Director Rajkumar Hirani always wanted to work with Shah Rukh Khan. As an ardent admirer of Khan’s acting skills, Hirani had also talked to him for a couple of other projects before 3 Idiots, but it never materialised. However, this didn’t stop both of them from discussing future projects. As fate would have it, they finally worked together in Dunki, one of Khan’s three hits in the year 2023. This was the year when Khan bounced back after a hiatus of five years. He delivered back to back blockbusters in Pathan, Jawan and Dunki. He is now gearing up for King.
In a way, it was good that Khan couldn’t do 3 Idiots because this went to another Khan—Aamir Khan, whose iconic portrayal of Rancho received both critical and commercial success. While the film raised some pertinent issues, it also gave ample dose of entertainment. The critics liked it for its versatility and relatable portrayal of the youth, and the box office loved it for perfect timing, be it comic or drama. The makers of the film—Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Reliance Big Pictures—laughed their way to the bank when it became the first Hindi film to cross the Rs 200 crore mark at the ticket window.
Prior to that, Aamir Khan’s Ghajini became the first Hindi film to earn Rs 100 crore. It stamped Aamir’s authority over the box office and proved his marketing gimmicks are going to change the film business forever. Later, Aamir re-stamped his authority on the film business through films such as PK and Dangal. One can only imagine how the film would have looked if Shah Rukh Khan had accepted the role!
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