'I just want to make people happy'

'I am working harder than I worked in the last 29 years because now I experience extreme happiness when people love my film.'

As Jawan continues its glorious box office run worldwide, Shah Rukh Khan addressed the media and his fans at a star-studded event.

He shared a conversation he had with his elder son Aryan and daughter Suhana when he was going through a rough patch after the failure of his 2018 film, Zero.

"My elder son told me, 'We knew when we were growing up what stardom feels like because your films were big hits.' The daughter said, 'I know it (too)... but this little one (AbRam Khan) knows you are a star, but has never seen and felt your stardom in the air'."

"'So the next five films, please work very hard, and make him feel it in the air. He will respect you, love you'."

Rediff.com Contributor Mohnish Singh listens in.

Atlee says Jawan is his love letter to you.

I just need that slim chance at love.

I am completely overboard and would like to sit here with Deepika Padukone feeling the most awkward.

I will tell you why because she feels that she had done this small role just for the sake of our friendship, but between Atlee and me, we fooled her and shot a full-length film with her.

She has not even realised.

I think when she saw the film, she was like 'Oh, I am one of the main characters. I didn't even know.'

To sit down and praise each other for me would be really awkward because the amount of love that Atlee sir, all the boys and girls who came before and spoke, the technicians, have put into this film is immense.

I have always been a fan of cinema from the South. Even when I don't understand the language at times, I have tried to watch it.

Now fortunately, you can hear it in dubbed and read the subtitles.

But to come here and create this cinema, for the whole of the country, for me, it is actually more than happiness. For me, it is one of the greatest satisfactions of having worked in the Indian film industry for 32 years.

So, thank you so much, Atlee sir. Thank you, Vijay sir. Thank you to Nayanthara who is not here.

'After the press conference, I can propose to you and we can marry now, sir!' Shah Rukh tells Vijay Sethupathi. Watch the bromance in this video.

Your on-screen romance has graduated over the years. Now, you are expressing your love through fight scenes.

When Atlee sir was discussing, we were very lucky to have got Vijay sir agreeing to do the film.

We met him at a place and he was just so much love and goodness and he said, 'Yeah, I would love to do the film.'

We had gone out for Nayanthara's wedding and I met him there and we were thinking -- and this was right from day one -- we need Deepika Padukone in this role.

I said, 'I don't know, she will be busy. And I love her too much, I will never call her for something which doesn't become of essence for her because, you know, we started together. She started with me.'

So Deepika was doing Besharam Rang and I will not lie. I looked at Pooja (Dadlani, his manager) and said, 'Yeh maa ka role karegi kya?.'

Pooja said, 'Shah Rukh, she loves you too much. She will do it. Let me ask her.'

Pooja must have gone for two seconds to her and then Deepika came and said, 'Yeah, whenever you say, just tell Atlee sir I will come and do it.'

It was very large-hearted of her.

We are too close to each other; we love each other like family.

Your chemistry with Nayanthara on screen looks so fresh. Is there is anybody you cannot romance on screen?

When people who create characters -- the writers, the directors, some of the chief assistants -- I think all of them have a lot of respect for women.

It stems obviously from Atlee sir.

So when people who respect women write love scenes, I think they just flower themselves. I really have to do very little. I know everyone says that Shah Rukh Khan is great at romance. If you respect a woman, then the love blossoms more, you feel happier.

So I think that happened with Nayanthara.

I am sure Deepika Padukone will agree, all the girls here will agree, but it is such a beautiful thing that Nayanthara's character says, 'I have a nine-year-old daughter. I was in love with a man and who said, 'Please, do an abortion only then I will marry you' and she said, 'No. I decided to keep my baby.'

I think that empowerment, that feeling of women being so strong, is a great strength itself.

I think that's what makes it a love story.

What is your favourite scene in the film?

I'll tell you my favourite scene of Vijay Sethupathi in the film.

First, let me just tell you, I tried it and I failed, but he has done the whole film simultaneously in Tamil and Hindi.

I remember the first scene was with Deepika and it was stunning to see someone to have to learn the language, then and there, in a span of one to two hours. He had bought so much life to the scene.

In two-three places in the film, he is magical.

I have learnt a lot working with Vijay sir.

I always tell him that while working with you next film, I will become a way better actor than I am right now.

I love the time when he is getting beaten up and he says, 'Koi roko inko warna ye gaana shuru kar denge.'

He brings such magic in scenes where it does not exist then I tried to do it -- you can ask Atlee also -- I failed.

Shah Rukh acts out the scene he loves Vijay Sethupati in, and says, 'couldn't do it myself.' Then, on Vijay's request, Shah Rukh says his famous dialogue from Om Shanti Om in this video.

Are you at your best when you have lot of girls around you?

When Atlee came to me, he narrated some other story also. Some mass film he narrated to me, saying, 'You will go there, you will fight, then you will fly.'

Then one day on Zoom, he said, 'I have a story with six girls who are your partners. Two more girls who are your lovers, girlfriends. And one girl who is going to be your mother -- she may be your daughter's age but she will play your mother.'

So I have got these girls with me. How can you say no to this?

Just imagine, this is like Amitabh Bachchan's great song with those beautiful girls, Shava Shava.

I showed a lot of enthusiasm.

Sunil Grover is there, Vijay Sethupathi is there, I was, 'My God!

But secretly inside, I was like, Shava Shava!

You are making history in 2023 with Pathaan, and now Jawan.

Honestly, I have been very fortunate. I am so glad that Deepika Padukone is also here, my team is here.

I had not worked for a long time. I was nervous.

For me, to get back on set after a period of three years itself was very new.

I was feeling very different and my whole thing was... my elder son (Aryan Khan) told me, 'We knew when we were growing up what stardom feels like because your films were big hits.'

The daughter (Suhana Khan) said, 'I know it (too)... but this little one, (AbRam Khan) knows you are a star but has never seen and felt your stardom in the air. So the next five films, please work very hard, and make him feel it in the air. He will respect you, love you.'

I am not trying to show off, but God has been very kind.

We have had Pathaan. God has been even kinder with Jawan.

I always say that we started on January 26, Republic Day, it's an auspicious day. We have released this film (Jawan) on the occasion of Janmashtami, the day Lord Krishna was born.

Now New Year is around the corner, it's Christmas time and I will bring Dunki. I maintain all the national integration. Moreover, whenever my films release, it's Eid.

So I am working harder than I worked in the last 29 years because now I experience extreme happiness when people love my film.

I become a gentler and selfless actor than I was.

Initially, I was a bit selfish and wanted to do my role but now, I just want to make people happy.

I think God has been too kind to me, my family and I am just very, very grateful for whatever is happening.

What if Om Shanti Om's Om and Shantipriya met Jawan's Vikram Rathore and Aishwarya? Shah Rukh acts it out in this video.