Veteran actor M M Faruqui, popularly known as Lilliput, has shared his candid views on Shah Rukh Khan’s performance in the 2018 film Zero. While the film failed at the box office, Shah Rukh received praise from several quarters for his portrayal of a man with dwarfism. Lilliput mentioned said he was not impressed with the film and questioned what the writer intended to convey.
Lilliput says he didn’t enjoy Zero
Speaking on Siddharth Kannan’s YouTube show, the 75-year-old actor talked about Shah Rukh’s films and his stardom. During the conversation, the host also brought up Lilliput’s earlier remark that Shah Rukh sometimes chooses weak scripts, citing films like Zero and Jawan. Standing by his statement, the veteran actor compared Shah Rukh with Aamir Khan, saying that after watching some of Shah Rukh’s films, he feels the superstar does not always display the same instinct for scripts that Aamir is known for.
“Shah Rukh ki filmein dekhne ke baaad lagta hai use film ki script ki sense nahi hai, jo Aamir ko hai. Aap apne kaam ke sath imaandar hai, isme do rae nahi hai. Lekin script ki sense bohot logo mein nahi hai, use bhi nahi hai. Isme koi buri baat nahi hai. Nahi hai to nahi hai (After watching Shah Rukh’s films, it feels like he doesn’t have the same sense for scripts that Aamir has. There is no doubt that he is honest and sincere about his work. But many people don’t have a strong sense for scripts, and he doesn’t either. There’s nothing wrong with that. If someone doesn’t have it, they simply don’t have it.)”
Lilliput emphasised that even the biggest stars can make mistakes and that success does not make anyone flawless. According to him, while Shah Rukh is deeply committed to his projects, the responsibility of choosing scripts could sometimes be handled by others rather than the actor himself.
Interestingly, Lilliput and Shah Rukh have previously shared screen space in films such as Dulha Mil Gaya (2010) and Swades (2004), where the veteran actor appeared in supporting roles alongside the superstar.
Shah Rukh’s upcoming project
Shah Rukh Khan is gearing up for his next major project, the action thriller King, directed by Siddharth Anand, who previously collaborated with the superstar on the blockbuster Pathaan. The film is expected to feature the star in a darker, action-heavy role, reportedly as a powerful underworld figure who mentors a young woman navigating a dangerous world. The project has generated significant buzz because it will also star his daughter Suhana Khan, marking her big-screen collaboration with her father after her debut in The Archies. The film is also expected to feature Rani Mukerji, Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor, and Jackie Shroff in key roles. It is set to hit the theatres on Christmas this year.