Subhash Ghai’s 1997 film Pardes, starring Shahrukh Khan and Mahima Chaudhary, may have left critics a bit divided when it hit the screens, but it managed to stick in the minds of all cinephiles, and especially Shahrukh Khan fans. Khan’s character in the film, Arjun, was not the quintessential hero. He was mostly a bystander, an inactive factor far from what a 90s hero should have been.
While Pardes was essentially the story of Ganga played by Chaudhary, Khan stole much of the show. All this and Khan’s portrayal of Arjun boil down to one thing – Subhash Ghai’s dictation to the superstar about his perception of his character.
Subhash Ghai’s memoir, Karma’s Child: The Story of Indian Cinema’s Ultimate Showman, co-written with Suveen Sinha and published by HarperCollins India, shows how superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who had just recently created Diwali Dulhania Le Jayenga (DDLJ), tamed Pardes.
First, Ghai made it clear to Khan that the film is about Ganga and not about Arjun. But Khan, who signed a three-film deal with Mukta Arts starting with Trimurti, readily agreed to play the role.
But Raj Malhotra’s portrayal of Khan in DDLJ cemented him as “a romantic hero who could look into any woman’s eyes with such intensity as to convince her that he loved her and only her.”
So, Ghai had to order the star, “No intensity, Shahrukh, and no love; not for Ganga. Friendship and affection, yes, but not love.’
Ghai’s idea was to keep the audience guessing as to how the hero and heroine would end up together. The climax is also a departure from the usual romance sagas – Arjun tells Hansa that he doesn’t love her and that she should return home.
The makers took it one step further, much to Khan’s dismay. He was made to wear baggy pants and shirts with suspenders. Khan urged Gai to let him wear jeans and T-shirts, which he felt would not matter much unlike Rajeev (Apoorva Agnihatri), an Americanized offshoot of the business empire who was always well dressed. privileged and arrogant.
“There’s no being a hero, Shahrukh, nothing to film,” Guy told Khan.
Arjun’s personality also bothered Khan. He was supposed to be a reserved character, always scared of Rajiv. Khan felt that he was portrayed as a weak person, which did not help his fame and image. But Gai explained that Arjun was always indebted to Kishori Lal for taking him in, an orphan, and giving him a life and a livelihood. Arjun for Gai could not dream of defying his benefactor and his family.
Gai told Khan to get rid of Raj DDLJ and hug Arjun Pardes.
Pardes witnessed 80 percent theater occupancy for 40 consecutive weeks, according to the memoir. Although not all critics were impressed, Pardes celebrated a golden anniversary.
