Hema Malini Reacts To Shah Rukh Khan Turning 60, Recalls Giving Him His Big Break: Thought He Was In His 40s

Before the world knew him as Bollywood’s Badshah, Shah Rukh Khan was a passionate newcomer eager to make his mark. And it was Hema Malini, the timeless Dream Girl of Indian cinema, who first recognised

his spark. Long before Deewana made him a household name, Hema spotted his potential after watching him in the TV series Fauji and decided to cast him in her directorial venture Dil Aashna Hai in 1992. As Shah Rukh Khan turns 60, Hema fondly looks back on the moment she discovered his brilliance and how both she and Dharmendra instantly knew he was destined for greatness.

Hema Malini can't believe Shah Rukh Khan has turned 60

Hema Malini was among the first to recognise something extraordinary in Shah Rukh Khan when he was just starting out in Bollywood. She recalls, “I can't believe he is turning 60, I thought he must be in his 40s. From the moment I saw him in Fauji, I knew he was different. He suited the rich, aristocratic man's son's role that I was casting for. He was smart and well spoken. I got my sister to call him and he couldn't believe it was a call from me; he just kept giggling over the phone.”ALSO READ: Shah Rukh Khan 60th Birthday: Fans Gather Outside Mannat In Large Numbers, Police Restricts Overcrowding

Dharmendra also saw SRK’s spark

Hema further revealed that it wasn’t just her who noticed Shah Rukh’s potential even her husband, veteran actor Dharmendra, was equally impressed. She said, “When Dharamji saw him he said, 'Is ladke ko zaroor lena’ (You must take this boy). He even wrote some of the dialogues for him. Shah Rukh had rough-looking hair back then and was short, unlike other heroes, but had a unique charm about him. Though he was great as the charming romantic hero, he also excelled in villainous roles. Today, I'm happy to see the big personality he has become.”While Deewana marked his big-screen debut, it was Hema who first signed him for Dil Aashna Hai the same year, giving him his earliest big break.