In a recent interview, Vishal Punjabi, known as The Wedding Filmer, shared his remarkable experiences working with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Vishal revealed how Shah Rukh’s simplicity and kindness left a lasting impact on him, along with the intriguing story of why Shah Rukh’s Bollywood website was shut down.
The Beginning: A Creative Collaboration
On Shivani Pau’s podcast, Vishal Punjabi recounted his first encounter with Shah Rukh Khan in the 1990s. Hired to create Shah Rukh’s personal website, Vishal later joined the actor’s production company, Red Chillies Entertainment, as a creative director. “I worked on a website that exploded; it won many design awards. Shah Rukh was looking for a web designer around 1999, during the dot com boom. He wanted to start a Bollywood portal where fans could stream music and watch his films,” Vishal explained.
The Unexpected Shutdown
Despite the initial success, the company faced a major setback. Vishal shared, “Three months after I started, the company shut down because the guy funding it got arrested, and the dot com bubble burst. I was about to return, but Shah Rukh liked my work and decided to move me to Red Chillies.”
Shah Rukh Khan’s Lifeline: Reversing a Deportation
Vishal faced another challenge when he was deported from India for not renewing his visa. With a Ghanaian passport, he was banned from returning for four years. However, Shah Rukh used his connections to reverse the deportation. Vishal recalled, “Shah Rukh was working on the movie Ra.One and invited me to work on it. But I wasn’t keen on the project, so I decided to start my own company instead.”
The Wedding Filmer: A New Journey
After parting ways with Red Chillies, Vishal Punjabi founded The Wedding Filmer, creating beautiful wedding videos for celebrity couples like Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli, and Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh. His journey, marked by the support of Shah Rukh Khan, showcases the superstar’s genuine kindness and lasting impact on those around him.
Shah Rukh Khan’s ability to remain humble and helpful, even in the face of challenges, makes him one of the most beloved celebrities in the world.
