Shah Rukh Khan Calls Himself A 'Semi-Orphan' While Comparing His Life To Mufasa’s Story

Shah Rukh Khan, who lent his voice to Mufasa in the Hindi adaptation of Disney’s ‘The Lion King’, drew comparisons between his personal journey and that of the iconic character.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who lent his voice to Mufasa in the Hindi adaptation of Disney’s ‘The Lion King’, drew comparisons between his personal journey and that of the iconic character. In a promotional video for the film, SRK spoke candidly about how his life resonates with Mufasa's story of resilience, sacrifice, and leadership. 

'I'm a semi-orphan', says Shah Rukh Khan 

Reflecting on his own life, Shah Rukh Khan shared that, like Mufasa, he too came from an outsider’s perspective and rose to prominence through perseverance. He noted, “If I was to not be humble and say, ‘Meri kahaani bhi aisi hain’ (My story is also like this), then it could fit in. Technically speaking, anyone who doesn't have parents is an orphan. I did lose my parents nearly in youth, so I'm a semi-orphan. It’s the story of an outsider. No family of mine has been in the business of filmmaking. I came to Mumbai from Delhi, so I am an outsider too. It’s the story of the King. So, yeah, I’m a king (laughs).” 

A tale of sacrifice and leadership 

SRK elaborated on how Mufasa’s character embodies values like loyalty, friendship, and sacrifice—qualities that resonated deeply with him while dubbing for the role. He said, “When you see the story of how he became Mufasa, the King, it’s very interesting. There were lots of portions while I was dubbing the film when I realised what a great character [Mufasa] it is.” 

Shah Rukh Khan on losing his parents

In another recent appearance at the Global Freight Summit in Dubai, the Jawan actor opened up about losing both his parents at a young age. He recounted, “My parents died when I was young. My father, when I was 14. My mother, when I was 24. So, I lost them in a gap of 10 years. I had nowhere to go. I had a sister with me. Just the two of us left in this world.” 

Despite the immense loss, SRK shared that he often feels their presence in his life. “I felt one morning that maybe my parents are there somewhere, and I will meet up with them again for sure. They are stars in the sky, and I will meet them once,” he added.