The upcoming slice-of-life film, Dear Zindagi, has prompted movie buffs to sit up and take notice of it due to various reasons. It not only sees Shah Rukh Khan and Alia Bhatt share screen space for the first time, but is also writer-director Gauri Shinde's second venture after the critically-acclaimed English Vinglish. Interestingly, she is the third woman director SRK is collaborating with.

The actor-producer worked with Hema Malini in Dil Aashna Hai (1992) right at the beginning of his career. Much later, he produced and acted in Main Hoon Na, Om Shanti Om and Happy New Year, which were directed by Farah Khan and were successful at the box office. So, it won't be wrong to say that the actor-producer has a 100 per cent hit ratio with women directors.

Shah Rukh feels that female filmmakers have an edge over others because they add a different sensibility to their cinema. He says, “I've always enjoyed making films with women directors. I think their sensibility is a little effeminate. I use this word because I see men around who are also like that, perhaps including myself. You don't need to be effeminate physically; it's just the sensitivity that's there. I've been brought up that way and I believe that the harshest and toughest of women have the gentlest of hearts.“

SRK also states that Dear Zindagi caters to everybody. He elaborates, “This is not a film about women, it could be about anyone. We deal with relationships every day - with friends, parents, boyfriends. I think when we are dealing with such issues, a woman feels it more and can express it vividly.“

Dear Zindagi, presented by Red Chillies Entertainment in association with Dharma Productions and Hope Productions, and produced by Dharma Productions, releases on November 25.