Blame it on his signature outstretched-arms pose, or his charming portrayal of Rahul and Raj, but romance is the first thing that comes to one’s mind when thinking of Shah Rukh Khan. Ask his millions of female fans who have been left weak-kneed by his offerings over the past three decades. Oddly though, the superstar had different plans for himself. His upcoming release Pathaan is special to him in that regard — it fulfills his long-standing wish of being an out-and-out action hero.

“I came to the film industry 32 years ago to be an action hero, but I missed the boat because they made me a romantic hero instead,” Khan says, in his trademark self-deprecating humour. “I love Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge [1995], and I love Raj, Rahul and all these sweet good boys, but I always thought I was an action hero. So for me, Pathaan is a dream come true.”

Siddharth Anand’s directorial venture is of significance to the actor for another reason, too. The espionage thriller, also starring Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, marks Khan’s return to the big screen after a four-year hiatus. He has taken a break from his love stories to play an R&AW agent who resurfaces after being caught in his last mission three years ago. Shedding light on his character, he says,

“Pathaan is an easy guy, doing a lot of tough things, and he is naughty, too. He is tough, but doesn’t wear it on his sleeve. He is trusting, honest and single-mindedly thinks of India as his mother.”

Matching him shoulder-to-shoulder in the January 25 release is Padukone. Together, they have been among the most successful on-screen jodis, having delivered a hat-trick of blockbusters in Om Shanti Om (2007), Chennai Express (2013), and Happy New Year (2014). Khan, who had launched her in Om Shanti Om, is proud to see her growth as an actor.

“You need someone of Deepika’s stature to be able to pull off a song like Besharam Rang, and [balance it with] action. [A sequence demanded her] to pull a guy right over herself, and [knock him down]. She is tough enough to do that.”