Shah Rukh Khan's iconic 'open arms' pose has hilarious origin
What's the story
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is known for his signature "open arms" pose, which has become synonymous with his on-screen persona since the 1990s. Recently, at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, Khan revealed the amusing backstory behind this iconic pose. The actor was at the festival to receive the prestigious Pardo Alla Carriera Award when he shared this anecdote in response to a fan's query.
Dance difficulty
His struggle with a dance step led to the pose
The superstar explained that the origin of his iconic pose was linked to his struggle with a specific dance step. This step was choreographed by the legendary Saroj Khan for a song in which the actor was supposed to perform. "I couldn't do that and I felt very ashamed. All night I (practiced) the dance step," he confessed at the film festival.
Choreographer's advice
Khan's suggestion became SRK's trademark
The following day, a determined SRK approached Khan, ready to execute the dance step. However, she said, "Yeah, so you can't do that (step) so just stand there and put your arms out.' I said, 'But Ma'am, I can do it (showing her he can now do the foot step).' She said, 'No, no, we don't need it, it doesn't look nice on you." "She didn't do the dip so I just put my arms out," SRK narrated.
Repeated use
The pose became a recurring solution for dance challenges
SRK continued to use this pose as a substitute whenever he found certain dance steps challenging. "Again I went to another set and again it was a little difficult, I turned to the choreographer and said, 'Can we cut it? Can I just put my arms out?' And it kept getting arms out and I think because I was putting my arms out so much, I had to do it more intensely," he elaborated.