Team Pathaan held a media interaction in Mumbai on Monday evening after the spy action thriller produced by YRF achieved the milestone of crossing Rs 500 crore at the box office only five days into its release. The film’s star cast was in attendance, and Shah Rukh Khan of course bowled everyone over, with Deepika Padukone, John Abraham and director Siddharth Anand by his side. Here are the highlights from the chat.

‘I want my films to release with love’

At the very outset, Shah Rukh said that he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love that Pathaan received in the last few days. “This is an experience that’s yet to sink in. Maybe we will be more grateful to God. There were times when we had to make calls to people to make them release the film with ease and they did that. I want my films to be released with love,” he said.

‘Amar, Akbar, Anthony of cinema’

Addressing the protest and trouble that preceded the release of Pathaan, Shah Rukh reiterated that a film’s only intention is to entertain the public and a lot of people from diverse cultural backgrounds join hands to achieve that. “Deepika is Amar, I’m Akbar, John is Anthony. We are Amar, Akbar, Anthony of cinema. We love you, that’s why we make films. When we tell our stories, we don’t deride them. We are just using a language that the young ones speak,” Shah Rukh said, evoking the 1977 film Amar Akbar Anthony — starring Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna and Rishi Kapoor — that epitomised the secular tradition of India by threading together three persons from three religious communities.

‘The weaker you are, the stronger you can become’

Speaking about the huge burden of expectations before the release of Pathaan, Shah Rukh admitted he was scared at times. “I feel sad sometimes. I lose confidence many times in a day and that’s why you keep going because the weaker you are, the stronger you can become,” said Shah Rukh.

‘Have forgotten the last four years in the last four days’

Shah Rukh thanked producer Aditya Chopra and director Siddharth Anand for giving him the opportunity to be a part of Pathaan. “This is an expensive and time-consuming film and to give me a film at a time when I was not working and allow me to be a part of the film, I’m very grateful to them. I have forgotten the last four years in these last four days,” the Bollywood star said.

‘Deepika is the real fighter in Fighter’

Deepika Padukone, who matched Shah Rukh step for step in the action scenes in Pathaan, received a glowing tribute from her co-star. Referring to Deepika’s role in Siddharth Anand’s upcoming film Fighter opposite Hrithik Roshan, Shah Rukh quipped: “I have heard the story of Fighter, and I must tell you that she is the real fighter in the film. Hrithik is the romantic interest. He is going to express love and gratitude.”

WHAT THE OTHERS SAID

‘Shah Rukh is not an actor, he is an emotion’

John Abraham, who plays the villain Jim in Pathaan, perfectly captured the public sentiment for his co-star. “I got an opportunity to work with Shah Rukh Khan. I don’t think he is an actor anymore. He is an emotion. I thought I was the number one action hero, but Shah Rukh is the number one action hero in the country,” John said.

‘This feels like a festival’

The leading lady of Pathaan, Deepika Padukone, was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for the film. “To experience this love… that a film like this can bring in so much celebration, it feels incredible. This feels like a festival. To keep the head down and keep going and then to see all the love, it’s worth it,” she said.

‘Shah Rukh had gone for a loo break’

The excitement in the audience was palpable. Every time Shah Rukh picked up the mic, the crowd went into a tizzy. When a fan screamed “Shah Rukh Khan is back”, John Abraham was quick to respond, “Shah Rukh Khan is not back. He had only gone for a loo break”.

‘Directing Shah Rukh is a responsibility’

Siddharth Anand said directing Shah Rukh was a responsibility as the actor behind the star is actually like clay and would do whatever the director tells him. “If by any chance the film doesn’t do well, it is the director’s fault,” said Siddharth.