Shah Rukh Khan acts to give joy to the audience who ‘adore’ and ‘love’ him: “I wear stardom like a t-shirt, not a tuxedo”

Shah Rukh Khan recently attended the prestigious Locarno Film Festival 2024 in Switzerland, where he engaged in a thought-provoking discussion with the festival’s artistic director about the nature of stardom. Known for his charisma both on and off the screen, Shah Rukh offered a rare glimpse into his philosophy regarding fame and the role it plays in his life. During the conversation, he candidly admitted that he had never fully understood the concept of fame. Despite being one of the most recognized and beloved figures in global cinema, SRK views his stardom with a sense of detachment, focusing instead on the genuine connection he shares with his fans.

“I’ve always never understood the stardom part of it,” SRK confessed. “So, I come and I try and give joy. I fall. I somersault. I run. I fight. I sing. I romance. I become a bad guy. And then I try to give joy in whichever way I can. I’m like a monkey! I want to do anything that will give you joy.” In his typical self-deprecating style, Shah Rukh likened himself to a performer willing to do whatever it takes to bring happiness to his audience.

Shah Rukh’s relationship with his audience is one of mutual respect and affection. He recognizes that his fans take time out of their busy lives to watch his films, seeking joy and escapism, and he takes that responsibility seriously. “And then when people get joy, they like me back. And that liking becomes to adulation and adore me and love me. And say, ‘okay, this is nice. He gives us joy.’ We have a life. All of them [fans] have a life. I have this life where I’m doing a job also. And they take time out from their jobs, from their life, sit down for two hours, get happiness and respond back to it by saying we love you,” he elaborated.

For Shah Rukh Khan, stardom is not the essence of his identity but rather a “circumstantial, consequential byproduct” of the joy he brings to others through his work. He emphasized that this byproduct—stardom—exists separately from the authentic love and respect he receives from his fans. “It has nothing to do with me and them,” he stated, illustrating his belief that stardom is a construct that exists independently of his true connection with his audience.

Despite the fame and recognition that come with being a global superstar, Shah Rukh Khan explained that while he respects the stardom that has brought him recognition, wealth, and happiness for his family, he does not allow it to define him. “It has nothing to do with what I do and what they do. So I’ve never thought of stardom as anything important. Yes, I respect it a lot. It has given me a lot of recognition, love, monies. My family feels happy because of it. But beyond that, stardom is not something that I carry as the first thing when I walk into a room,” he shared.

Shah Rukh Khan likened his stardom to a casual garment rather than a symbol of prestige or power. “For me, I’ve always said this. It’s an old thing I always felt. To me, I wear stardom like a T-shirt, not like a tuxedo. It’s not important,” he said.

On the work front, Shah Rukh Khan will next star in Sujoy Ghosh’s thriller King. Suhana Khan and Abhishek Bachchan are also a part of it. ALSO READ: Shah Rukh Khan says, “Cinematically, technically South cinema is fantastic”: recalls his desire to do South film after Dil Se, calls Jawan “True fusions of Hindi and South”