'I would love to play James Bond,' says Shah Rukh Khan at WGS 2024

The Indian movie star Shah Rukh Khan called Dubai his second home and revealed that he still dreams of playing the role of James Bond due to his great admiration for all the character’s aspects.

This came during the Bollywood star’s participation in the session ‘The Story of a Star: A Conversation with Shah Rukh Khan’ as part of the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2024, which was moderated by the TV anchor Richard Quest.

During the session, the Indian star said he had to overcome his hardships early on in life after losing his parents at a young age. “Sometimes you don’t have any option but to persevere. I lost my parents early, so I had to continue making the most of what I have.”

He added, “I was a youngish orphan and had to work my way through. It could be the nature of the beast that with dogged determination you keep on working.”

Asked why he hasn’t been seen in Hollywood, Shah Rukh Khan noted that he hasn’t received a good film project.

“I’ve said this honestly, but nobody believes it. So I’m going to say it to you very, very honestly. Nobody’s ever offered me any crossover work of substance. I may have had conversations with people I know lots of lovely people from the west, from the English film industry, from the American film industry. But nobody’s offered me any good work.”

The Indian star admitted having“massive flops” in his career but his perseverance, once again, got him through.

“I had become indulgent. I started becoming too innovative. I was looking for perfection and I started feeling I needed to look for excellence and being unique, while I needed to look at the audience and what they want, and I stopped hearing the crowds.”

“People just like to see me giving hope, happiness and love and I decided to get back to that.”

He said he used his five-year disappearance in “learning to make the best pizza in the world".

Shah Rukh Khan made his comeback last year with three Blockbuster films, considered the biggest in his career.

He said he still dreams of being the next James Bond.

“I really wanted to do the role, but I think I’m too short,” said Shah Rukh Khan.

Expressing his love and special bond with Dubai, the Indian star said, “I love being in Dubai, I really enjoy it here,” noting that he usually visits with his children.

WAM