Shah Rukh Khan, who recently celebrated his 60th birthday, opened up about his emotions surrounding his first National Award win after 33 years in the film industry. Speaking at a fan event in Mumbai, the actor admitted that 10 to 15 years ago, he felt upset about not receiving this prestigious honour despite consistently delivering strong performances. He acknowledged that creative work requires validation and that the lack of recognition sometimes left him disheartened. However, Shah Rukh emphasized that meeting his fans provides him the greatest satisfaction and validation. In September 2025, he finally won the National Award for Best Actor for his role in Atlee's film Jawan. His wife Gauri Khan celebrated the achievement on social media, calling it the result of years of hard work. Throughout his career, Shah Rukh has received 14 Filmfare Awards and other prestigious honours including the Padma Shri.
Actor reflects on waiting for recognition and validation
At his 60th birthday celebration with fans in Mumbai, Shah Rukh Khan spoke candidly about his feelings regarding awards. He confessed that 10 to 15 years ago, he felt bad when he did not receive recognition, believing he gave his best in every performance. The actor explained that creative work needs validation since there is no other way to measure it, recalling how audience applause provided that validation during his theatre days. Despite working tirelessly, moments without recognition left him disheartened. However, he has since realized that meeting fans who love him provides the most satisfying validation. He thanked the National Award committee, noting that his friend Ashutosh Gowariker was a member and likely believed he deserved it even for Swades.
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