Shah Rukh Khan’s solution for Bollywood crisis—make theatres great again

Shah Rukh Khan shared the stage at the WAVES summit with Deepika Padukone and Karan Johar.

Credit: PTI

New Delhi: Shah Rukh Khan has a solution to bring viewers back to the big screens—reducing ticket prices and increasing the number of halls.

“I still believe the call of the day is a lot more theatres, small theatres in small towns, cheaper theatres so that we can show more films to people in every corner of the country,” said the actor in a session at the ongoing global entertainment summit WAVES 2025 in Mumbai. He also mentioned that shooting processes should be made easier, for filmmakers from the country and from abroad.

During the session titled ‘The Journey: From Outsider to Ruler’, Khan shared the stage with actor Deepika Padukone. The session was moderated by Karan Johar.

He also weighed in on the insider-outsider debate and what it means to find one’s place in a space dominated by legacy. 

“I have a problem with the distinction of insider and outsider. It is important to make space in any world (Industry). If you pity yourself then you will not be able to make your way into the industry,” said the actor.

Making it in Bollywood

Johar asked the two actors to look back on their respective journeys in the industry. “I am actually going to tell myself that I have done pretty well because we don’t really sit back and look back at the journey. I have always been critical and don’t celebrate the moments too much,” said Padukone.

Khan chose to respond in a cheeky manner. “Am I not young now?” he asked the director. 

“I believe when I was brash, overconfident, reckless, and a lot more stupid. I’m happy I was like this otherwise I wouldn’t have chosen the path I did with such wonderful people. I was a little gutsy also. Thank you, young Shah Rukh Khan for being so cool,” he said, with his signature wit and dimpled smile.

The two actors who were last seen together in the blockbuster Jawan (2024) are set to reunite for King, which also marks the film debut of Khan’s daughter, Suhana Khan.