From Pause to Powerhouse: Shah Rukh Khan Reflects on Family, Comeback and the Circle of Life
Nearly a decade ago, after the lukewarm response to his 2018 fantasy romance Zero, many believed Shah Rukh Khan’s era at the top had begun to fade. Instead of rushing into new projects, the actor stepped back, planning a brief sabbatical to reassess his choices.
That short pause gradually stretched into four years, partly due to the pandemic, and eventually set the stage for one of the biggest comebacks in Hindi cinema, marked by Pathaan, Jawan, and Dunki.
During those quiet years, the biggest change wasn’t professional but personal. Like millions across the world confined indoors during COVID-19, Shah Rukh spent uninterrupted time with his children — Aryan, Suhana, and AbRam.
He says the experience sharpened his priorities and renewed his creative energy.
“My children are my toughest judges and my greatest grounding force,” he shared in an interview.
“What you leave behind isn’t just your work — it’s the memories and values you pass on at home. I try to chase my ambitions without losing the everyday joys of being a father.”
Family and storytelling intertwined.
The themes of legacy and relationships naturally connected him to The Lion King universe.
Years before Aryan Khan debuted as a filmmaker with The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, father and son had already collaborated on the Hindi version of the 2019 adaptation — Shah Rukh voiced Mufasa while Aryan gave voice to Simba.
He recalls watching the original film decades ago and later sharing it during family movie nights as his children grew up — moments he considers deeply special.
The connection continued when his youngest son, AbRam, voiced young Mufasa in Mufasa.
Shah Rukh says witnessing his children grow creatively has been deeply fulfilling.
Recording together also gave him a fresh perspective: though he guided them through the process, their imagination and curiosity inspired him just as much.
Aryan has since stepped into the direction, while Suhana is preparing to appear alongside her father in Siddharth Anand’s action film King, scheduled for a Christmas release.
AbRam, still in school, has already experienced the studio environment early in life.
Lessons from childhood and loss
Despite voicing the wise king Mufasa, Shah Rukh admits Simba’s journey resonates with him just as strongly — perhaps because he lost his own father at 15.
He hopes to support his children while allowing them independence, much like the love and freedom he received growing up.
He also remembers arriving in Mumbai from Delhi as a young dreamer with little certainty about the future.
Standing by the sea in those early days gave him comfort and clarity — a moment that has stayed with him ever since.
Today, decades later, he lives at Mannat facing the same Arabian Sea. He says the ocean constantly reminds him how vast life is and how small one’s place can be within it — a balance between ambition and humility he carries even now.
Returning to the sea, full circle
His affection for the ocean, along with themes of family and destiny, makes him particularly excited to narrate The Lion King experience aboard the Disney Cruise Line ship Disney Adventure.
Hearing his voice accompany fireworks over open water, he says, feels both grand and deeply personal — almost like life completing a circle.
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