A boy from Delhi with no film background who went on to become the ‘Badshah of Bollywood’. But Khan wasn’t there to indulge in nostalgia or play the victim.
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When Shah Rukh Khan speaks, the world listens — not just because he’s a superstar, but because he knows how to wrap truth in charm. At the grand WAVES 2025 summit, which brought together global entertainment giants and creators under one roof, Shah Rukh Khan lit up the stage with his candid conversation alongside filmmaker and longtime friend Karan Johar.
The session, titled “The Journey: From Outsider to Ruler,” wasn’t just a clever name — it was a nod to SRK’s own story.
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A boy from Delhi with no filmi background who went on to become the ‘Badshah of Bollywood’. But Khan wasn’t there to indulge in nostalgia or play the victim of the so-called “outsider” struggle.
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“I find the whole insider-outsider talk quite unnecessary,” he said casually, yet firmly. “It’s not about where you come from, but how you hold your ground once you arrive.”
With his signature mix of honesty and flair, SRK downplayed the dramatic buzzwords often tossed around when people talk about making it big. “‘Hunger,’ ‘ambition,’ ‘hard work’—these are beautiful words, but they get overused. Everyone struggles, not just those from outside the industry,” he remarked, cutting through the noise.
Karan Johar, who has seen both sides of this debate, nodded in agreement, occasionally throwing in a quip or two.
The actor, fresh off the massive success of ‘Jawan’, also got a little emotional when speaking about Deepika Padukone, his co-star and close friend. “I know I may be crossing a line, but I truly believe the most beautiful role Deepika will ever play is that of a mother to her daughter, Dua. She’s going to be amazing,” he said, with unmistakable warmth.
WAVES 2025 itself was no less than a spectacle — inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by megastars like Rajinikanth, Aamir Khan, Hema Malini, and Ranbir Kapoor.
With participants from over 90 countries and a massive lineup of sessions, masterclasses, and business showcases, the summit aims to reshape the future of media and entertainment on a global scale.
For the first time, India also played host to the Global Media Dialogue (GMD), with ministers from 25 countries engaging in policy talks and collaboration strategies. And let’s not forget the ‘WAVES Bazaar’ — a digital marketplace connecting thousands of buyers, sellers, and creators from across the globe.
But amid all the deals and dialogues, it was Shah Rukh’s words that lingered: “This world, this industry — it became mine the moment I believed it was.”
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