In Japan, a Shah Rukh Khan female fan turns rickshaw ride into a Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham moment for Indian tourist

Shah Rukh Khan needs no introduction. The Bollywood superstar is a global icon, enjoying a massive fan following worldwide. Besides being a terrific actor, his on-screen humour, lop-sided grin and expressive eyes, which evoke a myriad of emotions, justify SRK’s ‘Baadshah’ status. Now, Shah Rukh Khan seems to have made yet another fan approximately 5,000 kms from India, in Japan. For context: Bangalore-based content creator Simran Jain recently posted a video on Instagram, documenting her travel diaries in Tokyo when she happened to meet SRK’s female fan, a 19-year-old rickshaw puller, Hibiki Takeshima.

Tokyo ride turns into Bollywood moment

As per the video posted on Instagram, Simran Jain had the sweet encounter when she booked a rickshaw ride in Tokyo’s Asakusa. The clip opened on a delightful note with Simran asking Hibiki Takeshima what she knows about India. To this, the young adult does not give a straightforward answer but recites a famous tongue-twister featured in Shah Rukh Khan’s 2001 blockbuster film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, also starring Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor, Kajol, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan.




In her broken Hindi dialect, an ever-smiling Hibiki Takeshima said, ‘Chandu ke chacha ne, chandu ki chachi ko, chandni-chowk mein, chandni raat mein, chaandi ki chammach se, chatni chatai’, sparking unbridled laughter from Simran Jain. For context, the rhyme was uttered by Kareena Kapoor’s character Poo to Hrithik Roshan’s Rohan in the movie.

From Sensoji Temple to heartfelt ‘dhanyavad’

Coming to the video, Hibiki Takeshima was seen giving a blanket to Simran Jain so that she would stay warm before taking her to the 1400-year-old Sensoji Temple, a popular landmark in Asakusa. Next, the cheerful rickshaw puller took the tourist to another famous sightseeing spot, aka the Asahi Beer Town, a golden-coloured building resembling a giant beer mug and the Tokyo SkyTree. Simran, during a brief conversation with Hibiki, admitted that she was impressed by Japan’s discipline and punctuality.

By the end of the video, Hibiki Takeshima revealed two of her favourite Indian foods: the Rajasthan staple dal-bati-churma and the South Indian classic masala dosa. Before saying goodbye, Hibiki clicked multiple pictures of Simran Jain and even did a ‘Namaste’ with folded hands and signed off with a‘Dhanyavad’ in Hindi, wrapping up the session.

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A post shared by Simran Jain (@simranbalarjain)

As per Japanese news outlets, the historic district of Asakusa has seen a rise in female rickshaw pullers over the years, who are competing with men and even succeeding in the physically demanding job. These rickshaw drivers also act as guides, taking tourists to popular landmarks and explaining the history of the spots. They have to undergo a test before getting the license.