Shah Rukh Khan reflects on his journey to Bollywood stardom; says, “I need to work hard to maintain the larger-than-life image”

Shah Rukh Khan shared insights into his journey during his session at the Global Freight Summit in Dubai. Reflecting on his rise to fame in the 90s, he discussed how his successes during that time helped him establish himself as the “King of Bollywood.” He also touched upon his failures and how they shaped his career.Shah Rukh Khan shared, “My success came in the 90s when there was a lot of opening up of our country, India. We were going all around the world and talking about India and the kind of cinema I did.” He even went on to sing a few lines from the iconic song ‘Tujhe Dekha To,’ highlighting the impact of his films during that era.”Shah Rukh Khan reflected, “So everyone liked it (Dilwale Dulhania le Jaayenge). Some of the audience got married watching this film. It was moments of happiness, love and Switzerland. It was a sign of times. I think you need to recognize that for your part.” He emphasized how his iconic film, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, resonated deeply with audiences and became a cultural milestone during that era.Shah Rukh Khan humbly shared, “I just work for that myth. I am not that myth. I am not larger-than-life. I need to work hard to maintain the larger-than-life image. I think that is one thing I have thought of building. I am very clear that I work for the myth that Shah Rukh Khan is. I am an employee of this myth I am not the owner of this myth,” his words reflect his grounded approach to fame, acknowledging the effort required to uphold the persona of a global superstar.Shah Rukh Khan reflected humorously on his younger self during the session and said, “To be honest, I would not advise my younger self. I have a son who is 27, a daughter who is 23 and a half, and another son who is 11. So when I speak with them I realize that many decisions I took then, when I was 25-26, I would not take them now if I saw it through the lens of my experience. And maybe if I didn’t take it then, I would not have reached where I have reached. I think there would be no advice give.”He added, “I would still want to be- sorry this is politically incorrect- brash, overconfident, arrogant and being extremely silly and stupid, but being extremely gutsy also. So I think I would not be able to give any advice to my younger self. Maybe better hairstyle? Better fitting suits. In the 90s, my suits used to suck.”Shah Rukh Khan shared a candid perspective on failure and said, “When you fail, you should not believe that your product or service or job went wrong. Maybe you just misunderstood the ecosystem you were working in. You have to understand how people are reacting. If I cannot elicit an emotion from the people I cater to, then my product is not going to work how wonderful it may be.”On being critical of his own work, Khan admitted, “I hate feeling this and then I cry a lot in my bathroom. I do not show it to anyone. You have to believe that the world is not against you. Your film did not go wrong because of you or because the world is conspiring against you. You have to believe that you made it badly. Then you have to move on.”Also Read : Baazigar 2 in the works? Ratan Jain confirms being in talks with Shah Rukh Khan about sequel: “It will definitely be made”