25 years of Deewana: 5 early signs of Shah Rukh Khan's star potential

Shah Rukh Khan faced film cameras for the first time for Hema Malini’s directorial debut Dil Aashna Hai (1992). But it was Raj Kanwar’s Deewana (1992) that was released first and became his debut film.

Also starring Divya Bharti, Rishi Kapoor and Amrish Puri, the film completes 25 years today (26 June). In other words, Shah Rukh Khan completes 25 years in cinema on Eid day today.

Shah Rukh Khan shows up in Deewana only after the interval. Yet he made a strong impact, showing his star power in his very first film in at least five different ways. 

Style: It has been 25 years since the film was released, but its bike sequence in ‘Koi Na Koi Chahiye’ continues to be memorable. This was all because of Shah Rukh Khan’s classy style, that too so early in his career. He appears like a pro as he handles those moves on the two-wheeler. But that’s not all. It was also in this debut flick of his that he first threw his arms wide, an act that was to become synonymous with his performances in later years. It was during the song, ‘Aisi Deewangi’.

Acting talent: There have been many good-looking stars in Hindi cinema but not all of them were as good at expressing various emotions. Shah Rukh Khan was one of those whose acting ability was just as good as his looks. Take, for example, the scene in which he inscribes the name of his love interest on his arm with a knife in Deewana. He appears all charged up. He later performed the same act with a lot more menace in Yash Chopra’s Darr (1993).

Confidence: First film can give jitters to any actor, especially when one is required to perform with established stars. But Shah Rukh Khan appeared at ease even in his first film. In fact, he looked comfortable even while performing with stars like Rishi Kapoor and Amrish Puri. A scene in which Divya Bharti's character scolds and hits him while he just looks on deserves special mention.

Charm: Having tremendous acting potential isn’t enough to rule in Indian cinema, unfortunately. For a mainstream hero, it is also necessary to have oodles of charm that attracts audiences. Shah Rukh Khan arrives only after the interval in Deewana. Despite that, his special charm wins you over. A scene in which SRK, as Khan is popularly known now, loudly expresses his craze for Divya Bharti’s character (hence, the title) deserves special mention for his musical laughter, which just made the act even more charming. 

Dance: No mainstream Hindi cinema hero is complete without the ability to dance. It is a must since song-and-dance sequences have become an important part of commercial films in this part of the world. Shah Rukh Khan, in his first film, showed that he had good dancing ability too. What else can one say when an actor can display dance moves even while riding a bike? He also appeared flexible while matching steps with Divya Bharti in the song ‘Aisi Deewangi’.