When Shah Rukh Khan was told he’d never be a star; recalled being called ‘arrogant’: ‘I didn’t suck up to anybody’

Sharing insights into his early days, Shah Rukh Khan explained that he deliberately chose unconventional and anti-hero roles at the start of his career. His aim was to continuously experiment and surprise audiences with his performances. However, his bold choices didn’t sit well with everyone in the industry.

He shared, “When I came here people told me my hair and overall look is wrong, my attitude is wrong. They said I am arrogant and that I am not a nice guy. The told me I am the kind of person who won’t make it in Hindi films. I did a lot of anti-hero roles when I started and they told me it is completely wrong.” Shah Rukh played negative roles in films like Darr, Baazigar and Anjaam.

Despite these obstacles, Shah Rukh Khan maintained his individuality and refused to conform to the typical ‘Bollywood star’ image. He admitted that he lacked many of the traditional traits associated with stardom but believed his uniqueness worked in his favour. “I wasn’t surrounded by commercial aura. I wasn’t 6 feet tall, I didn’t dress correctly, I didn’t have style of a film star and I didn’t suck up to anybody which is the way of film stars sometimes. I had nothing to lose actually and that was the problem. They thought this guy has nothing to lose so he can never be a star.”

On the professional front, Shah Rukh Khan continues to dominate the box office. Last year, he delivered two of Hindi cinema’s biggest blockbusters, Jawan and Pathaan. Up next, the superstar will be seen in Sujoy Ghosh’s King, an exciting project that marks his first on-screen collaboration with his daughter, Suhana Khan.