Anubhav Sinha reveals Shah Rukh Khan's secret happiness formula, and it's linked to this middle-class habit

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha said Shah Rukh Khan remains grounded despite global fame and wealth. Speaking about Khan’s approach to happiness, Sinha said, “See, middle-class is not just about money. The last time I met him, I told him that he’s quite middle class. And he agreed (laughs). He has all the money in the world! But what makes you happy? Does the Gucci make you happier or does the fact that your sister is happy make you happier?”

Sinha added, “That’s an achievement. It’s difficult to be the guy who’s that universally popular — let’s not even talk about the money — to be rooted and grounded. He’s a phenomenal guy. I kept telling him, more than making this film, it’s a privilege to know you.”

Anubhav Sinha recals the Ra.One experience

Sinha spoke about his experience making Ra.One with Shah Rukh Khan. “One Banaras (Varanasi) boy was sitting in Shah Rukh Khan’s house, and Shah Rukh Khan is asking him what he’d eat. And then the whole process went for six years. Great fun, great guy. It is so strange that he continues to be a middle-class boy at heart. He’s so middle-class it’s not funny.”

A long shadow before a fresh start

While Ra.One was a big project, its failure left Sinha disheartened. “It didn’t turn out the way all of us wanted to do. It was a heartbreak, which I carried in my heart, chest, and shoulders until 2018, when Mulk released. I’d almost given up on myself as a director. I’d decided I won’t direct. I wrote Mulk in the next three days. I went out in the market, money took a bit of time. And then I went there and made it. It had become impossible to not make it.”


He also recalled the hectic schedule of promoting Mulk, saying, “We were travelling against time. Tonight, we’re in Dubai, then we travel to London on the same day for another premiere, then Toronto, then Los Angeles. Travelling back in time for four premieres across four nights. It was massive.”

About Ra.One

Ra.One was produced under Shah Rukh Khan’s home banner and featured Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal in lead roles. The film aimed to introduce a superhero narrative in Indian cinema but did not meet expectations.