I didn’t understand Dear Zindagi: Shah Rukh Khan

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan may be working with new age directors who tackle sensitive subjects like mental health in Dear Zindagi, but he says that he often fails to understand the beauty of such projects.

The 51-year-old actor – who was lauded for his performance with Alia Bhatt – says he is happy to be associated with such issues, even though he doesn’t completely understand them. “I may not be able to convince you with my love story at my age and stage, but I come from a different world. I work with new directors but I don’t understand the beauty of it,” Shah Rukh said, in a recent interview.

“To be honest, I understand the essence, I understand the empowerment of women, I understand the issues about young girls,” continued the actor. “But I didn’t understand Dear Zindagi. But they (the makers) knew it…I was out of touch with that part. For me, also to participate in films like this even if I don’t understand it… At least I am part of it.”

Shah Rukh – who is currently riding high on the success of Raees – feels that nowadays, people are just about the rightness in everything including cinema and turning everything into a big debate.

According to him, people should debate less and converse more. “I keep telling people that it’s a time to have conversations. Let’s not take a side… Don’t just be ‘I think, what do you think?’ For a moment, can we all have a conversation without thinking?” he said. “If I was to look back at Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge or Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in today’s time, then you guys might just be picking out the rightness in everything. People might say ‘He is just a sneaky guy. He just lied to the family. Will you marry a liar like Raj’.”

Shah Rukh also emphasised that all the debates are a sign of changing times. “I think the next step, once we have debated everything, is going to be to accept what is. I think the reason for debate mainly is because there are debatable issues. We curbed ourselves for a very long time and now, it’s time to come out in open.”

Shah Rukh – who is known as the Badshah of Bollywood – will next be seen in Imtiaz Ali’s The Ring, with Anushka Sharma.