Shah Rukh Khan’s Fan co-star Shriya Pilgaonkar recalls her ‘once-in-a-lifetime experience’ of working with the superstar

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s Fan released 5 years ago today (April 15, 2021). Directed by Maneesh Sharma the film revolved around SRK’s character Gaurav, a lookalike and big fan of Bollywood superstar Aryan Khanna (also played by SRK) who decides to destroy his idol’s life after he refuses to grant him five minutes of his time.

Fan also starred Mirzapur fame actress Shriya Pilgaonkar in a pivotal role. The actress portrayed the role of Gaurav’s Dilliwali friend Neha. On the completion of 5 years of the film today, Shriya shared about her experience and some memories of working in this Shah Rukh Khan-starrer.

Speaking about her first interaction with King Khan, the Mirzapur actress told ETimes, “Before I met him on the sets of Fan, I had bumped into him at a studio where I was assisting on a film. My director had taken me along for some work and when she spotted him and went over to speak to him, I was right there with her, so, she introduced me to him. For me, SRK is not just a star; I have always really enjoyed watching his interviews. He is so intelligent! Overall, he is somebody who takes interest in so many other things. I love the fact that he enjoys reading. Most of our conversations would be about books. For me, I was excited to see what kind of a person he is more than anything else.”

 

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Shriya also recalled how Shah Rukh made her really comfortable on the sets. She adds, “I was not nervous at all; he made me very comfortable. It was very collaborative effort on sets. His charm lies in the fact that he makes everybody feel special and important.”

So what piece of advice King Khan has shared with her? Shriya revealed, “In one of my conversations, I had mentioned to SRK that I am also interested in filmmaking and that I had directed a short film and a documentary. He told me that he, too, loves the process of filmmaking. In fact, he also suggested a book on screenwriting called, ‘Save The Cat’ which I immediately bought. We would hang out whenever we could after the shoot. It was just a nice and easy experience. I think there is a lot to learn from him and the way he carries himself. In general, I think of him as a philosopher.”

The actress called Fan a “once-in-a-lifetime experience” when you work with a superstar of Shah Rukh Khan’s stature.

On the work front, Shriya Pilgaonkar will next be seen in Rana Daggubati’s Haathi Mere Saathi.

Also Read: Sweety, aka Shriya Pilgaonkar, takes fans down memory lane with a quick recap of ‘Mirzapur’ Season 1-Watch