Ram Gopal Varma confesses he “can’t make the kind of films Shah Rukh Khan’s fans expect”; clarifies why a collaboration won’t happen

November 24, 2025 - 1:30 PM IST

In a recent conversation with The Hans India, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma spoke candidly about the way he approaches casting, stressing that an actor’s suitability for a character outweighs their stardom. Citing Amitabh Bachchan as an example, he explained why certain performers align more naturally with specific narrative demands.

Ram Gopal Varma confesses he “can’t make the kind of films Shah Rukh Khan’s fans expect”; clarifies why a collaboration won’t happen

Calling Bachchan an actor with “a very immobile face,” Varma said the restraint becomes one of his greatest strengths. “The way he conveys through his eyes and voice modulation, without moving, is an extraordinary thing because that gives him an inherent dignity and an inbuilt poise and classiness, which happens very, very rarely,” he noted, adding that he hasn’t seen another Indian actor who can match that quality.

When asked about Shah Rukh Khan often being viewed as Bachchan’s successor, Varma clarified that their appeal and cinematic sensibilities are markedly different. “Shah Rukh has a very different style, in terms of his charm and everything. Also, the kind of cinema that I grew up on… Deewaar, Trishul, Zanjeer. That’s why I take to Amitabh Bachchan,” he said. He added that Shah Rukh’s romantic films, which shaped much of the actor’s early career, “aren’t my type of films,” making him hesitant to offer broad comparisons.

Addressing whether he sees himself collaborating with Shah Rukh Khan, Varma admitted he does not believe he can meet the expectations associated with the superstar’s image, even after the actor’s shift toward action-led roles post Pathaan and Jawan. “I’m not capable of working in a film with Shah Rukh Khan because of what his fans expect from him. That’s not the kind of cinema I’m qualified to do,” he said.

This aligns with an earlier remark he made in an interview with Siddharth Kannan, where he revealed that Shah Rukh was his initial choice for Company (2002). Varma said he eventually stepped back from the idea because the role required a stillness that he felt didn’t align with the actor’s natural energy. “Shah Rukh has a certain natural body language, very energetic… the idea of Company, Malik’s character, is that he’s very subtle. To make him still, I felt, would be doing an injustice both to him and to the film,” he explained.

Varma recently made news for the re-release of his landmark films Shiva and Rangeela. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan, last seen in Dunki (2023), is currently filming King, directed by Siddharth Anand, which will also mark Suhana Khan’s theatrical debut.

Also Read: Rangeela Re-release EXCLUSIVE: Ahmed Khan reveals Ram Gopal Varma paid him same as Saroj Khan, the highest paid choreographer then — “I was just 19; it was my first film; I expected Rs. 5,000 but got Rs. 25,000 per song!”