MUMBAI MIRROR (April 2, 2018)

Filmmaker Aanand L Rai, who has collaborated with Shah Rukh Khan for the first time in Zero, says the 52-year-old actor has the energy and enthusiasm of a newcomer. “I am fascinated to see a man with a 25-year career, so much success and fame, so many blockbusters, still having such childlike energy. He did not burn out during the making of the film and is the most obedient actor I have ever seen. I can say that he is the best newcomer a director will get and that is something I’m trying to learn from him,” Rai asserted.

He added that the strenuous shoot owas made smooth by his talented cast headlined by of SRK playing a dwarf, Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif. “Khan saab surprises me to the extent that at times it scares me to think whether as a director I will be able to match his level of talent. He is an extraordinary man, not just as an actor but also as a human being,” raves the filmmaker.

Were there any creative differences on set? “Khan saab always has a way of putting things across. He never says ‘I don’t do a scene like this’. His will instead suggest, ‘Shall we do it like this?’ inform Rai.

On experimenting with the image of an actor who is known for romantic roles, he says, “With experience, I have realised that the audience is growing every year and as a director, I can’ say there is no audience for a certain genre because a different group is receptive towards a variety of stories.”