3 minutes of readingBombayJanuary 31, 2026 03:09 pm IST
As the Hindi film industry moved into the 21st century, a single name dominated popular culture: Hrithik Roshan. Making a sensational debut with Rakesh Roshan’s Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, the actor became an overnight phenomenon. He was everywhere: making headlines, talked about endlessly, and adored for his looks and dancing skills. Amid the frenzy surrounding his meteoric rise, reports began to circulate about an alleged tension between Hrithik and the already reigning superstar, Shah Rukh Khanwho was said to have felt threatened by the newcomer’s sudden rise. Revisiting that phase years later, restaurateur AD Singh recalled what was happening behind the scenes and how he personally witnessed a moment that contradicted much of the speculation. Speaking to Outlook Traveller, Singh described a first-hand encounter between the two stars at their restaurant, Olive Bar and Kitchen.
Talking about Hrithik’s explosive arrival on the scene and the media narrative at the time, Singh recounted: “Hrithik had burst onto the scene, he was very big with that first film, and the media was really making a big deal about the antagonism and the fight between him and Shah Rukh. Shah Rukh, the resident king, and the new king, you know, all that. They were saying that they were going to come to blows and everything that was going on. And one night, Shah Rukh was eating when the door opened and Hrithik walked in. Everyone was aware of this alleged rivalry.”
Singh then went on to describe what actually unfolded was far removed from the dramatic confrontations many expected. “Hrithik started to come in and Shah Rukh stood up. The whole restaurant held its breath because we didn’t know what was going to happen. Most people were expecting some kind of fight, or maybe Shah Rukh would say, ‘Hrithik, get out’ or something. But what happened was much better. Shah Rukh walked over and the two hugged. Shah Rukh said very kind words to him about how successful he had been, and Hrithik reciprocated.”
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According to Singh, seeing the two actors greet each other warmly and express mutual admiration left a lasting impression on everyone present. Reflecting on the moment, he added: “We all took a breath and realized that a lot of it was media hype, and the reality was very different. It was a very nice moment.”
While the rivalry may have been exaggerated, it was not entirely unfounded. Even filmmaker Karan Johar acknowledged in an episode of Koffee with Karan that “there used to be an awkwardness between Shah Rukh and Hrithik” during those early years. Shah Rukh Khan himself Later, comparisons addressed in Anupama Chopra’s book King of Bollywood, saying“It was very wrong. You can’t take away ten years of work. You can’t suddenly tell me one morning, ‘Hey, you’re displaced. You’re too old, you’re not good enough.’ I couldn’t leave the house without someone asking me what I thought of Hrithik Roshan. It became cheeky.”