When Shah Rukh Khan went off script while filming Don: Alyy Khan recalls candid on-set moment

As Excel Entertainment gears up for Don 3 with Ranveer Singh, an old anecdote about Shah Rukh Khan's charisma on Don set resurfaces.

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

April 18, 2025 - 10:43 AM IST

With the buzz around Don 3 building up, featuring Ranveer Singh stepping into the iconic role and Sharvari reportedly playing the female lead—an old interview of actor Alyy Khan has resurfaced, offering fans a nostalgic peek into the energy and spontaneity Shah Rukh Khan brought to the set of Don (2006).

When Shah Rukh Khan went off script while filming Don: Alyy Khan recalls candid on-set moment

Alyy Khan, who played Diwan in the stylish remake of the Amitabh Bachchan classic, appeared on Nadir Ali’s podcast some time ago and recalled an amusing and iconic behind-the-scenes moment involving SRK, director Farhan Akhtar, and a slight improvisation during a dramatic scene. “Usne (SRK) scene memorise kiya nahin tha, toh koi assistant ne usko script pakdaya (He hadn’t memorised the scene, so an assistant handed him the script),” Alyy shared. “Voh script dekhta hai, kehta, ‘Haan, okay boss. Let’s read.’ We read the scene… jab hum scene padh rahe the toh scene ke end pe Shah Rukh Khan ne ek line add ki (He looks at the script and says, ‘Yes, okay boss. Let’s read.’ While we were reading, Shah Rukh added a line at the end of the scene).”

This improvised moment caught director Farhan Akhtar's attention, and his subtle reaction didn’t go unnoticed. “Farhan, jo scene follow kar raha hai aur Shah Rukh ko dekh raha hai, mujhe mehsoos ho raha hai apne peripheral vision se (Farhan, who was following the scene and watching Shah Rukh, I noticed from my peripheral vision)… Farhan aise (shakes head) kar raha hai (he was slightly shaking his head).” Once the scene ended, SRK casually removed his glasses and said, “Chal yaar, bhookh lag rahi hai, khaane chalte hain (Come on, I’m hungry. Let’s go eat).”

Farhan then politely stepped in. “Farhan kehta hai, ‘Yaar, Shah, yaar ek request kar sakta hoon? Jo line tune add ki hai voh darasal script main hai nahin. Toh jis tarah script likhi gayi hai, ek baar ussi tarah padh sakte hain (Farhan said, ‘Shah, can I make a request? The line you added isn’t actually in the script. Can we try doing it the way it’s written just once)?”

To which SRK quipped in signature style, “Abe saale, Don bana raha hai lekin Don kaun hai? Shah Rukh Khan hai na? Public ko Shah Rukh Khan bhi toh dekhna hai na. Relax, don’t worry about it. Main karta hoon na (You’re making Don, but who is Don? Shah Rukh Khan, right? The audience wants to see Shah Rukh Khan too. Relax, don’t worry. I’ll handle it).”

This candid moment not only highlights SRK’s spontaneity but also the effortless confidence he brought to the role - a mix of swagger and star power. Eventually, we hear that even though Farhan was not convinced and even considered editing it, it seems that he eventually retained the improvised version and the film, which was also produced by co-produced by SRK, went on to become a box office success.

As Don 3 enters a new era with Ranveer Singh, such stories serve as a reminder of the magic that Khan brought to the franchise, making Don not just a character, but a cinematic persona.

Also Read: When Farhan Akhtar had trouble getting remake rights of Don: “I want to remake Don as I’d like to see it. Mera apna Don”