Rajkummar Rao reveals how Shah Rukh Khan treated him when they first met in heartwarming post

Rajkummar Rao says he is the biggest fan of Shah Rukh Khan and how he made him feel welcomed and appreciated, a gesture that won his heart.

Humans of Bombay is making us go soft in the heart with its latest post. The popular Instagram page, inspired by Humans of New York, has shared a beautiful post on one of the country’s most adored actors these days, Rajkummar Rao.

Rajkummar Rao reveals details about his days of struggle. (Instagram/Humans of Bombay)

In the post, Rajkummar talks at length about his days as a struggling actor, how he would worship Shah Rukh Khan as a child and how his idol treated him when they met for the first time. “Growing up, I was fascinated with Shah Rukh Sir––I used to stare at his posters and often think that if an outsider could make it as big as him, then maybe there was hope for me,” he said. Rajkummar, however, soon realised that the road to success is not paved with roses. When he arrived in Mumbai from Gurgaon, he was not given good work and would do small ads. “I made about Rs 10,000 a month––but still, there were days where I didn’t have money, and I’d call my friends asking to share their meal,” he added.

Rajkummar began persuading assistant directors, directors and producers to give him a chance but no one would place their trust in him. “They would call me in for the smallest of roles and I would try to convince them to at least let me try out the bigger parts...but I was turned down. But I didn’t let any of it demotivate me – I believed that someone would see my talent,” he said.

He also revealed the feeling of euphoria when he finally landed his first role. “ I was also very persistent – I remember constantly following up with Atul Mongia till he finally called me for the audition of Love Sex Aur Dhokha. I did around 3-4 tests. A week went by and I hadn’t heard back – and finally it happened...everything I had worked for culminated in that one moment. I was alone at home, when I got the most important call of my life. The words were, ‘Ho gaya hai. You got the film.’ I fell to my knees, called my mother,” he said.

After the success of Queen, he finally met Shah Rukh Khan. “I was shooting in Mehboob. And I heard that Shah Rukh sir was also shooting there. So I thought this was my chance––maybe I could go meet him. I sent a message across to him––I didn’t think he’d know me, but, he called me to his trailer – he knew my entire bio!

“He made me feel so special. I was already a fan, but that day I was probably his biggest. I was nervous and in awe throughout. I once spoke to his posters...and now there he was, in front of me. How can I even explain what that felt like?,” he said about his idol.

Rajkummar was recently seen in Fanney Khan with Anil Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai. The film bombed at the box office with only Rs 7 crore made in six days and opened to mixed reviews. He will now be seen with Shraddha Kapoor in Stree.

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