'It doesn't matter where you come from if you are determined': Shah Rukh Khan

"This world or whichever world you want doesn't give a damn about you, you are very insignificant. You've to find a space for yourself in the sphere by pushing and working hard, finding out how this world works and giving your best to it," said Shah Rukh Khan, in one of his most motivating talks at the Word Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) event being held at Mumbai.

 

The actor was engaged in an interaction with Karan Johar alongside Deepika Padukone at the event which saw the attendance of some of the biggest names from the entertainment, media, technology and business industries.

 

SRK was reflecting on his immense success, beginning as an outsider from Delhi starting out in Bollywood, finding his way, and eventually becoming one of the biggest superstars in the Indian film industry. However, despite coming from a non-filmy background, SRK said he was welcomed with open arms.

 

"When I came here I never thought I couldn't be part of this world because I'm an outsider. I believed this is my world," said Shah Rukh during the conversation, opining that one needs to be determined and give it their all to their profession and not get discouraged thinking that only the privileged make it big. "I felt like this world is mine, and this is my place because I believed this is the world I want to belong to."

 

The outsider-insider distinction is one he doesn't believe in. "It shouldn't matter where you come from if you are determined to make a place for yourself. What matters is how you hold your ground in the world you aspire to enter, be it business, politics, or acting," he added, emphasising the need to work hard in case one isn't "very talented" while using himself as an example. 

 

For the superstar, being on a film set is akin to being in a  "meditative state." Looking back at his younger self, SRK believes he used to be "brash, overconfident, reckless, and a lot more stupid." But he sees these qualities in a positive way because he believes he wouldn't have reached where he is now without them. "Thank you, young Shah Rukh Khan, for being so cool," he said.

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