When Shah Rukh Khan Was Just Another Theatre Kid On A Train To Calcutta; See PICS

Long before he became the ‘King of Bollywood’, Shah Rukh Khan was a passionate young theatre actor with big dreams and a fierce love for the stage. One rare glimpse from those early days has recently resurfaced, capturing a candid moment of SRK during a train journey from Delhi to Calcutta, where he was headed to perform in the play Rough Crossing.

In the image, a young Shah Rukh is seen in high spirits, surrounded by fellow theatre enthusiasts—Deepika, Divya, Benny, Rituraj, Sanjoy, Deepak, Mohit—and the person who took the picture.

Sharing the pictures on social media, Amar Talwar, who took the pictures, wrote “A train ride from Delhi to Calcutta for a play, Rough Crossing. Shah Rukh, full of energy and charm even then, was just one of us—a bunch of dreamers chasing the stage.”

The picture not only evokes nostalgia but also offers a glimpse into SRK’s humble beginnings, before the glitz and glamour of Mumbai ever found him.

Shah Rukh Khan’s journey as a performer began not in front of a film camera, but on stage. Raised in Delhi, he attended St. Columba’s School and later Hansraj College, where he studied economics.

But his heart belonged to acting—and it was at Delhi’s prestigious Theatre Action Group (TAG), under the mentorship of Barry John, that SRK truly found his calling.

In the 1980s, SRK was actively involved in plays such as Rough Crossing, The Bear, and The Father, often travelling between cities with his troupe. These experiences instilled in him a strong discipline, deep understanding of performance, and an instinctive connect with audiences.

He also trained at Delhi’s National School of Drama (NSD) as a participant in various workshops, which further shaped his approach to acting.

On the work front, Shah Rukh Khan will next be seen in 'King.' The film also stars his daughter Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji and Deepika Padukone. (All Image: @amarthetalwar/Threads)