Shah Rukh Khan never touched her without permission. SRK's DU Hansraj College junior and co-star shares candid moments

Economic Times

5 days ago

Synopsis
Sheeba Chaddha, Shah Rukh Khan's junior from Delhi University, shares her experiences working with the superstar. She recalls a small role in Dil Se and playing SRK's mother in Raees and Zero. Sheeba remembers SRK's gentlemanly behavior on the sets of Zero. She mentions SRK's acknowledgement of her work in Raees.
Shah Rukh Khan's Zero co-star opens up about working with him. (Agencies/Instagram) Sheeba Chaddha has played a wide range of characters in her career, but not many know that she shares a unique connection with Shah Rukh Khan — she's his junior from Delhi University's Hans Raj College and has twice portrayed his mother on screen. In a candid conversation with Siddharth Kannan, the 52-year-old actress opened up about her experiences working with the superstar, from a blink-and-miss appearance in Dil Se to heartwarming moments on the sets of Raees and Zero. She recalled that in both Zero and Raees, she played Shah Rukh's mother, but only realised later that she never reminded him of their college connection. During the shoot of Raees, she wasn't even in a scene with him, yet SRK mentioned her in an interview, asking viewers to watch out for her performance. In the same interview, Sheeba recalled how the Jawan actor's manners stood out on set. During a scene in Zero where he was being beaten up and she had to step in to save him, SRK politely checked with her beforehand if it was okay to make physical contact for the shot. She found it thoughtful and endearing. For her, that small gesture made the entire experience feel warmer and more personal.
Her association with SRK actually began years earlier, during the filming of Dil Se. Although her role was small, the experience stood out because she got to shoot in Dalhousie and watch Shah Rukh in action. On one snowy day, with Manisha Koirala absent due to other work, director Mani Ratnam personally asked Sheeba to wear Manisha's costume and walk as her body double for an important scene.
Sheeba Chaddha grew up in Delhi, where theatre quickly became her passion. She started out attending workshops, eventually studying English literature at Hans Raj College, where filmmaker Anurag Kashyap was her classmate. Over the years, she's become one of Bollywood's most dependable character actors, with memorable roles in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Parzania, Delhi 6, Luck by Chance, and Talaash. She's equally at home on TV, with shows like Kasturi, Na Aana Is Des Laado, and Hitler Didi, and she's shone on stage in productions like C for Clown, The Blue Mug, and Hedda Gabler. Her work isn't just limited to screen and stage — she's also part of The Company Theatre in Mumbai and has embraced the digital space with TVF's Permanent Roommates. From indie films to mainstream hits, Sheeba has built a career on versatility, making every role, no matter how small, worth remembering.