At the current moment, Shah Rukh Khan is at inner peace: Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone prepares for her next collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan in Siddharth Anand’s upcoming film ‘King’. Looking back on a partnership that began with her 2007 debut ‘Om Shanti Om’, the actress described the bond they share as something that goes far beyond co-starring in hit films.

Deepika admitted that it is hard to define what truly ties them together. She said their relationship is built on respect, trust, love, security and vulnerability and added that the magic audiences feel when they appear together on screen is real for them as well.

She never forgets that a superstar of Shah Rukh’s stature trusted a complete newcomer. In her older conversation with ‘India Today’, he chose her without an audition for ‘Om Shanti Om’ and that too in a demanding double role, even though she had no prior experience or connection to the film industry. That early faith still shapes how she feels about him.

The comfort between them is such that, as she once put it, they can say everything they need with just a handshake or embrace. When asked how far Shah Rukh has come, Deepika said simply that ‘the Shah Rukh Khan I know at the current moment is at inner peace’ and added that the younger generation ‘needs to learn patience’ from his journey.

Looking back on the ‘Pathaan’ shoot in 2023, Deepika said it was difficult to stay fully present in a world full of distractions. There was a sense of responsibility because they were making a big action film with a patriotic tone, yet the atmosphere was still warm and playful. With Shah Rukh, she shared many innocent moments on set and felt they could be completely open and vulnerable with each other, a dynamic that now carries forward into ‘King’ and keeps their 18-year journey freshly meaningful today.