Shah Rukh Khan Opens Up About Handling Failures: ‘I Cry a Lot in My Bathroom’

Dubai: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, known for his immense popularity and relatable persona, has recently opened up about how he handles failures and the emotional challenges that come with being in the public eye. Despite being one of the wealthiest and most influential actors in the world, Shah Rukh Khan remains deeply introspective and self-critical, often expressing vulnerability in ways that set him apart from many of his contemporaries in the entertainment industry.

Shah Rukh Khan’s Honest Take on Failures

Speaking candidly at the Global Freight Summit in Dubai, the actor, known for his blockbuster films and iconic roles, shared how he copes with setbacks in his career. Acknowledging that failures do affect him, Shah Rukh revealed that he allows himself to process the emotions before moving on. “I hate feeling this and then I cry a lot in my bathroom. I do not show it to anyone. You can wallow and self-pity for that much time. And then you have to believe that the world is not against you,” he said.

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Despite his stardom, Shah Rukh’s approach to failure is refreshingly honest. He emphasized that instead of blaming external forces, he takes responsibility for his shortcomings, whether it’s in a film or the business strategy behind it. “Your film did not go wrong because of you or because the world is conspiring to destroy your work. You have to believe that you made it badly. Then you have to move on,” he explained.

Learning from Failures

In an industry where blaming external factors like audience reception or market dynamics is common, Shah Rukh Khan stands out for his introspective approach. He believes that failure often stems from an inability to connect with the audience, and not necessarily from outside forces. “When you fail, you should not believe that your product or service or job went wrong. Maybe you just misunderstood the ecosystem you were working in. You have to understand how people are reacting. If I cannot elicit an emotion from the people I cater to, then my product is not going to work, however wonderful it may be,” he said.

Shah Rukh’s reflections on failure resonate with many, as he stresses the importance of recalibrating and understanding one’s audience. “Life moves on. Life does what it does. You cannot start blaming life for what it does. You have to remember it must be something that I or the business did wrong; or the business, marketing or strategy went wrong. I need to figure it out, recalibrate and come back,” he added.

Advice to His Younger Self

When asked about what advice he would give his younger self, the 59-year-old actor said he wouldn’t offer any advice at all. Reflecting on his own journey, he explained that the decisions he made in his youth, though sometimes brash or overconfident, were key to shaping who he has become today. “I have a son who’s 27, a daughter who’s 23, and another son who’s 11. When I speak with them, I realize that the many decisions I took then, when I was 25-26, I would not take them now if I saw them through the lens of my experience,” Shah Rukh shared.

He further added, “If I didn’t take them then, I would not have reached where I have. So, I don’t want to give my younger self any advice… I want him to be brash, overconfident, bordering on arrogant and being extremely stupid and silly, but being extremely gutsy also.”

Shah Rukh Khan’s Enduring Popularity

Shah Rukh Khan’s openness about his vulnerabilities and failures is one of the key reasons behind his lasting popularity. Often described as a “man written by a woman,” he continues to break stereotypes by embracing a more sensitive and emotionally open side of masculinity, which resonates deeply with his fans worldwide.

In an industry where success is often measured by box-office numbers, Shah Rukh Khan’s authenticity, relatability, and willingness to embrace his emotional side are what truly make him a beloved figure both on and off the screen.