Actor Shah Rukh Khan, known for his iconic romantic roles in Hindi films, says that he came into the film industry with the dream of becoming an action hero.

“I came to the film industry 32 years ago to be an action hero… I missed the boat because they made me a romantic hero instead. I’d only wanted to be an action hero. I mean I love DDLJ (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge), and I love Rahul and Raj and all these good sweet boys but I always thought I was an action hero,” Shah Rukh said in a question-answer video shared by Yash Raj Films on YouTube Wednesday.

The 57-year-old Bollywood star, who is awaiting the release of his action thriller Pathaan, has essayed the roles of romantic heroes in several hit Hindi films including blockbusters like Kabhi Ha Kabhi Na, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

Although Shah Rukh has been part of action sequences in films like Don, the upcoming Siddharth Anand directorial will mark the actor’s first role as a full-fledged action hero.

Shah Rukh also spoke at length about the upcoming film which marks his return to the big-screens in a leading role after a four-year break.

Talking about his relationship with John Abraham, who plays the antagonist in Pathaan, the actor said that John was an old friend of his and among the few people he knew when he came to Mumbai..

“I’ve known John since I came to Mumbai. He’s one of my first friends, I’ve known him for years. He’s very shy, very quiet, very reclusive. This (John playing a negative role) happened perchance and I was very keen he does it. He was kind enough to accept a role where he is really a bad guy,” Shah Rukh said, praising John for doing a negative role at the “peak” of his career.

Describing John as a “gentle giant”, Shah Rukh recalled how he didn’t want to hurt Shah Rukh during action sequences because he thought of him as a “national treasure”.

Talking about Deepika Padukone, Shah Rukh said, “You need someone of the stature of Deepika to be able to pull off a song sequence like Besharam Rang and then be able to do an action scene where she takes a guy and beats him, and you believe it.”

Deepika’s character, also an undercover spy, is layered in Pathaan. “There are three sequences in the film where you get to know why she is a balancing act of good and bad and there is a huge vulnerable side to the character,” Shah Rukh said.

Shah Rukh also recalled an early memory of him accidentally coming across veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha at a red light.

“I saw Mr. Shatrughan Sinha in a car next to mine. I had nothing to do with films, I was in school or college at the time and when I saw him I said hi to him and he smiled at me. I said ye toh apna, and it's always apna. Once I became an actor, I started assuming that they (the audience) also see me as their apna,” he said while talking about his unflinching love for his fans.