Small Role, Big Impact: Shah Rukh Khan in Luck by Chance

I vividly remember watching Luck by Chance at Regal cinema back in 2009. The film was like nothing I had ever seen before. The opening scene and credits felt different. Before I knew what was happening, Aamir Khan was onscreen. I was surprised; there was no mention of Aamir Khan in the trailer or the poster. Over the next 3 hours, I witnessed a masterpiece which was full of memorable cameos – Aamir Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Vivek Oberoi, Abhishek Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Dia Mirza, Karan Johar, Manish Malhotra, Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi and a few more. Most of the cameos took place in the first half when the film is in its fun stage. As we moved to the climax, I thought we were done with the cameos. Little did I know that Zoya Akhtar had saved the best for the last – Shah Rukh Khan.

What makes a cameo impactful is not just the actor or the dialogue, but how it impacts the story. Which is why the meeting between SRK and Vikram (Farhan Akhtar) is screenwriting at its best. Where does he meet him? At a trendy upscale lounge where Vikram could perhaps not get a table a few months ago in his struggler phase. When does he meet him? When Vikram has just delivered his first superhit film and is on his way to stardom. Who does he meet him with? A couple of his struggler friends.

The cameo lasts barely two minutes. But it’s enough for SRK to leave an everlasting impact on the viewer’s mind. Without much drama, he gives three lifechanging lessons to Vikram: One, that an actor’s real job is to choose the right kind of roles. Two, that stardom is an intoxicating cocktail of fame, power and money and three, that one should never forget those who knew you when you were nobody.

Lessons for a lifetime, and yet they don’t feel preachy. Khan delivers a fantastic performance, which perhaps came very naturally to him. It is a routine for him, talking to a starstruck newcomer at a trendy bar on a Friday night, while it is a dream come true for the newcomer. Khan's cameo changed the mood in the theatre. I still remember the madness in his eyes when Vikram says “I can’t even imagine what it must be like you!”

“It’s insane,” he says.