3 min readMumbaiJan 31, 2026 03:09 PM IST
As the Hindi film industry stepped into the 21st century, a single name dominated popular culture: Hrithik Roshan. Making a sensational debut with Rakesh Roshan’s Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, the actor became an overnight phenomenon. He was everywhere: splashed across headlines, discussed endlessly, and adored for his looks and dancing skills. Amid the frenzy surrounding his meteoric rise, reports began circulating about an alleged tension between Hrithik and the already reigning superstar, Shah Rukh Khan, who was said to feel threatened by the newcomer’s sudden ascent. Revisiting that phase years later, restaurateur AD Singh recalled what was happening behind the scenes, and how he personally witnessed a moment that contradicted much of the speculation. Speaking to Outlook Traveller, Singh described a first-hand encounter between the two stars at his restaurant, Olive Bar and Kitchen.
Talking about Hrithik’s explosive arrival on the scene and the media narrative at the time, Singh recounted, “Hrithik had burst upon the scene, he was very big with that first movie, and the media was really making a big thing about the antagonism and fighting between him and Shah Rukh. Shah Rukh, the resident king, and the new king, you know, all that stuff. They were saying they were going to come to punches and all that was going on. And one night, Shah Rukh was eating when the door opened and Hrithik came in. Everybody was aware of this alleged rivalry.”
Singh then went on to describe what actually unfolded was far removed from the dramatic confrontations many were expecting. “Hrithik started walking in, and Shah Rukh got up. The whole restaurant held its breath because we didn’t know what was going to happen. Most people were expecting some sort of punch-up, or maybe Shah Rukh would say, “Hrithik, get out,” or something like that. But what happened was much nicer. Shah Rukh went over and the two of them hugged each other. Shah Rukh said very kind words to him about how successful he was, and Hrithik reciprocated.”
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According to Singh, witnessing the two actors greet each other warmly and express mutual admiration left a lasting impression on everyone present. Reflecting on the moment, he added, “We all took a breath and realised that a lot of it was media hype, and the reality was actually very different. It was a very nice moment.”
While the rivalry may have been exaggerated, it was not entirely unfounded. Even filmmaker Karan Johar acknowledged in an episode of Koffee with Karan that there “used to be an awkwardness between Shah Rukh and Hrithik” during those early years. Shah Rukh Khan himself later addressed the comparisons in Anupama Chopra’s book King of Bollywood, saying, “It was so wrong. You can’t take away ten years of work. You can’t suddenly tell me one morning, ‘Hey you’re displaced. You are too old, you are not good enough.’ I couldn’t go out of the house without someone asking me what I thought of Hrithik Roshan. It became shameless.”
