Shah Rukh Khan Shares How His Mother And Yash Chopra Shaped His Cinema Journey

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan expressed his gratitude to the late filmmaker Yash Chopra for his presence at the 77th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. He received the prestigious Pardo alla Carriera award-Locarno Tourism award during the event.

A day after receiving this honour, Shah Rukh participated in a Q&A session with Giona A Nazzaro, the artistic director of the festival. He shared that his late mother introduced him to cinema by taking him to watch a film for the first time.

"In school, Hindi was not my strongest point. My mom said, 'I'll take you to a movie hall to watch a film if you get 10 on 10 in Hindi dictation'. I think I copied one answer from a friend, but I did get 10 on 10, and then my mother took me to watch a film in a theatre for the first time," he said. Coincidentally, the film was Chopra's 1973 thriller "Joshila", added the actor.

Shah Rukh reminisced about watching "Joshila" directed by Yash Chopra, who later became a significant collaborator in his career. He credited Chopra for his success and connection to Locarno, Switzerland.

"It was called 'Joshila', which was of the director with whom I did maximum number for my films later on in my life. So life is connected. Mr. Yash Chopra, it was his film. I'm sitting here in Locarno, Switzerland because of him, because of that movie I saw." Veteran filmmaker Chopra directed Shah Rukh in "Darr", "Dil To Pagal Hai", "Veer-Zaara", and his swansong "Jab Tak Hai Jaan".

Chopra's son Aditya also filmed his directorial debut "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" starring Shah Rukh and Kajol in Switzerland. The picturesque locales of Switzerland have been featured prominently in these films.

Shah Rukh's Journey to Mumbai

After losing his parents, Shah Rukh decided to leave New Delhi and move to Mumbai. He hoped to find roles and work in television before transitioning into films.

"I came to Mumbai for a year in 1990 and I said, 'I'll work for a year, earn Rs 1 lakh, buy myself a house, and then go back and become a scientist or a mass communication journalist. And, I hadn't gone back yet," he added. The Q&A session was held at the Forum @ Spazio Cinema.

Chopra's Legacy in Switzerland

In recognition of Yash Chopra's contributions to cinema and his love for Switzerland, a bronze statue of him was installed near the Congress Centre in Interlaken in 2016 by the Swiss government.

Shah Rukh Khan's last appearance was in the 2023 film "Dunki". His journey from New Delhi to becoming one of Bollywood's biggest stars is deeply intertwined with Yash Chopra's influence and their collaborative works.

The actor’s reflections at Locarno highlight how pivotal moments and influential figures shaped his illustrious career.