The much-awaited episode of Netflix’s My Next Next Guest With David Letterman with Shah Rukh Khan is finally out and it’s one hour of SRK at his best. Shah Rukh Khan opens his heart out. He talks about being a dad, learning to cook for his children, handling criticism, cheating in a test and even reminisces about his school gang. However, each tale is laced with humour, so rest assured that you will not feel bored.
Here are the 10 best moments on the show.
SRK On Being a Star
Shah Rukh had no qualms in accepting he loves being a star. SRK nodded vehemently.
Shah Rukh on Playing Hanuman’s Army Member
Shah Rukh explained how he used to play one of Hanuman’s army members in the local Ram Leela. “When Hanuman said ‘Bolo Siya pati Ram Chandra ki jai’...” Shah Rukh said, and before he could complete the sentence the crowd, which was filled with Asians erupted in ‘Jai’.
David Letterman said, “That’s what I would say!”
On Being OK If He Hadn’t Become as Successful
Shah Rukh on if he would have been ok if he had not become the big star that he is.
“Half way through my career I realised I am not half as talented as I thought I was. And then I realised that if I can't do it with the skill and talent then I better get into the hearts of people and if they are loving me, let me just be nice and good about it. So 3.5 billion people have to love me because if it was just for talent or skill, no, they wouldn't have loved me,” he said.
SRK Too Cheated In His Exam!
When SRK narrated how he cheated in his test as a kid so his mom would take him to watch a movie to the theatre for the first time. David had a cheeky question to ask, “This startling revelation. Wonder what does that to the 3.5 billion. May be its starting to drop.” SRK had took a dig at Americans. “As the Americans do I’ll apologise publicly and you can forgive me,” he said.
Shah Rukh Khan as a Dad
“I hate it when they have girlfriend and boyfriend problems. I hate explaining it to her (daughter Suhana). I want to tell her he's no good, kick him out. But I have to, and also choose presents for him sometimes,” SRK said, when asked about spending time with his kids. He also added that he is learning to cook since his kids call their friends over whenever they are at home. “They stay up late and need food at around two or three in the morning, and I am always ready since I go to sleep at 5am,” Shah Rukh laughed.
The One Thing He Holds Against His Parents
Shah Rukh revealed that there is one thing that he holds against his parents. When asked whether he is a different person at home, the actor said, “Yes, absolutely. Maybe it sounds wrong to say it, but the only thing I hold against my parents is that they did not spend enough time with me. So the one thing that I decided was I am going to make sure that I live very long and make sure that my kids don’t feel that do not have a parent.”
Shah Rukh On Being Given up for Adoption
Did you know Shah Rukh was given up for adoption? Well, speaking about life in Delhi he said, “I was born in Delhi, but my mother gave me up for adoption to my grandmother.” A shocked Letterman asked, “What is that?” To which SRK replied, “It wasn’t any legal or religious process. It was just the goodness of her heart because her mother did not have any boys. My grandmother said she has four daughters and her husband is too old, so if she can borrow me. That’s what I was told” David Letterman and the audience burst into laughter.
Shah Rukh then said he lived in Bangalore for five years. “My mother started missing me and she couldn’t have another baby, so she got me back.”
His Views on Criticism
Does Shah Rukh get affected by criticism? As always, he had the most witty take on it. When David asked if his parents actually saw his career explode, SRK said, “No, that could be the reason my mother passed away, actually. A day before she died, I took in one of the series I finished in Mumbai to the hospital. I asked the doctor to set up a television set and a VCR and I played the episode. She died the next day. So, no amount of criticism makes me feel bad anymore,” he chuckled.
Shah Rukh’s C-Gang
You have to watch the show to learn about Shah Rukh’s C-Gang. “We had seen Grease, and T-Birds and leather jackets, like John Travolta. My friends and I decided to get jackets and form a gang in school. We just pretended we were those guys, and we would dance and sing and we thought girls would fall for us. But nobody took us seriously. However, we made it exclusive. We made a laminated badge, would dress the same, walk on our toes, go to parties and speak in a lingo we kind of made ourselves,” SRK said.
What did the C represent? “It was our class section!” he laughed.
Gauri on SRK’s Connect With People
At the dinner table with King Khan and Gauri, David Letterman brings up the crowd that gathered in front of Mannat on Eid. “Explain to me what I witnessed today,” he said. “This is on Eid. For Muslims, Eid is like Christmas. My little one, AbRam, comes and wakes me and his line is always ‘Peoples are waiting’,” Shah Rukh Khan explained.
Gauri also had something special to say. “He connects with people and they love him. So when he waves to them, probably they can see a deep connect with him.” To which SRK added, “I wouldn’t have had this life if I didn’t have people loving me like this day in and day out.”
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