 
Shah Rukh Khan has been quite an enigma. At a time when entry from television to films appeared an impossibility, not only did Shah Rukh cross over from the small screen to the big, but also rose to the top position by sheer dint of hard work coupled with unbridled talent. When heroes considered it taboo to touch negative roles, the actor not only attempted them in three films but also made two of them (Baazigar and Darr) hits. When, after Hrithik Roshan’s arrival on the scene, Shah Rukh’s detractors thought, he was losing ground, he not only stood his own but also delivered hit after hit beginning with Mohabbatein right upto Devdas and Chalte Chalte, thereby proving that he is still as much a darling of the audience as he was when he first became a superstar.
An insight into the mind of Shah Rukh Khan the actor, the star, the producer and the human being:
"I don’t take signing amount: Even today, I am too embarrassed to discuss money and signing amounts with producers. Which is why I rarely take signing amount for a film. In fact, I don’t charge too much for films. I make my money through endorsements and stage-shows. Even if a producer is unable to pay me the price he had committed, I don’t create a fuss. If he is genuinely in a problem, there’s no sense in insisting on the money because he won’t be able to pay it to me. And, if he is playing a game for saving money, well, he will be exposing himself. In that case, I’ll refrain from working or dealing with him in the future. Why, I’ve even helped my producers in need by shelling out money to complete their films. Nazir Ahmed is an example. I lent him many lakhs to complete One 2 Ka 4 and I’ve not got it back till today."
"I never charge money for friendly, guest or special appearances in films: Boney Kapoor’s Shakthi - The Power is, perhaps, the first film for which I took remuneration for a guest appearance. That too, because I had to pay heavily that year to get a clean title for the house I live in. Actually, I rarely do special appearance roles. But the role in Boney’s film, starring Nana, Karisma and Sanjay Kapoor, was liked by Karan (Johar) who insisted that I do it. Kajol also liked the character I was to play. Earlier, she was to have played the heroine’s role which was ultimately essayed by Karisma Kapoor."
"I don’t sign a film till...till I feel that the director can do better than me: After all, he is the captain of the ship and he must inspire that kind of confidence in me to get my nod to work in his film. Frankly, even before the script, I look at the people I have to work with, when I have to decide on accepting or rejecting an acting offer. That is first and foremost because if I’m not comfortable working with them, how will I act on the sets?"
"I generally keep some item of clothing or personal effects from every film I work in, as a souvenir: In Mohabbatein, I took home the bracelet with my name (in the film), Raj Aryan, embossed on it. I gifted it to my son whose name is Aryan. Sometimes, I take a pair of jeans, sometimes shoes, sometimes a chain which I may have worn in a film. But I like to keep one souvenir from each of the films I have acted in."
"Non-seriousness irritates me terribly: I am passionate about whatever I do. Whether it is my work or even a friendly game of cricket I may be playing, I become very serious on the job. Half-heartedness or frivolity are not for me. That is why I am appalled by the importance some heroes give to looking good when they should be equally, if not more, bothered about performing well before the camera."
"I live the moment in front of the camera: When a scene belongs to me, I get completely immersed in it. Then, if my hair is not in the best style or my tie is not in perfect place, I don’t care."
"I cry naturally before the camera: Rarely do I use glycerine to bring tears to my eyes in emotional scenes. The surprising part is that while I cry so easily while acting, I never cry while watching a film! Yes, I use glycerine in my eyes during action scenes."
"I don’t get unduly excited about anything: Not even a hit script. That is why Adi (Aditya Chopra) and Karan (Johar) are very scared to narrate their scripts to me. For, even if I like them, I can say only that much, I can’t gush over them or use superlatives like ‘mind-blowing’ etc. to describe the stories."
"I paid up the alleged tax arrears for my bungalow because I love my family: I didn’t want my family to be hounded by TV camera crews which would shoot the exterior of my bungalow when the authorities had put up a notice of tax arrears and an auction notice at the entrance. I thought, I should pay up the huge amount of money even though, other 14 people involved in similar cases like mine, were battling it out in the Supreme Court without paying up. I was also fighting it out in the court but I chose to pay the disputed arrears for the peace of my family. I owe that much to my wife, my children and my sister. Some people advised me against settling the dues, saying that my court case would become weak thereafter, but I don’t think that’s true."
"I am wary of ministers, customs people, income-tax people and collectors: I don’t understand them. I can’t cultivate them. Some years ago, the industry was hosting a stage show in Delhi for a charitable cause benefitting the income-tax people. Pahlaj Nihalani almost forced Juhi and me to perform at the show, saying that the income-tax people would raid our houses if we didn’t. We did perform but not so much out of fear as because we thought, it would be a good platform to publicise our Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani which was due for release soon thereafter. Anyway, at the show, on the stage, I revealed exactly how Pahlaj Nihalani had goaded me into performing at the show as otherwise, according to him, the IT people would have raided my house. The top income-tax officials, obviously, couldn’t take it; my frankness annoyed them and they wanted me to publicly apologise for what I had said. I refused. I explained to them later that whether rightly or wrongly, that was the way their names were being misused."
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