Three days ago, Shah Rukh Khan took the internet by storm when he posted a video of him lip-syncing to the yesteryear chartbuster Dil Le Gayi Kudi Gujarat Di. No, the song is not part of his upcoming film Jab Harry Met Sejal, as he clarifies in the video. The film has him playing a Punjabi munda who falls in love with a Gujarati girl, the reason he has used the song. Sung by popular Punjabi singer Jasbir Jassi, the original video released over a decade ago featuring TV actor Manish Goel.
Manish, who went on to do several serials like Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and Bhabhi among others, is elated that SRK chose his song! “It was my first claim to fame, I got my first serial Bandhan because of this. Whenever I go to a party, yeh gaana ek baar toh bajta hi hai. This song was always popular, but now with SRK singing it, it’s refreshing your memory and taking it to another level.”
Hairy tales
Interestingly, Manish, also shares a connect with Shah Rukh. Like SRK, he also hails from Delhi and his school was in the area where the superstar used to live — Gulmohar Park. He says, “My parents own a beauty salon at Greenpark, which is near Gulmohar Park. Shah Rukh used to go there for a hair cut and shave. Later, he shifted to Mumbai. My father used to tell me if I get a chance to speak to SRK, to ask him about it.” And Manish got a chance when he was shooting for a dance show Say Shava Shava in YRF studio, where King Khan was shooting for a dance number for Krazzy 4. “My son wanted to see him and when I told SRK about the salon, he not only remembered it — he told me how many times he had gone there! He has such a sharp memory,” gushes Manish.
In fact, when Manish participated in Nach Baliye, Farhan Akhtar who was the judge then told him that his hair falls on his face like SRK and he should get it cut from the superstar’s hair stylist! “At that time, Dilshad used to style Shah Rukh’s hair and she is one who corrected mine, too. When she went to USA, Raj started styling SRK and has been with him for seven years now since Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. He is also my hair stylist for seven years,” shares the actor.
Same pinch
That’s not all, when SRK suffered a back injury and had to use traction, Manish too had the same problem! “For a scene in Bhabhi, I jumped from a height of 25 feet and fractured my back. It was uncanny as both of us had the same L3, L4 spinal fracture. Not only that, we ended up at a salon for a hair cut at the same time and were discussing our injuries,” recalls Manish. Two years ago, he dislocated his shoulder at the same time that SRK did! “My wife Poonam wanted the black leather string that SRK was using, but she didn’t find it,” laughs Manish.
The strange connect continues with Manish’s upcoming show tentatively titled Masoom. “I play the main antagonist, and my role is a combination of SRK’s characters from Darr, Anjaam and Baazigar,” he says.
