Many actors have shared their ‘Shah Rukh Khan moments’, which they cherish for life, but actor Girija Oak, who shot with the superstar in his 2023 blockbuster Jawan, has many special memories associated with him. In a recent interaction, Girija opened up about seeing Shah Rukh Khan through both the best and the most difficult phase of his life — when his son Aryan Khan was arrested. She revealed that the actor had gone incommunicado and had even paused shooting during that period.
‘He smells really good’
Speaking to Siddharth Kanna, Girija spoke about her ‘SRK moments’ and revealed that she was impressed by how the actor smells. “Everybody has spoken about it. Many lead actresses who have worked with him, have all said that he uses a great perfume combination. There have been enough discussions on this. He even told fans in a video what perfumes he uses. But whatever perfume combination he wears, it is really good. He smells really good.”
‘SRK grumbled about missing his kids during night shoots’
Shah Rukh Khan and Girija also bonded over missing time with their children while they were shooting continuously at night for Jawan. Recalling her moments with the superstar, she said, “I have too many moments with him. Because we shot for the film over a period of two years in bits and pieces, so I met him a lot. The first moment was when we were doing night shift continuously.”
Girija went on to explain how she was ranting to her co-star Priyamani about not being able to meet her son while she was shooting at night. She shared that Shah Rukh Khan overheard their conversation and expressed similar emotions about missing time with his children — AbRam, Aryan, and Suhana.
“Shah Rukh over heard us and said, ‘ I am also not able to meet my kids. When I reach home in early morning, AbRam is sleeping and when I am ready to leave the house, he is in school. I’m not able to meet Suhana and Aryan also. Though Aryan keeps busy in his work, I’m not able to meet my other two kids also. I am feeling bad about this, which is why I have called Suhana to come on the set to meet me.’” She said she never expected to have this domestic conversation with the King Khan.
‘SRK held my hand and navigated me through the crowd’
Girija also shared an instance that highlighted Shah Rukh Khan’s chivalry. After celebrating Jawan director Atlee’s birthday at a club, the actor ensured that all the female cast members, including Girija and Priyamani, were escorted safely to their cars. She recalled how Shah Rukh personally walked them out and helped them navigate through the crowd.
She said, “While we were walking out, I was stopped by the film’s DoP and he insisted that we stayed longer. While I was talking to him, I looked behind and SRK was waiting for me to come while the other actresses had already gone forward. There was a lot of crowd and SRK held my hand and he navigated through the crowd. He took me out of that place and he kept holding my hand down the stairs, right till the outside of the club. It was like I was flying behind him while holding his hand, he waited as I sat in my car and asked me to travel safe.”
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‘SRK didn’t shoot during Aryan Khan case, returned as the same man’
Girija also spoke about witnessing Shah Rukh Khan navigate the most challenging phase of his life when his son Aryan Khan was arrested in a drugs-related case. “I had shot with him during the most difficult phase of his life. while shooting for Jawan, the Aryan case was going on.”
She added, “This was followed by another controversy during Lata Mangeshkar’s funeral when he said a dua (blessing). People had started accusing him, and it was all in very bad taste. In spite of this happening, the craze that that man holds. Not once as he lost cool on set, he never shouted at anyone, and I’m sure he must be going through turmoil in his life at that time, but he showed up on time no matter what, and always did his part well. And two years is a long time to judge anyone’s personality and I shot with him for many months, so I have really gotten to see him through all of these phases.”
Sharing how no one had access to Shah Rukh Khan during the peak of the Aryan Khan case, Girija said, “When the case happened for 3-4 months, Shah Rukh did not attend any public event, and he was also not shooting for Jawan. So I didn’t see him during this time, nobody had access to Mr Khan at that point of time. We met him when we resumed shoot and by that time the case was almost over, and he was the same person that he was before, absolutely professional, composed, and graceful.”
