Son Aryan thought billiards was hockey: Shah Rukh on 10 years of Chak De! India

Chak De! India wasn’t just a film but a celebration of the Indian women’s hockey team's historic gold win at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England.

Produced by Yash Chopra, the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer film completed ten years yesterday (10 August, 2007). The film was not just a marquee moment in Indian cinema but it also gave fillip to sports based films, particularly on women athletes.

The sport of cricket always attracted more eyeballs, Chak De! India , however, helped the hockey regain some popularity.

Commenting on the 10th anniversary of the film, Khan revealed that his own son Aryan wasn’t aware of the sport.

Recalling the incident in a video posted on Twitter, Khan said, “The funny incident then was before the film, I was keen on teaching my son (Aryan) hockey. I’d told him that it is played with white ball and a stick. One fine day, my son told me that he’s learned hockey. I asked him where? He took me to a billiards table, which is also played with a white ball and stick. He perceived that to be hockey. While billiards is a great sport, it struck me that my own son wasn’t aware of the hockey.” Aryan was 10 years old then.

The actor is proud that he was a part of a story that needed to be told, "I’m happy to be part of a film that tells what our national sport is. So, Chak De! India achieved a lot of things for me. I’m thankful to Shimit Amin (director) Jaideep Sahni (writer), Aditya Chopra and the wonderful girls who played team India in the film.”

Khan could not believe 10 years have passed and feels the title track is still relevant, “Chak De! India has completed ten years, but it still feels like it was made and released yesterday. I have no clue as to how these ten years have passed by. When we celebrate our nation, especially in the field of sports, then we get to hear the Chak De! India title track (sung by Sukhwinder Singh), I’m not saying because it is a part of my own film, I can’t be saying it is a sporting anthem, but it  always gave you that feeling”.

Watch the video below.