Shah Rukh Khan opened up about feeling left out for not bagging a National Film Award in the first 33 years of his career at a recent fan event organised on his 60th birthday.
Shah Rukh bagged his maiden National Film Award for Jawan earlier this year. He shared it with 12th Fail actor Vikrant Massey.
“10-15 saal pehle bura bhi lagta tha ki mujhe nahi mila. Kyunki mujhe to aisa lagta hai ki main har baar achhi acting karta hu. ( I used to feel bad that I did not get it 10-15 years ago because I always feel that I do good acting every time),” Shah Rukh said.
“I work very hard, but sometimes I have felt bad when my efforts weren’t recognised. Honestly, creative work needs validation, because there’s no other way to measure it. In theatre, when we acted, people applauding gave us that validation,” he added.
Shah Rukh said that about ten years ago, he decided to find satisfaction in his fans’ love rather than in awards. “I decided that whether I get an award or not, meeting the people who love me is the most satisfying.”
“I know that’s not always possible. In the past, I used to meet fans everywhere — malls, streets, trucks, planes, shows. Now I’ve slowed down, and I focus mainly on my films. But for me, this moment with my fans validates everything I do. All awards aside, this moment means a lot, he added.
Shah Rukh, however, admitted that receiving the National Award for the first time marked a significant milestone in his career. “I am extremely grateful to those who made this choice. My friend Ashutosh Gowariker was on the committee. Ironically, even he feels that I deserved it for his film (Swades),” he said.
PVR INOX is currently celebrating the actor’s 60th birthday with a nationwide film festival. The two-week event, which started on October 31, is screening seven of Shah Rukh’s most celebrated films across more than 75 cinemas in over 30 cities.
The lineup includes a mix of the superstar’s films from different genres: the action-comedy Chennai Express, romantic epic Devdas, political drama Dil Se, and recent blockbuster Jawan. Rounding out the selection are Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na, Main Hoon Na, and Om Shanti Om.
Shah Rukh’s home banner Red Chillies Entertainment dropped the title teaser of Siddharth Anand’s highly anticipated film King to mark his 60th birthday.
The teaser hints at Shah Rukh’s character — widely feared as King — being a former gangster and being imprisoned. Scenes of his past, where he mercilessly kills people — good or bad — feature in the video.
King is being shot across multiple locations in India and Europe.
The actioner is expected to arrive in theatres in 2026.
