Shah Rukh Khan may be the undisputed ‘King’ of Bollywood, but it is his off-screen persona that often makes him stand out.
Adding to the many stories about his kindness, actor Mita Vashisht has recalled a near-fatal incident from the sets of Dil Se, released in 1998.
In an interview with SCREEN, Mita recalled how warmly he welcomed her when they reunited for Dil Se. The two had previously worked together in Mani Kaul’s The Idiot (1992).
Mita said that despite becoming a big star by the time they worked together again, Shah Rukh remained affectionate and looked out for her throughout the shoot.
How Shah Rukh Khan Saved Mita Vashisht From Falling Off A Ridge
Recalling the frightening incident, Mita spoke about a sequence in which she was carrying an AK-47 and had to make Shah Rukh Khan cross a stretch while blindfolded. The scene was being prepared in Dalhousie, where the crew was shooting in extremely cold conditions.
“Yes, I was carrying an AK-47 and making him cross blindfolded. While we were preparing for the shot, I was at the back, and Shah Rukh was ahead of me in the line. We were shooting in Dalhousie, and it was freezing cold. The shoes we had been given had plastic soles and we couldn’t properly feel the ground beneath our feet. Mani sir kept saying, ‘Go back, go back, go back.’ So I kept stepping backwards, very slowly, taking tiny steps. But at one point, I suddenly found myself looking up at the sky and feeling as though I was falling. I had actually reached the edge of a steep ridge and was about to fall,” she said.
She added, “But Shah Rukh’s reflexes were extraordinary. In a split second, he grabbed the front of my jacket and pulled me back up. One moment, I was falling backwards with an AK-47, and the very next moment, his hand was grabbing my jacket and pulling me to safety.
He actually saved my life that day. With the weight of the gun and the steep slope, I could have fallen all the way down, with nothing to stop me. I don’t know what might have happened, but I genuinely believe something terrible was prevented because of his fast reaction. That’s how alert and protective he was towards me. On the whole, I have always cared a great deal about Shah Rukh as a person.”
Mita Vashisht Recalls Shah Rukh Khan’s Protective Nature During Dil Se Shoot
The actress also shared another incident from the filming of an intense fight sequence between her character and Shah Rukh’s. The six-minute sequence, which was eventually removed from the film, involved some physically demanding action.
“As part of the fight, I was supposed to hit Shah Rukh [Khan] on the head with a small stone as a last resort. But the stone slipped from my hand. Instead of my fingers cushioning the blow, it slipped through them and caused a small cut on his head. While everyone else was horrified and quite angry, Shah Rukh was so affectionate,” she added.
Dil Se was written and directed by Mani Ratnam. The romantic thriller featured Shah Rukh Khan, Manisha Koirala and Preity Zinta in lead roles. The film followed Amar, an All India Radio journalist who falls in love with Meghna, a mysterious woman with a troubled past.
The film also featured Mita Vashisht, Raghubir Yadav, Piyush Mishra, Sabyasachi Chakrabarty and Sanjay Mishra in important roles.
Dil Se holds a special place in our hearts for its music by AR Rahman, especially the iconic track Chaiyya Chaiyya.
