Jaya Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan memorably worked together in the hit film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, but later had a public spat of words when he called his 2014 release Happy New Year one of the “silliest” films he had ever seen.
Speaking at the Mumbai Literature Festival, in a session titled ‘the failure of literature to inform current cinema’, Jaya Bachchan said she watched Happy New Year only because her son Abhishek Bachchan was in it. “I told him he’s a great actor if he can goof off on camera like that. I can’t be a part of what is done in films these days and hence I don’t do films anymore. I couldn’t do it. But he did it so freely. I was impressed. Of course, I went and told the producer and the lead actor of the film that I have never seen a film more stupid than this,” he added.
He also applauded Shah Rukh for being smart. “He was so fast… amazing man. He said, “Jaya aunty, no more stupid than Amar Akbar Antony.” I said it could be fun. Amar Akbar Anthony is a film I love to watch…if you want to laugh, you don’t take back home what you watched in the theatre.”
It was later reported that Amitabh BachchanAbhishek and Aishwarya Rai he had tried to apologize to Shah Rukh for Jaya’s comment, but he was in no mood to forgive them. Shah Rukh had dismissed such reports and tweeted: “Haven’t read a funnier, fabricated piece of journalism lately.” Further denying the negative reports, Shah Rukh joined the Bachchan family on stage at the opening ceremony of Calcutta Film Festival in the same year.
“@abpnewstv: @iamsrk @SrBachchan @juniorbachchan http://t.co/7EFcNJpZhc” I haven’t read a more lousy, made-up piece of journalism in a while.
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) November 8, 2014
Abhishek has often spoken about his mother’s “honest” reactions to his work. In an interview with Good Times earlier this year, she said: “He’s very honest. But with me, because I’m her son and she runs the whole maa ki mamta vibe, if she doesn’t like my work, she doesn’t say anything. So he said a few words which I think is a very good sign.”
Directed by Farah Khan, he also starred in Happy New Year Deepika Padukone, Boman Irani, Sonu Sood and Vivaan Shah. The film was a big box office success, but a critical failure. Shah Rukh will next be seen in Pathaan, while Jaya Bachchan will be seen in Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani.
“Falls down a lot. Unapologetic alcohol guru. Travel specialist. Amateur beer trailblazer. Award-winning tv advocate. Hipster-friendly twitter aficionado”