Key Points

Speaking to IANS, Ali reflected on the legacies of the three Khans of Bollywood—Salman, Shah Rukh, and Aamir—discussing their evolving portrayals and the deep personal impact each has had on her life. Talking about Aamir, she shared, “Aamir is a perfectionist. He reminds me of Chintu uncle—so natural, it feels like he’s having a conversation with you rather than acting. I’ve only done one photoshoot with him, but even then, I could sense his intellectual, professorial vibe. I’ll never forget my little crush on him in Dil. He deserves far more accolades than he gets. His brilliance is underrated, and he’s an incredibly kind person.”

Calling SRK her ‘favorite actor,’ Somy mentioned, “I’ve never seen anyone ooze kindness, elegance, and beauty the way Gauri does—and it makes complete sense, because that’s who Shah Rukh is too.”

“SRK is a villain, a hero, a son with a vengeance, a sociopath in Darr, someone who does cameos and leads with equal power. No one does romance like Shah Rukh. The sky is the limit with him. And what blows my mind is how audiences accepted him in all those roles—because he’s just that good. If I could start all over again, I would literally die to be his shadow—just to learn how to act from him and be a better human being.”

Expressing her admiration for Salman, the actress stated, “Salman plays ‘angry’ extremely well, and it comes from his real-life intensity. He was also the quintessential lover boy in films like Tere Naam. In Maine Pyar Kiya, he was so good—I flew 8,849 miles to marry him! (laughs). But what truly stands out about Salman is how much he’s improved with every film. His work ethic is unmatched. He could wrap a shoot at 3 a.m., head home, and still hit the gym. Outside of Akshay Kumar, I haven’t seen that level of physical discipline.”

She added, “In his early years, his good looks helped him through roles where he wasn’t as polished as an actor. But the last film I saw of his was Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and his heartbreak in that made me cry. That tells you how far he’s come as a performer. I’d say he’s the most improved actor of the three.”

Somy also stated, “I still recall watching Maine Pyar Kiya, Baazigar, and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Time really flies when you're cherishing your love of Hindi cinema.”

She concluded by expressing her admiration for Shah Rukh Khan, saying that no one else can match his craft. Somy Ali added that even at 60, his dedication, professionalism, and talent are bound to reach even greater heights.

- IANS