Shah Rukh, Aamir, and Salman—Three Khans together after 10 years

Three days ago, at the Joy Forum 2025 event in Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan came together. The interview was conducted by Razan. Nearly 10 years after appearing together at an event hosted by Rajat Sharma, the three stars appeared on a public stage together, discussing many important aspects of cinema. Filmmaker Dipankar Dipon has summarised the interview for the readers of the Views Bangladesh.

Razan: Welcome. You’ve brought a unique energy to the stage. I want to know what is this “it factor” that makes someone stand out as a star among the actors?

Shah Rukh Khan: From my experience, there’s no such thing as an “it factor.” It’s entirely imaginary. It actually depends on the audience—how they perceive your presence, your words, your walk, and your expressions. We ourselves don’t always know why people love us.

Salman Khan: I know why… (points to the sky)

Shah Rukh Khan: Yes, God makes us stars. It’s divine grace.

Salman Khan: Actually, none of us think of ourselves as “stars.” The media gives us that label. At home, we are completely ordinary. I still get scolded by my father and mother; my siblings scold me too. We are ordinary people. The divine presentation we get in our films comes from the directors, writers, cinematographers, and the audience. It’s not us—they make us big.

Razan: So, who do you credit for your success?

Salman Khan: Success depends on Friday when a film is released; if it hits, we’re happy. If not, the competitors are happy. (laughs)

Razan: Now that everything is changing and a new generation is coming, how do you adapt your work so that old fans feel connected and the new generation is drawn in?

Shah Rukh Khan: Ultimately, it depends on the emotional power of the story—on the content. Our films create an emotional connection. Perhaps it’s the culture or family emotions that resonate with the audience. Whether in India or Saudi Arabia, that emotional bond touches people. Whether we play rich or poor, good or bad characters, the emotion transcends language and medium. Whether it is cinema halls, mobiles, or OTT platforms, it’s this passion for storytelling that keeps us united.

Aamir Khan: I think we’re all lucky to be born in India and to be part of Hindi cinema. Had we been born elsewhere, we might not have had this opportunity. So, it’s largely about timing, place, and luck. Everyone works hard, but being at the right place at the right time is very important. Many things are beyond our control.

Razan: And your relationship with stardom? Fame can sometimes overwhelm, sometimes inspire. With such a huge audience and constant presence on social media, how does it affect you mentally? Does it satisfy you or sometimes tire you?

Aamir Khan: Yes, it’s truly challenging. Being constantly in the public eye isn’t easy. I prefer being alone; I don’t enjoy being the centre of attention. I’m somewhat introverted, so it feels uncomfortable at times, but we each handle it in our own way.

Shah Rukh Khan: I don’t deny the importance of social media, but I firmly believe—when you’re constantly in the spotlight, you must hold on to your convictions. The essence of storytelling and creativity is “belief.” If you believe, “what I’m doing will work,” then outside problem doesn’t matter. You must focus like a horse with blinders, ignoring all distractions. Today, there’s constant advice on social media: how to dress, what your next film should be, who to work with, who should direct—but you must just believe in the story. From morning to night, your thoughts should stay with that story. That’s how we’ve worked for 35 years. It may sound simple, but for the young generation, caught in the social media storm, it’s difficult. Still, experience shows—Aamir is introverted, Salman also prefers privacy, and I’m shy too. None of us want to be constantly in public. We do it because it’s part of the job, but it’s never our priority. The work itself is the most important.

Salman Khan: He doesn't leave the house, neither do I. I only go out when there's a shoot. Once, at about 13–14 years old, I went to watch “Enter the Dragon”. Coming out of the cinema hall, I imagined myself as Bruce Lee—and got beaten up! But then I realized one thing - when someone leaves the hall after watching a movie, they should have something in their mind that makes them think, "May my son be like this", "May my brother be like this", "May my husband be like this". People should leave at least 20–25% better than when they entered.

Razan: But when so many people want to be like you, isn’t it hard to stay authentic? We all have weaknesses.

Salman Khan: Success actually produces the greatest failures. When you fail, you rise again and work harder. But when success enters your head, tackling it becomes painful. So never focus on success. You can take responsibility for failure, because you signed the film, worked on it - but the credit for success is not yours, it belongs to everyone.

Razan: Absolutely. Acting is about exchanging energy with others. With such a massive fanbase, how do you recharge mentally and maintain balance?

Shah Rukh Khan: Being a star makes people expect certain behaviour, but true stardom makes you humble. We’re grateful to the audience for their love—it’s a positive force. We just want to return that energy. For 35 years, they’ve been with us. We work so that audiences leave the cinema hall happy, as Salman said—feeling better. Every line, every gesture is for their joy.

Razan: And where do you find daily inspiration? How do you reignite yourself?

Shah Rukh Khan: My children inspire me. They give me new energy. Their thoughts, their perspective, everything motivates me.

Aamir Khan: I get inspiration from books. I’ve loved reading since childhood. A good book gives me new characters, new ideas—that’s what drives me.

Salman Khan: Our families keep us grounded. We know that unless we work with sweat and blood, the audience won’t be satisfied. They spend time and money to watch our films, so we must give our best. None of us were born into privilege; we started from zero and have failed many times. Those failures taught us that everything is temporary, so we must stay balanced and calm.

Razan: Now Saudi Arabia is becoming a hub where people from all over the world come to work on various projects. Could there be collaboration between Bollywood and Saudi Arabia? How do you see it?

Shah Rukh Khan: I think there’s much in common—culture, family values, even faith. These similarities create a bridge between India and Saudi Arabia. Looking globally, most people believe in these three things. Saudi Arabia is becoming a place where people from the West and East meet, share ideas, and plan. The hospitality and warmth here are incredible. It’s an open door—I’m sure we’ll all work here in the future. Saudi singers, writers, poets, filmmakers, and cinematographers will go to India, and we’ll come here. This effort to tell stories together will take us to the whole world.

Salman Khan: It will also be a huge opportunity for the Arab film industry. Saudi is opening thousands of theatres, creating a massive Arabic-speaking audience. Actors and technicians will get more opportunities and income. I believe, soon, the Arab film industry will become one of the largest in the world.

Aamir Khan: I would also say that the way Saudi Arabia has shown through their work in the last few years that they want to be more inclusive is really commendable. They are inviting not only creative people but also athletes from all over the world. These tangible steps prove that they want to build global connectivity on a larger scale. This is undoubtedly a strong step in the right direction.

Salman Khan: Saudi has given many of our people work—from South India and across India—they’re working well, earning well, and their families are happy. We are truly grateful.

Razan: With so many Indians working here, countless stories can be made. I already have a story in my head! Tell me, what would be your dream project that could be done in Saudi Arabia?

Salman Khan: If you make a Hindi film here right now, it will be a hit! If you release a Tamil, Telugu or Malayalam film here, it will do business of hundreds of crores of rupee in this GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region alone. Because so many people from our country are working here. People from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Balochistan are also working here.

Razan: Great. Shah Rukh, your thoughts?

Shah Rukh Khan: Dream project? If the three of us—me, Salman, and Aamir—make a film together, that’s the dream. (laughs) Insha’Allah, if the opportunity arises, we’ll do it. I truly respect them—their rise, fall, struggle—it’s all inspiring. I’m grateful to sit together on one stage today. If we make a film together, it’s not just about money; each of us has our own style. One day, someone will bear with our quirks, and we’ll work together—insha’Allah.

Salman Khan: And when we work together, the real star won’t be anyone—it will be the script.

Aamir Khan: Emotionally, all three of us are ready. Now we just need a good story. As Salman said, the script is the most important. Until we find a story that touches all three of us, it won’t happen.

Razan: Any advice for today’s young actors?

Aamir Khan: Today’s actors don’t need our advice—we should learn from them! Look at how extraordinary they are in their first film.

Salman Khan: They have a huge advantage—back in our day, cameras were scary! Now kids are used to cameras from birth—phones, CCTV, everywhere! They’re totally camera-friendly.

Shahrukh Khan: But I have a small suggestion. Today's youth have adapted very well to the camera - it is wonderful; but one thing needs to be remembered - art and craft are different things. Technology is now in everyone's hands, learn it, but don’t lose the art. Art is simplicity and pure emotion—what Salman and Aamir maintain, and I try to preserve. Just like we used to listen to stories from our parents as children, telling stories in that simple way is the real art. Amid technology, social media, and fame, don’t lose the heart of art. Because art is the heart.

Razan: Wonderful—“Art is the heart.”

Shah Rukh Khan: Yes, and another thing—we all fail and make mistakes. We know some days the work isn’t perfect, but we rise again the next morning, because we know our work is about storytelling.

Razan: Great! But our time is running out. Tell us in one line, what do you think the future of Bollywood looks like?

Shah Rukh Khan: I think this is not the time to divide it into just “Bollywood” or “South Indian cinema”. We should stand together and thank Saudi Arabia for giving us such an opportunity.

Razan: Thank you all.

Shah Rukh Khan: Insha’Allah, we will come again; work again—Saudi and India together, making films for the whole world.

Transcribed by filmmaker Dipankar Dipon