Call me King, not King of Romance: Shah Rukh Khan

He rose to superstardom with romantic hits like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Dil To Pagal Hai and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai but Shah Rukh Khan says he hates being called just the 'King of Romance'.

Starting his Bollywood journey with 1992 film Deewana, Shah Rukh went on to play anti-hero successfully in films like Darr, Baazigar and Anjaam.

But, it was 1995 film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, that cemented his image as an romantic hero. SRK, who recently turned 47, believes there is more to him as an actor.

"I can proclaim that girls love me in romantic roles. With all due respect, I would rather be called a 'King' than the 'King of Romance'. I am an actor. I have done 75 films and have spent 21 years in the industry and would like to believe that I have done it differently," Shah Rukh told PTI.

"I had hated to be (called) just the 'King of Romance'. I enjoyed doing Don. I was completely in love with how I approached my role in My Name Is Khan. I would like to be remembered as an actor who is trying hard in a commercial set-up," he said.

SRK has won acclaim for his roles in films like Swades, Chak De India and My Name Is Khan and the actor believes that he is not confined to a romantic image.

"I don't think I have any image of being a romantic actor. When you say that I have done romance earlier, I have to make sure that I have to do every role differently, which becomes a little tough. I don't think I have done any romantic characters that are similar," he said.

"The emotional side of all the characters I have portrayed so far has been very different. The clothes or my styling might be the same, but these things do not make a character. These are just crutches."

Shah Rukh, who collaborated with Yash Chopra successfully with films like Darr (1993), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Veer Zaara (2004) and others, teamed up with the director for Jab Tak Hai Jaan, which turned out to be Mr Chopra's last directorial venture as he passed away last month.

"When it comes to Jab Tak Hai Jaan...I have always loved working with Yashji (Yash Chopra). Our track record has always been good as people have appreciated what we have done together. I feel a little poignant about this film because Yashji is no more, but I don't think the film should be a big hit because he is not here. I wish he was here," Shah Rukh said.

"Every film that I do is very special for me. I don't do films just for the sake of it or for fun. I do them because I enjoy that part of my life. I am sometimes criticised of working with my friends, but I work with people whom I enjoy working with," he said.

In Jab Tak Hai Jaan, SRK will be seen playing the role of an army officer Samar. One can recollect that Shah Rukh started his career as an actor playing an army man in Tele series Fauji.

"All kids aspire to become something when they are young and I genuinely wanted to be an army officer. I was very young when I was doing Fauji. I always like to have fun while doing a film, which I did during Jab Tak Hai Jaan," he said.

"When I donned the uniform in Ladakh for the first time, the real army men told me that I looked really good in the uniform and it felt good. You feel very proud to play a role that represents the most important section of the country," he added.

Releasing on November 13, Jab Tak Hai Jaan will see Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma romancing Shah Rukh.