Megastar Amitabh Bachchan praised Shah Rukh Khan’s determination and “never-say-die” attitude, while actor Rajkummar Rao recalled how the superstar’s journey inspired him during his own early days as a struggling actor in Mumbai.
The conversation took place during an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 18, where Rajkummar spoke about his admiration for Shah Rukh, who, like him, hails from Delhi.
Rajkummar recalled that he had decided at a young age to pursue acting and said a poster of Amitabh Bachchan had always been displayed in his mother’s room.
“Sir, jaise ki woh khud Delhi se hain aur maine bhi kaafi kam umar mein soch liya tha ki mujhe acting karni hain. Aur ek aur baat Sir, mere mummy ke kamre mein humesha aapki ek poster hoti thi kyuki aap heen sabse number one rahe hain aur aap se hum sab inspire hue hain,” Rajkummar said.
He then described how Shah Rukh’s journey from a middle-class family in Delhi, through theatre and television, to becoming a major Hindi film star had motivated him.
“Shah Rukh Sir ke journey se kaafi inspire hua main, ki kaise ek ladka Delhi se nikla, ek middle class family se, phir theatre kiya aur TV mein itne saare shows kiye aur fir bahut bada superstar ban gaya,” he said.
Rajkummar also opened up about his own first days in Mumbai. He said he had initially travelled to the city for a television show but was not selected. Despite the setback, he continued pursuing his acting ambitions.
“Toh jab main pehli baar Mumbai aaya tha, ek show ke liye aaya tha par wahan selection nahi hua, lekin main hamesha aapke bungalow ke saamne aur Mannat ke saamne khada rehta tha,” he recalled.
Responding to Rajkummar’s recollection, Bachchan shared his own experience of working with Shah Rukh and praised the actor’s approach to challenges.
“Sir, main batata hoon maine unke saath kaam kiya hai aur woh aise insaan hain ki woh kisi bhi baat par haar nahi maante, koi bhi samasya ho woh sirf bolte hain aur saamne wale ka confidence kitna badhaate hain,” Bachchan said.
The exchange highlighted the journeys of three generations of Hindi cinema actors, with Rajkummar recalling the influence of Shah Rukh’s rise and Bachchan describing the latter’s ability to remain determined while motivating people around him.