Shah Rukh Khan Admits Being 'Scared' Before Pathaan Release: 'It Was Not About Money...' | Exclusive

With three back-to-back superhit films in 2023, Shah Rukh Khan’s comeback not only revived Bollywood but also reminded everyone why he is the ‘Badshah’. Recently, at CNN-News18’s Indian of the Year 2023, Shah Rukh was honoured with the Indian of the Year – 2023 award. After delivering his stellar acceptance speech, which has now gone viral, SRK spoke to Zakka Jacob and talked at length about his movies. He admitted being nervous before the release of Pathaan as he also called Dunki a ‘beautiful’ film. Here are the excerpts from their conversation:

Zakka Jacob: I do want to take you back to January of 2023. Just how nervous were you before Pathan was released? Like you said in your speech. These are not my words, your words. People will say. People were writing you off. Death knell. You know, Shah Rukh doesn’t deliver hits anymore. How nervous were you before Pathan was released?

Shah Rukh Khan: I don’t know if I was nervous. But I was very scared. Nervous is an easier word. You know, when you’re nervous when you’re coming here to say a speech. You’re nervous when you’re going to a party that you’re not invited to. But you’re scared, you know, because honestly, this is all I know. I know only to act and entertain people, and I’ve done it now for many, many years, more years than I remember. I counted when I was writing a speech, it’s 33 years plus. But this is all I know how to do. So you’re scared that if this doesn’t entertain people, it’s not about the money, it’s not about the box office. If this doesn’t entertain people, what else am I going to do? So I was very scared in the interim during the COVID times. Yeah. I even learned how to make Italian food just in case Pathan didn’t work.

Zakka Jacob: And thank God for that. But do tell me, I mean, at some point when the movie released, maybe on the first day or the pre-release, you would have got that inkling, you would have got that instinct, this picture will work. When was that?

Shah Rukh Khan: So, because of COVID, the people who made Pathan, Adi and Siddharth and everyone, all of us formed a group because we used to play, we play poker at night. We don’t gamble. Just play. Without money, okay. Don’t troll me for this. It’s just love that we share. I’ve lost a lot of love in the last two years. So we play poker and we sat down and the movie had released and we all got together and we said, okay, we’ll find out. But genuinely, Zak, I’m not showing off. There came a time when this is an unexpected kind of a business of a film. Nobody had seen business like this. Even the Yash Raj film people who made the biggest of it. You know, nobody has seen how it will go like this. After about two, or three days, it became just unbelievable. And I’m like, oh, these are the numbers? No, no, no, no, no, no. This can’t be. Poker mein paanch lakh ki chal. I swear we don’t play with money, okay. This is a joke. This is a joke, everyone.

Zakka Jacob: One movie is incredible in and of itself. But to have two one crore plus and then again, Dunki, three big movies back to back in a single year. I can’t remember the last time you had three big hits in a single year. Was that planned? This is the mother of all comebacks. You planned it this way or it just so happened?

SRK: No, this is just the simple truth. Mein Baadshah, Baadshah (sings). I’ve been told not to be arrogant, mean and stupid. But yeah, this is unexpected. But like I said, I honestly believe with all humility and genuine gratitude that somewhere this is not about coming and watching a film. I think all the Indians. I genuinely deserve this award because all the Indians came out in hoods. I know people who don’t even like me as an actor. Two, three and 140 crore people. But, there are some who would tell me, ‘You know, I don’t regularly watch your films.’ But I know friends and people calling me from all over the world and said, ‘You know, we wanted to come out for Pathan. We wanted to come out for Jawan and just be supportive of what you do as an actor and as a person, as a father, as a family man, as whatever.’ So I know this is way beyond the goodness of the films. Though Jawan was lovely. I think Pathan is fantastic. Dunki is beautiful. But it is way beyond. I think my directors and producers recognize that. So it’s with big gratitude. It’s not a comeback. It is actually a reiteration of the fact that I belong and I should continue to act and not learn pasta and pizza. That can wait.

Zakka Jacob: You know, we are incredibly grateful that those movies worked and you made the comeback. But like you said, it was not about Shah Rukh being a hero. It was about the individual alone. The industry itself was going through a bit of a crisis. I mean, people were saying, ‘Oh, Hindi film industry doesn’t know how to make good movies anymore. South is making better movies. Scriptwriters are not grounded anymore.’ You changed all of that. So, it went beyond just an individual Shah Rukh Khan or one movie. This was about putting confidence back in the industry because people had stopped coming to the theatres because of COVID.

SRK: Yeah, it was really bad times. You know, they call it the post-pandemic time when theatres were running empty. Specifically, the Hindi-speaking theatres. Yes, we had some wonderful people who were sending us to Chand and Moon and also making films here in Hindi now. The guys from the South. And, yes, they do make larger-than-life films. Hindi films perhaps had started making cinema which was a little more middle of the road. But there is now a youthful audience out in the country. You know, we are one of the youngest or the youngest countries in the world. And I guess they just want things which are bigger, better, faster, superior, over the top and maybe a little noisy and happier, you know. And middle of the road, real cinema may have. Because, you know, this was years of films which were lying in the cans, had to come down post-COVID. So, I think now we are finding the groove in Hindi cinema. And I cannot take the responsibility of bringing Hindi cinema back. I can just take… I can really just thank everyone that I happened to be in those films which started the trend of Hindi cinema being watched again and we are extremely thankful. I say this on behalf of the whole Hindi film industry and the whole Indian film industry it’s really nice that people are coming back and doing this community watching. It’s not just the OTT. It’s not just the satellite stuff. Please do keep watching CNN News 18. But beyond that, do watch films in the theatre.

Zakka Jacob: Thank you for that. We are on cable as well as on social.

Shah Rukh Khan: You don’t get CNN News 18 in theatres yet. So till such time. I think it’s very humbling for all of us as workers, as actors, as producers, as directors. And I hope this trend continues.

Zakka Jacob: You talked about bigger, better, far superior South movies. Mr. Mani Ratnam is here. And the last time you two worked was what? 20 years ago? 30 years ago? Are you going to make a pitch for another movie? When is he going to direct you again? You can ask him. Use the forum of CNN News 18 Indian of the Year.

Shah Rukh Khan: Mani sir, what now? It’s all come out in the open now. I’m requesting you. I’m begging you. I’m telling you every time do a film with me. I swear this time I’ll dance on top of a plane if you tell me. What is the train?

Zakka Jacob: Can somebody pass Mani sir a mic, please?

Shah Rukh Khan: And good evening Suhasini. I told you that time tell him before sleeping. Shah Rukh, Shah Rukh, Shah Rukh.

Zakka Jacob: Mani sir, when are you going to cast Shah Rukh Khan?

Mani Ratnam: When I buy a plane.

Zakka Jacob: Oh, you buy a plane.

Shah Rukh Khan: If I buy a plane?

Mani Ratnam: I’ll do it.

Shah Rukh Khan: Mani, let me just tell you the way my films are going. This plane is not far away. I’ll bring it down to Earth. Don’t worry. I’m coming. I’m coming on it. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you for all the lovely songs. Thank you Mani sir for the film. March I’ll be there sir. Morning shift 2 pm. Thank you everyone. All of Delhi. Thank you, Zaka. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Thank you the whole team. Thank you. Thank you CNN-News 18. Thank you. God bless you.