Meer Taj Mohammed {SRK DAD} at his best humour

"My father had much confidence in human nature, I guess. But this taught me one thing, that if I got into trouble, I would have to sort it out myself. He taught me how to stand up for myself. Because of my father,every activity in the house,every duty was transformed into game. He charged us with the idea that we are doing such-and-such work fun. That is why, I guess, I'm so energetic.

My father's sense of humour was like childlike, which often led him to burst into gales of laughter even on the most solemn occasions. Once, a friend came to ask him a favour. He needed my father's services as a translator, since he was about to sign a business deal with a couple of English-speaking foreigners. My father agreed. "But," pleaded his friend, "no jokes, no puns and no witticisms. This means a great deal to me." So my father swore. The two arrived at the hotel, and the introductions were made. All went well, till one of the foreigners, in a show of great friendliness, leaned forward and told my father,"You can call me Dick." A desperate second later, my father burst out into teary-eyed laughter, clutching his stomach in pain. His friend froze. Least to say, that was one business deal that Mr.Dick screwed up!

My father often played pranks in the house, disguising life's lessons in laughter. Like, once, he peeked in to my sister's room and realised Shehnaaz was immersed in a novel rather than the textbook she was supposed to read. He called me, told me what i was to do and then walked into Shehnaaz's room, pretending to be in a great rage. He picked up the book and flung it out of the window. Down below, I was standing arms in position, waiting to catch it, Shehnaaz would realise that her book was safe, that the joke was on her. But she would also know that the next time round, the book might not come back.

Once the "south indian aunty" complained my father that I have been teasing her daughter, he asked in all seriousness, "Is she as pretty as you?" The lady, a little taken aback, stared at him. And when he asked again, she said yes. My father then solemnly said, "Then I am sorry I don't blame shahrukh." The lady left smiling.
---SHAH RUKH KHAN

HOW KARAN JOHAR WAS INSPIRED BY SHAH RUKH KHAN?

I was 16. I had just finished my ICSE examination, and Anand Mahendru wanted a fat man for a TV serial called Indradhanush. My mother thought I should audition and, to make her happy,I agreed. Before my audition started,I saw a very serious-looking man sitting opposite me in the same room. He had scruffy hair, had a newspaper open and was looking all over the place. I went inside, met the director and did my thing. Then this man spoke to Anand and left. I remember Anand telling me that he had come to decline a role offered to him.

My first thought was how could that actor, who I actually thought was so scruffy, turn down a role? Just then another TV actor,slightly fresher-looking with a well-cut face, walked into meet Anand. Seeing this actor, I said,"Now this is what I call an actor." That man with scruffy hair who had left the room was Shah Rukh Khan and the man who'd walked in later is in oblivion today.So obviously I dont have a knack for spotting talent, and in Shah Rukh Khan,even when I saw Deewana, I did spot the so-called 'spark'.

Then I met him in 1993 on the sets of Karan Arjun with my father. My father wanted to sign him for Duplicate. In one hour, he left a big impression on me. Full of energy,full of life and with such a tremendous sense of humour. But what I loved most about him was that when he met my father,who was not the most successful producer at that time, he gave him all respect he deserved. I used to be very sensitive about how people dealt with my father. And I felt he handled my father in the most sensitive and emotional way. It raised his bar in my head by a zillion times.

Shah Rukh could have actually been two thing - the biggest star in the country or a spritual leader. There's no third thing he can be. He's evolved. He's reached some kind of nirvana in his head already beacause of his thoughts and reading. Shah Rukh reads more than I think any librarian ever has. I think he reads a book every day. His thoughts are spritual. If he wasn't an actor, I can imagine millions of people sitting and listening to his thoughts on life, humanity and everything. Shah Rukh Khan is my free art of living course, which I get every day.
----KARAN JOHAR