MUMBAI: Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Chennai Express’ has broken the biggest records at the box-office and he credits the success to his director Rohit Shetty. While at the same time he says a director’s job is considered lonely. Read Story HERE. 

Looks like Shah Rukh Khan is happy being in front of the camera rather than calling the shots behind it. But there are quite a few men-women who have been versatile and have made the gradual shift from mastering to acting and then direction, Farhan Akhtar – ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ being the exception.

The trend started with Raj Kapoor who not only directed ‘Mera Naam Joker’ but also acted in his ambitious venture. Since then several directors have made the royal shift of calling the shots as directors.

Be it the senior and experienced guys like Kamal Haasan who directed ‘Hey Ram’, Revathy – ‘Phir Milenge’, Naseeruddin Shah – ‘Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota’, Pankaj Kapur – ‘Mausam’ and Sunny Deol –‘Dillagi’.

Or the upcoming lot, like Abhishek Kapoor (who if all remember had acted in a lesser known film with Twinkle Khanna) who has had a great second innings behind the camera directing films like ‘Rock On!!’ and ‘Kai Po Che’.

Also Aamir Khan – ‘Taare Zameen Par’, Ajay Devgn – ‘U Me Aur Hum’, Jugal Hansraj – ‘Roadside Romeo’, Nandita Das – ‘Firaaq’ have successfully proved their mettle and their creativity behind the camera, which brought the fact that, good actors really understand the craft well.

All said, with so many actor-turned directors, both men-women, having had a successful stint at direction, maybe Shah Rukh can just give direction a thought. After all he is in that phase of the year where everything he is turning into gold. The Midas touch!