Ayan Mukerji’s much awaited fantasy film Brahmastra Part One- Shiva hit the screens this Friday. The film boasts of a strong star cast led by Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt but as release day approached, many fans began sharing rumours about a possible superstarry cameo. Eventually, the film’s antagonist Mouni Roy confirmed that Shah Rukh Khan was indeed doing a ‘special appearance’ in the film. As the film released and the actor appeared on screen, fans took to Twitter to share their excitement. Also read: Twitter is convinced Deepika Padukone plays Ranbir Kapoor’s mother in Brahmastra
Spoilers for Brahmastra Part One ahead!
If you haven’t seen the film, please don’t read on because it will only spoil much of the plot for you. Shah Rukh appears in an extended cameo in Brahmastra and in the first few scenes itself. As had been speculated, he is playing the guardian and wielder of the Vanarastra in the film. His character, Mohan Bhargava, a scientist and a member of a secret society guarding the ancient Astras, has already become a fan favourite.
In the film, Shah Rukh’s Mohan (many noted that the actor played a rocket scientist with the same name in his 2004 film Swades as well) battles Mouni Roy’s Junoon and her henchmen, who are out to obtain the scattered pieces of the celestial weapon Brahmastra. Talking about the cameo on Twitter, one fan wrote, “Only SRK can make exposition look charming. What a guy, what a bandar.” Another fan tweeted, “Puri film ek taraf, SRK ka cameo ek taraf (The whole film on one side and SRK's cameo on the other). He is the best part of the film.” Some fans felt thrilled to see Shah Rukh perform action on screen after ages. “Seeing him do action scenes was so mind blowing.”
In old interviews, Shah Rukh had once remarked that his earliest ‘roles’ were when he played a vanar in Ramleela while growing up in Delhi. Drawing a parallel with that, one fan wrote, “It’s so beautiful to see him play our most lovable God. From Ram-Leelas in Delhi to being Vaanarastra.”
{{/usCountry}}In old interviews, Shah Rukh had once remarked that his earliest ‘roles’ were when he played a vanar in Ramleela while growing up in Delhi. Drawing a parallel with that, one fan wrote, “It’s so beautiful to see him play our most lovable God. From Ram-Leelas in Delhi to being Vaanarastra.”
{{/usCountry}}Brahmastra also had cameos from Nagarjuna, Amitabh Bachchan, and a blink-and-you-miss one from Deepika Padukone. Director Ayan Mukerji has intended Brahmastra to be the beginning of a new cinematic universe called the Astraverse, and many fans have already begun demanding a spin-off for Shah Rukh’s character. However, no timeline or release date for the sequels or spinoffs has been announced as of yet.