By now, you must have watched the peppy dancing track Zinda Banda from Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan, and that too more than once. Dancing his heart out, SRK is seen shaking a leg with his girl gang, which also stars the young and talented Lehar Khan.
A terrific dancer, Lehar had her first experience with the camera on a popular dance reality show. After making her Bollywood debut in Neela Madhab Panda’s critically- acclaimed film Jalpari, there was no looking back for the Delhi-born. Today, just at the age of 24, she is dancing with all swag alongside Shah Rukh in the newly-released energetic song Zinda Banda from Jawan.
In fact, Lehar had to constantly remind herself that she was working with SRK on the sets of Jawan. Calling it ‘crazy’ to just watch the Bollywood superstar perform, she said, “SRK is incredibly humble and genuinely caring. During my first scene with him, my hands were full of props. He took the props from me and even fixed my uneven collar before the camera rolled. After I thanked him, he gently said, ‘Don't worry, just focus on your shot’. It was a beautiful and unforgettable moment that not only made me feel comfortable as a person but also as an actor.”
Lehar, who has earlier worked in films like Parched and the humongous Brahmastra, observed King Khan thoroughly on the sets of Jawan. Lehar is in awe of the actor and his innate hunger to make every scene perfect. Hence, SRK rehearses till he aces it. “He's a true master of rehearsals, valuing each scene. Watching him work is simply awe-inspiring. Moreover, he has this incredible ability to make everyone feel special and loved. And oh, he smells the best. Shah Rukh gives the warmest and most heartfelt hugs,” added Lehar.
In fact, the 24-year-old has been a fan of Shah Rukh ever since she can remember. “My mom is his biggest fan. For some reason, since the time I was born, I only watched him on screen and no one else. My parents used to get shocked to see that I stopped crying whenever he was on the screen. Truth be told, for a long time, I didn’t watch anyone but Shah Rukh Khan. I remember emulating the iconic slide on my knees from the film Main Hoon Na. Every day, I used to slide from the balcony to my room through the lobby and danced to the infectious beats of Gori Gori. I even attempted all the daring stunts from ‘Badshah’ on my parents. I have grown up watching him. So, I was beyond excited to learn that I am doing a film with him,” she said.
Like Jawan, Brahmastra was one film she will forever cherish. It gave her the lifetime opportunity to work with legends like Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. In the fantasy adventure film, Lehar played Raveena, a recruit of Brahmansh who wields the Gajastra (power of 100 elephants). In fact, it was on the set of Brahmastra that she learned King Khan was playing the role of a scientist. But in the Ayan Mukerji film, Lehar didn’t have any scenes with SRK which left her pretty disheartened. However, she soon learned that in the next film, ‘Jawan’, she would be sharing the screen space with him, because after all “Agar tum kisi ko puri shiddat se chahoto puri kayanat tumhe us se milane ki koshish me lag jati hai…”
Though she can’t reveal much about her character in Jawan, she said she is one of the pivotal members of the girl gang and in the preview she can be seen with a sniper wearing a hoodie. However, she narrated how she bagged the film.
“I had a direct meeting with Atlee at the Red Chillies Entertainment office. It was a brief encounter. The next day, casting director Mukesh Chhabra's team reached out for an audition, and I gave it my all. Then, Mukesh sir called me up to tell me I had bagged the film. When I shared the incredible news with my mother, we both couldn't contain our excitement, jumping with joy,” she said.
And, how was it working with director Atlee Kumar in Jawan? To this, Lehar said that he is all heart and she always wanted to work with him. According to her, the director takes utmost care of his cast and crew. “He makes sure that everyone working with him is taken care of. “Working with him was an absolute blast, and it turned out to be a remarkable learning experience for me. I’ll forever be grateful for his unwavering belief and trust in me, especially in a grand production featuring a stellar cast of talented actors,” said Lehar.
The film is all set to release on September 7.