As Shah Rukh Khan turns 60, watch the King of Romance talk love, stardom, and why time starts when he arrives

As Shah Rukh Khan, one of Indian cinema’s most magnetic and enduring icons, turns 60 next week, we’re rewinding to one of his most revealing and deliciously candid conversations — a 2017 Gulf News interview that captured the King of Romance at his most unguarded.

The superstar turns a year wiser on November 2 and, if rumours from Mumbai’s inner circles are to be believed, he’s planning a star-studded bash at his sea-facing mansion, Mannat — with none other than pop legend Enrique Iglesias reportedly on the guest list. So yes, we’re feeling a little nostalgic.

Here’s a throwback to when Khan held court at Palazzo Versace Dubai while promoting Jab Harry Met Sejal — and what unfolded was pure SRK theatre: a heady mix of charm, self-deprecating wit, and that rare, old-school belief in love that feels almost rebellious in today’s cynical world.

“As strange and as mushy as it sounds, I believe that someone, somewhere is made for you,” he told us, his voice soft but certain. “I believe in everlasting love. Honestly, I don’t sell the idea of everlasting love in my films — I believe in it.”

Clad in green cargo pants, white sneakers, and a red plaid shirt, Khan was the boyish dreamer who made an entire generation believe in love again.

‘Everlasting love exists — even if it changes shape’

In the 2017 Imtiaz Ali film, Khan played Harinder “Harry” Singh, a tour guide in Europe who helps his client, Sejal (Anushka Sharma), retrace her steps to find her missing engagement ring. The film’s romantic premise mirrored Khan’s own belief in love that endures, even when imperfect.

“Every couple has a unique love equation,” he explained. “It may not fit our definition of love, but it exists. Even if there are issues, you can work through them.”

His co-star Anushka Sharma was pragmatic yet equally introspective, added:

“Everlasting love is possible, but love transforms with time. The secret is to accept those changes.”

‘I have no deal breakers with women’

When asked if there’s anything that could break his romantic faith, Khan didn’t hesitate.

“I have no deal breakers with women. She can do anything, say anything, behave any way — and I’ll still be in love,” he said with a smile.

For an actor whose screen persona shaped generations of Indian romance, the line blurred seamlessly between reel and real.

“You may not find that someone in one lifetime, but I believe in them,” he said — the conviction in his voice as disarming as his dimpled grin.

On romance, realism, and the women who make his world spin

From the obsessive lover of Darr to the idealist in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Khan has lived out every shade of love on screen. Reflecting on his filmography, he joked:

“Come to think of it — in Yes Boss, I run away with my boss’s girlfriend. In Pardes, I steal the bride. In Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, I fall for a married woman. Maybe I just love the forbidden.”

Sharma, laughing, interjected:

“In Imtiaz’s films, the women are always spoken for — maybe that’s what makes them irresistible.”

‘Time starts when I arrive’ — SRK on tardiness and charm

No SRK interview is complete without humour. When asked about his infamous tardiness, he coined a term only he could get away with.

“I suffer from Tardinessentitis,” he quipped. “I’ve got this superstar belief that time starts when I arrive.”

And with mock vanity, he added:

“I avoid morning shoots because the light’s too good — I’m naturally beautiful. I want my heroine to have the best light!”

His co-star laughed, the crew rolled their eyes affectionately, and Khan basked in the attention, aware yet unbothered by his own legend.

A man who still believes in magic

Eight years on, his words feel timeless. Whether playing a lover, a father, or a flawed hero, Shah Rukh Khan’s enduring magic lies in his sincerity — his unwavering faith in love, in cinema, and in the people who’ve adored him for three decades.

“I’m too busy being a star,” he told us back then. “Who you are, where you come from — it doesn’t matter. Stardom is belief.”

And as he turns 60, belief — much like love — remains Shah Rukh Khan’s greatest gift to the world.