Renowned music duo Salim Merchant and Sulaiman Merchant, known for their iconic compositions, recently revealed the song Maula Mere from Shah Rukh Khan’s film Chak De! India was approved just a week before the movie’s release. Originally created for a film by Nagesh Kukunoor, the song was rejected by him, citing its melancholic tone.
During an interaction, Salim Merchant emphasised the significance of the emotional scene where Shah Rukh Khan gazes at the tricolour. Despite a powerful background score for that moment, Yash Chopra insisted on having a song in that sequence. Merchant recalled, “The release was only a week away, and on that very day, we saw the movie and returned to the studio.” The duo had initially composed the song for the movie Dor, but it was rejected by Nagesh Kukunoor, who desired a more uplifting track for a specific sequence featuring Gul Panag and Ayesha Takia.
Merchant mentioned that on that particular day, they reached their studio in the evening and, by early morning, the song was ready. Aditya Chopra tried to convince his father, and the duo successfully crafted a timeless song that perfectly fit the scene. Chak De! India, directed by Shimit Amin, featured Shah Rukh Khan as the coach of the women’s national hockey team, addressing the challenges faced by women’s hockey in India and standing as one of the finest sports dramas in Hindi cinema.
Moving into 2023, Shah Rukh Khan made a stellar return with the action-thriller Pathaan, directed by Siddharth Anand. Co-starring Deepika Padukone, John Abraham, Dimple Kapadia, and Ashutosh Rana, the film received critical acclaim and achieved box-office success. Continuing his successful streak, Khan starred in the hit film Jawan, setting new records.
Furthering his cinematic journey, Shah Rukh Khan led Dunki, a heartwarming drama directed by Rajkumar Hirani, alongside Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, and Boman Irani.
Looking ahead, Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming project is a collaboration with Sujoy Ghosh titled King, where he shares the screen with his daughter, Suhana Khan. Additionally, Khan has a project in development titled Tiger Vs Pathaan in collaboration with Salman Khan.
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