When Shah Rukh Khan's Spoke Of How He Landed Fauji; 'The Director's Son-In-Law Was Showing Me A House...'

Shah Rukh Khan made his debut in the entertainment industry with the popular TV serial Fauji in 1988. In the show, he portrayed the character of Lieutenant Abhimanyu Rai, a brave and disciplined commander in the Indian Army. The series revolved around the lives of army officers and the challenges they faced while safeguarding the nation. Shah Rukh’s impeccable acting skills and charming persona instantly took over the audience’s mind, making him a household name. Fauji marked the beginning of his illustrious career and laid the foundation for his rise to stardom in Bollywood.

During an appearance on Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai, hosted by the late Farooq Sheikh, Shah Rukh Khan opened about how he landed the role in Fauji. He featured on the chat show alongside the director of Fauji, Colonel Raj Kumar Kapoor, Shah Rukh said, “We were looking for a house and his son, kamal, was showing us a house. He used to deal in property and stuff. My mother said ‘mera beta nehi hai, woh theatre karta hai, Barry John ke waha gaya hain.’ Ma was showing off – main waha kuch nehi bas jhaadu pocha karta tha. He is an actor. Woh ayega toh usko ghar dikhake decide karenge. Kamal said my father in law is making a serial, so you go there. Hum Gautam Nagar mein rehte the, bahut kareb inka office tha, So, I just walked in there

(While we were searching for a house, Kamal’s son was guiding us through one. He used to work in real estate and related matters. My mother proudly said, ‘My son is into theatre and has gone to Barry John’s class.’ She was boasting; I hardly did anything there! She said, ‘He is an actor. When he comes back, we’ll finalise the house with his input’. Kamal mentioned that his father-in-law is producing a TV series, so he suggested we check it out. We used to live in Gautam Nagar, very close to their office.”