Anil Agarwal reveals Shah Rukh Khan played a crucial role in Cairn Vedanta's acquisition

Who said you both have to be from the same religion to fall in love? Directed by Yash Chopra, ‘Veer-Zaara’ is a period film. It is a saga of love, separation, courage and sacrifice. Released in November 2004,the film stars Shah Rukh Khan in the role of Veer Pratap Singh, an Indian Air Force officer, and Preity Zinta as Zaara, the daughter of a Pakistani politician. Veer gets imprisoned on false charges and ends up in a Pakistan jail, while Zaara spends the rest of her life thinking he is dead. It is after 22 years, that both lovers are reunited thanks to the efforts of a lawyer played by Rani Mukerji.

The 1998 release, SRK’s ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, is a cult classic directed by Karan Johar. The film stars the popular on-screen pair of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in lead roles along with Rani Mukerji and Salman Khan. The first half of the film explores the dynamics between Rahul (Khan), Anjali (Kajol) and Tina (Rani Mukerji). Rahul and Anjali are thick as thieves. But their friendship breaks apart when Rahul falls in love with the new arrival in college. The second half is more lighthearted and focuses on Rahul’s daughter attempting to rekindle a relationship between her father and his former friend.

There’s a reason why ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ remains the ultimate romantic fantasy for generations of women in the Indian subcontinent. That probably explains why even after decades people flock to see reruns of the film at the Maratha Mandir. SRK’s fledgling career underwent a rebirth with this film and made him the undisputed heartthrob all across the country.

Directed by Aditya Chopra and starring SRK and Kajol in the lead, the story revolves around Simran, a demure NRI girl who discovers love (in the form of a doe-eyed and puckish Raj ) on her trip to Europe. Over the course of several misadventures, the duo fall head over heels in love with each other. The second half of the movie explore’s Raj’s quest to win over the family members of his lady-love. Even after nearly 28 years, the movie remains fresh for its depiction of a slowburn yet tender romance and several memorable cinematic moments that make you smile, feel giddy and even shed a tear or two.

‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ was released in 2003 and starred Preity Zinta opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role. Although this Nikkhil Advani-directorial had shades of the 1971 Hrishikesh Mukherjee film ‘Anand’, the movie managed to be a standalone entity thanks to a water-tight screenplay and picture-perfect performances from the cast. Khan plays Aman, a happy-go-lucky guy who nurses a big secret. He eventually becomes matchmaker between Naina (Preity Zinta) and Rohit (Saif Ali Khan). Naina is infatuated with the cheerful and likeable Aman, but he turns down her romantic overtures and acts seemingly disinterested.

Although his character will give you flashbacks of Rajesh Khanna’s Anand Sehgal, Khan refuses to let you ponder too much on the similarities. He delivers a tour de force performance as Aman, a guy whose carefully buoyant attitude covers several untold tragedies. He manages to infuse pathos and wry humour in what is essentially the male version of the ‘manic pixie dream girl trope’. Khan’s magnetic charm prevents Aman from becoming yet another tragicomic do-gooder cardboard character.

Based on the 1917 novel ‘Devdas’ by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, the film was released in 2002. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, it stars Shah Rukh Khan (as Devdas), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (Devdas’s childhood love Paro) and Madhuri Dixit (as Chandramukhi).

The plot of the movie follows Devdas, who returns from London to marry his childhood friend Paro. However, the rejection of their marriage by his own family sparks his descent into alcoholism, ultimately leading to his emotional deterioration and him seeking refuge with the golden-hearted courtesan (Chandramukhi).

Directed by Yash Chopra, ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’ starring Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Karisma Kapoor and Akshay Kumar was released in 1996. The film shows romance blossoming between Rahul ( SRK ) and Pooja (Madhuri) while working on a dance musical play. On the other hand, the movie shows Nisha (Karisma Kapoor) developing a feeling for her best friend, Rahul as well. Apart from its love triangle, this film is also famous for its dance sequences and romantic songs as well.

‘Mohabbatein’ is a Yash Chopra film that was released in 2000 and starred Shah Rukh Khan in the role of Raj Aryan Malhotra, an idealistic music teacher, who intends to transform the environment of the college in which he teaches.He finds the institute's culture efficient but stifling. Malhotra embarks on a quest to make the college more inclusive and welcoming. This leads to him locking horns with Narayan Shankar (Amitabh Bachchan) the authoritative headmaster who swears by ‘parampara, pratistha, anushasan’.

Although the movie was undeniably ‘inspired’ by the 1989 American coming-of-age drama ‘Dead Poets Society’, the film has managed to become a cult-classic over the years for the melancholic yet saccharine sweet romantic episode between Khan’s Raj Aryan Malhotra and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Megha and the epic tug of war and power play between the Khan and Bachchan’s (Amitabh) characters. Khan is as usual outstanding in the role of the quietly ambitious Raj Aryan who is determined to usher in sweeping changes at the gurukul. You probably wouldn’t hire him in real life, but couldn’t help but be in awe of his zeal!