Jul 22, 2026 6:05pm IST
Sikander Kher On Shah Rukh Khan Teaching Him The Importance Of Generosity: ‘He Was Never Insecure’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Sikander Kher has spent decades around some of Indian cinema’s biggest names, but one of his most enduring lessons came from quietly observing Shah Rukh Khan at work rather than asking him questions. Reflecting on his time as an assistant director on “Devdas,” Kher recalled watching the superstar closely and being struck by the way he approached every scene. “I did see Shah Rukh up close and personal. I could have easily asked him, ‘How do you approach a scene?’ But I had seen Shah Rukh for many, many years. As an actor, I just watched the qualities he brought to a film set,” he reveals.
Related Stories
According to Kher, what stood out most was Shah Rukh Khan’s infectious energy and his willingness to explore multiple interpretations of a scene. Describing what SRK brings to a set, he adds, “The energy he would bring on set was insane. It was crazy how many options he would give a director for a scene. I would actually see him giving the director so many options that the director would get confused because all his options were superb.”
For the “Aarya” actor, the biggest lesson had little to do with technique and everything to do with generosity. “As a co-actor, I learned about giving from him. I learned about security from him, not being insecure.” He goes on to explain that Khan never appeared concerned about who stood in the foreground or who got the best lines. “He’s already a star. Why should a star be insecure? Why think, ‘I should stand in front,’ or ‘That line should be mine’? He would give away his lines because you have to make a scene. It can’t just be one person monologuing throughout the whole thing.”
Kher adds that his experience as an assistant director really helped him shape his philosophy throughout his career, trying to learn from the best people he has encountered both on and off set.
“I’ve tried to take the good from a lot of good people that I came across,” he said. Sikander was recently seen in “Baby Do Die Do” that stars Huma Qureshi and will be seen in the upcoming drama “Prahaar” based on the life of public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.
Comments are moderated. They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications.