Actor Reveals His ‘Life’s Dream’ Is to Die on Set

Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan, often hailed as the “King of Bollywood,” recently shared a meaningful aspiration. The 58-year-old star, whose career spans over three decades, expressed his fervent desire to continue performing until his final breath.

At the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, where Khan was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, he discussed his enduring passion for acting. When asked about the longevity of his career, Khan responded, per Hindustan Times: “Will I act forever? Yeah, till the day I die, I my life’s dream is for somebody to say action and then I die. They say cut, and then I don’t get up. ‘It’s over now, please?’ I say, ‘No, till you all say it’s okay, you all say it’s okay for me. Yes, I’d love to act forever.’”

This revelation offers a glimpse into Khan’s dedication, which led him from his humble beginnings on television to his current status as one of India’s most celebrated actors. Despite his immense success, Khan maintains a seemingly unpretentious approach to his craft.

“I’m not a very serious actor,” he admitted, explaining that his primary goal is to “celebrate the joys of life” through his performances. He elaborated: “For me, if I’m able to entertain, to me to be able to create in whatever sense, not in a mad, amazing, mad scientist way. I create, just create, to share joy, to give love. Art, painting, singing, music – all of them mean the same thing to me. There is no difference.”

He added, “If I can entertain you for two minutes, it’s love. If I can love someone for 50 years, that’s entertainment. If I can entertain someone for 30 seconds, it’s creative. So I find all different names for the same thing, and I really enjoy sharing this joy, making people have a feeling for an hour or so and enjoy themselves. And sometimes you miss them out. That’s the only thing that makes me sad. Why did I let down people? Why couldn’t I give them enough love or entertainment or creativity, or whatever the name you can.”

Khan’s journey in the entertainment industry began in 1989 with the television show Fauji. Since then, he has become a household name, delivering numerous blockbusters and entertaining audiences with his charismatic screen presence. Even now, his appeal remains undiminished, evidenced by his recent string of box office successes.

The actor’s commitment to his art is not merely professional but deeply personal. In a moving confession, Khan shared that he strives to create grand cinematic spectacles in honor of his late parents. “I always felt I’ll make films that are very big, so that my mom and dad can see them from heaven,” he disclosed during the Locarno Film Festival via Times Now. He added, “I still think my mom’s a star, and it works. I think I even know the star she is. So I just felt that if I made [2002 Bollywood film] Devdas, she would really like it. She would appreciate it”.

This sentiment illustrates the emotional depth that Khan brings to his roles, even in larger-than-life productions. He cited his performance in the epic Devdas as an example of this approach, aiming to create a character that was neither entirely sympathetic nor wholly unlikable. “I didn’t want you to feel love for him, but I didn’t want you to hate him. Nor did I want you to like him for being an alcoholic who runs away from every girl that he falls in love with. I just wanted him to appear indescribable,” Khan explained.

Despite his illustrious career and numerous accolades, Khan remains focused on the future. His upcoming project, King, directed by Sujoy Ghosh, will see him portray an assassin alongside his daughter Suhana Khan. This role marks a new direction for the versatile actor, who expressed enthusiasm about exploring different aspects of antagonistic characters.