Shah Rukh Khan calls himself 'a mere actor'

Mumbai: I am but a mere actor, said Shah Rukh Khan, bowled over by the enduring love of fans who waited for hours to catch a glimpse of the superstar as he turned 58 on Thursday.

In what has become an annual affair, hundreds of fans from different corners of the country gathered outside Mannat, Shah Rukh’s Bandra home, to celebrate his birthday, according to videos on social media. And Shah Rukh didn’t disappoint them. The actor, dressed in a black T-shirt and cargo pants, appeared on the elevated ramp constructed at his residence. He greeted the fans with folded hands, flying kisses and struck his signature arms in a wide open pose.

Shah Rukh, who made a spectacular comeback to movies with blockbusters ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’, later posted a heartfelt message for his fans on ‘X’.

“It’s unbelievable that so many of you come and wish me late at night. I am but a mere actor. Nothing makes me happier than the fact that I can entertain you a bit. I live in a dream of your love. Thank you for allowing me to entertain you all. See you in the morning on the screen and off it,” he wrote.

‘Pathaan’, which was released in January, turned out to be a bona fide blockbuster, raking in more than Rs 1,000 crore at the worldwide box office. The film marked his first leading role in four years. In September, the actor delivered another hit with the Atlee-directed ‘Jawan’. The film did stupendous business at the ticket window and also amassed over Rs 1,000 crore in global collections.

To celebrate Shah Rukh’s 58th birthday, ‘Netflix’ announced that an extended cut of ‘Jawan’ is now streaming on the platform. Shah Rukh said he is absolutely thrilled with the streaming debut of ‘Jawan’.

“Jawan’s journey from script to screen has been nothing short of phenomenal and I can’t wait for fans around the world to watch ‘Jawan’ with their families. Here’s to our labour of love leaving its mark across the globe and to more exciting adventures in the world of cinema,” the superstar said.

The actor’s fans are now waiting for his third release of 2023, Rajkumar Hirani’s directorial ‘Dunki’. The film’s makers also released a teaser of the film on Thursday. Also featuring Taapsee Pannu, ‘Dunki’ is directed by Hirani from a script he co-wrote with Abhijaat Joshi and Kanika Dhillon. The movie is currently set for release on December 22.