Renowned Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan is widely acknowledged as one of the most self-aware figures in the film industry, spanning generations. He possesses a keen understanding of his strengths and limitations, with deliberate reasons behind his choices, even if some audiences perceive them as commercial, extravagant, or melodramatic.
During a previous press tour for the film Jab Harry Met Sejal, Khan elaborated on his desire to take on more age-appropriate roles in the future. He acknowledged the evolution of his career, stating, “I am at an age and stage where I can’t be playing a teenage lover like I was doing 25 years ago, even when I wasn’t a teenager. When I joined the film industry, I was 26. I said I will never do a love story. Cut to Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. I was sitting on a bench in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai with a ‘COOL’ chain, telling a girl ‘squeeze me, squeeze me’ instead of ‘excuse me’… it was so stupid. I was 32; my first baby was going to be born. So, I have done it all,” he shared, drawing laughter from his co-star Anushka Sharma.
Shah Rukh Khan is set to make a comeback to the silver screen after a hiatus of over four years with Yash Raj Films’ Pathaan. Additionally, he has projects like Rajkumar Hirani’s Dunki and Atlee’s action-packed film Jawan in the pipeline.
His last appearance was in the 2018 Aanand L Rai movie Zero, co-starring Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. Unfortunately, the film faced criticism from reviewers and failed to strike a chord with the audience.