Shah Rukh Khan, who has three children—Aryan, Suhana, and AbRam—said that his current focus is to make his youngest son, AbRam, truly understand the scale of his fame.
During a session at the Global Freight Summit in Dubai, the superstar said, “Now my focus is that my youngest kid should also think that I am a big enough star. He has not seen too many of my films. He is 11 years old. One day my elder kid came and said, 'You know, he knows you are a big star'. I want my son to experience stardom, knowing that I am a star is not good enough. If I can capture him as an audience then I am capturing the younger generation.”
During the session, Shah Rukh opened up about the struggles he faced in the period leading up to the pandemic, when his films did not perform as expected. Despite the setbacks, Shah Rukh said that his approach to stardom has always been one of continuous growth.
While talking about the evolution of his craft, he acknowledged his self-awareness and the constant experimentation with his work. "My core competence is that I can act a bit," he said, adding that despite this skill remaining unchanged, he always strives to push his boundaries and explore new artistic techniques.
Shah Rukh Khan on his status
Shah Rukh also gave a light-hearted response to questions about his legendary status, saying that whenever someone doubts his stardom, he simply needs to walk to his house, stand on a railing, and wave to the crowds outside. “And I am very arrogant about it... Jokes apart, I am very humble and I bow to all of you for making this possible. I don't say this with humility but I say this with gratefulness. 'Thank you for making me the star I am,'” he said, striking a balance between playful confidence and genuine gratitude.
On holding the attention of the younger generation
In an era where social media and digital platforms dominate, Khan also discussed how the dynamics of attention have changed, especially among the younger generation. "You really need to focus while trying to hold the attention of youngsters… Younger people have smaller attention spans, so I measure my success by, 'Can I hold the attention of a younger audience now because there are so many other distractions?'"
On his success
Shah Rukh also shared his thoughts on success, stating that while he takes immense pride in his achievements, he never forgets that his rise to stardom is the result of collective effort.
"I fully understand that my success is not just because of me, it is a confluence of a lot of people coming together," he said. Reflecting on his humble beginnings, he expressed his belief in giving back to those who helped him along the way, whether through cinema or in his personal life. "When you become the chosen one for some reason and you have this privilege of good fortune, then it is the natural consequence that you share it with people who made it happen," he added.
Despite his massive stardom, Shah Rukh remains grounded in his belief that his role in the public’s perception is to serve the myth of Shah Rukh Khan, not to own it. "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," he said.