The blockbuster film of Shah Rukh Khan, "Main Hoon Na" may have been a hit but did you know that Zayed Khan's casting story has a touch of drama behind it?
In an interview with Couple of things hosted by actress Amrita Rao and her husband RJ Anmol, Zayed revealed some interesting details about how he landed this role. The actor revealed Shah Rukh Khan, the King Khan of Bollywood asked him a blunt question before finalizing the casting. The Dear Zindagi actor asked, "Acting kar sakte ho?" [Can you act?]
Zayed admitted he felt a bit hurt by that at the time, but clearly, things worked out well, as he went on to be part of the film alongside the superstar.
Zayed Khan also recalled the time when director of the film, Farah Khan had asked him to meet at SRK's office. He said that "when I arrived, I asked Farah that I am not sure Farah why am I here and she quickly replied, just shut up for two mins. I felt she is very rude. I am like trying my level best to make conversation and Shah Rukh walks in. He is usual Shah Rukh, very sweet, very loving, very well-mannered."
Zayed continued and recalled that during the meeting, he was listening to Shah Rukh but struggling to process everything. Shah Rukh eventually told him they were offering him the second lead in Main Hoon Na. Zayed said, “I couldn’t say anything so he goes ‘yeh sab idhar udhar ki baatein band karte hain (Let’s leave all these unimportant things), I just want to ask one question ‘Kya tum actor ho? Acting kar sakte ho?’ Mujhe bada bura laga ki aise mujhse kisine aise baat kia (I felt bad that someone asked me like that). Maine bola I was born to act. It came from a point of view that I wasn’t trying to be arrogant or anything. I was feeling very bad that he asked me that can you act? I wanted to ask him can you act? When I answered, he just chucked the question.”
Main Hoon Na, released in 2004, was the directorial debut of Farah Khan and starred Shah Rukh Khan, Sushmita Sen, Zayed Khan, and Suniel Shetty.
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