Shah Rukh Khan, acknowledged for his charisma and humility, often goes out of his way to make people feel comfortable, be it at events or at his Mumbai abode, Mannat, the actor never fails to do so.
However, as per actor Zeeshan Ayyub, he feels that SRK’s real humility is reflected in how he treats people usually overlooked on film sets, rather than in grand, well-known gestures.
Having shared screen space with Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Raees’ and ‘Zero’, Zeeshan Ayyub says what stayed with him the most was the superstar’s respectful and warm behaviour towards doormen.
Amidst chatting with a channel, Zeeshan Ayyub shared that he personally judges a person’s character by how they treat working-class people. He added that Shah Rukh Khan has always lived up to that standard.
Adding that many actors will come and drop you at the gate, but for him, the real test is how someone treats people who do physical labour for less money. That’s how he judges a human being. Shah Rukh never misses greeting these people.
Zeeshan further reminisced on several instances from their time working together that highlighted Shah Rukh Khan’s thoughtfulness. One particular moment, he said, left a lasting impact on him.
“If he walks out of a door and the doorman opens it for him, even if Shah Rukh is in the middle of a serious conversation, he will stop, turn around, give the doorman his full attention and say thank you. “isn,’t this a sign of greatness?
Zeeshan also spoke about how Shah Rukh Khan handled situations when shoots went beyond the scheduled hours. Instead of taking junior artists’ availability for granted, Shah Rukh would personally speak to them and seek their consent.
“If he wants to extend a shoot by half an hour, he will go to the microphone and apologise to the juniors. He will ask them politely, ‘Please, can you extend the shoot by half an hour?’”
According to Zeeshan, this sense of responsibility and kindness has nothing to do with stardom and everything to do with values learned early in life. He explained that Shah Rukh sees any delay as his own responsibility and therefore feels it is his duty to personally speak to people affected by it. Zeeshan added that only someone with genuine compassion can think and act that way.
He also credited Shah Rukh Khan’s parents for shaping this mindset, saying such behaviour comes from upbringing rather than any attempt at image-building.
Respect beyond stardom
For Zeeshan Ayyub, Shah Rukh Khan’s humility is neither selective nor performative. It comes naturally and is shown to everyone around him, irrespective of their role or status.
In an industry often marked by hierarchy, Zeeshan believes these quiet, thoughtful acts of respect truly define Shah Rukh Khan’s greatness.
News Edit KV Raman
