. He was so senior to me and I was just 3-4 years into the business. I was pretty much a rookie. I was directing him and he was listening to what I said.” She went on to emphasize his humility, saying, “He is very well spoken and super polite. His English is super polished. I think it doesn’t come across because his films are mostly Hindi. It was really amazing.”

Her experience with Alia Bhatt was equally positive. Michaela described her as “super nice and chill” and noted that she found her easy to work with. “I also worked with Alia Bhatt. I also directed her in a teaser to one of her films. She was also super nice and chill,” she shared.

However, her account of working with Salman Khan painted a starkly different picture. Michaela did not mince words when it came to discussing what she described as his questionable professionalism. In a video clip from the interview that has since gone viral, she said, “I also worked with those whose professionalism was questionable, like Salman Khan. He used to make us wait on the set for 7 hours, easily.”