Shah Rukh Khan adopted the Hindu name Abinabh to meet Gauri’s parents before marriage, changing her name to Ayesha during their ‘Nikah’.

Shah Rukh Khan And Gauri Khan One of the most loved couples of Bollywood. However, the couple’s interfaith relationship faced resistance in the initial days, with Gauri’s family initially reluctant to accept the match. To ease their worries, the superstar even introduced himself with a different name.According to Mushtaq Sheikh’s book ‘Shahrukh Can’, the actor temporarily adopted the name “Jitendra Kumar Tulli” before marrying Gauri. The first name was inspired by veteran actor Jeetendra, whom Shah Rukh’s grandmother thought he resembled, while “Tulli” was borrowed from the late actor Rajendra Kumar, Rajendra Kumar Tulli’s full name.The book also reveals that the couple made similar adjustments during their wedding ceremony. While Shah Rukh used a Hindu name, Gauri adopted the Muslim name “Ayesha” for their marriage. Recalling the decision, Shah Rukh said, we did not tell many people.Gauri also reflected on that phase of their relationship when she appeared on ‘First Ladies’ with designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla. Looking back, she admits that the couple’s efforts to reassure her family now seem immature.“We were very young and then decided to get married and a man who was going to join films and was of a different religion. We changed his name to Abhinav so they would think he was a Hindu boy but it was really silly and very childish.”Over the years, Shah Rukh and Gauri have often spoken about respecting each other’s faith and ensuring that their children—Aaryan, Suhana and AbRam—grow up appreciating both religions rather than being confined to one identity.Speaking to Outlook Turning Point in 2013, Shah Rukh explained how he answers questions about religion at home. “It would also completely confuse my two children. Sometimes, they ask me what religion they are and like a good Hindi movie hero, I roll my eyes to the sky and philosophically declare, ‘You are an Indian first and your religion is humanity’, or sing an old Hindi film ditty of theirs, ‘Tu Hindu Banega Na Musalman’, on the bansading set. Gangnam style.“Sharing how festivals are celebrated in their home, Gauri said, “When it’s Diwali, I conduct the puja and the family follows and on Eid, Shah Rukh leads, and we follow. I think it’s all very beautiful and the kids accept. In fact, my children are more inclined towards what Shah Rukh says. For them, Diwali, Eid, everything is joyful.”