Listen to your heart in deciding career: Shah Rukh Khan tells students

Expressing happiness on being conferred the honorary doctorate, Khan said the honour would make his father happy as he was a freedom fighter and held Maulana Azad and also education in high esteem.

Shah Rukh Khan today encouraged young students to listen to their heart and do what they like, to avoid regrets about career choice later in life.

Shah Rukh Khan during a programme at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) where he was conferred honorary doctorate for his extraordinary contribution in promotion of the Urdu language and culture through his films in Hyderabad.(IANS)

“When you become a person of my age or your parents’ age or your teachers’ age, somewhere that regret will be there that why I did not do that (as a career). I just want to tell every boy and girl that do where your heart is,” he said.

Shah Rukh had a pep talk with students of Maulana Azad National Urdu University here where he was conferred an honorary doctorate for his contribution towards promotion of Urdu language and culture.

The actor recalled that his (late) father, though financially not so well-off, taught him various things in life. “He used to play chess with the head priest of a Hanuman temple,” he said.

The 51-year-old actor said the lessons he was taught included how to work with others and that one has to step back, sometimes, to move ahead in life. “Nobody is small. You have to respect all,” he said.

Shah Rukh Khan during a programme at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) where he was conferred honorary doctorate for his extraordinary contribution in promotion of the Urdu language and culture through his films in Hyderabad. (IANS)

“He gave me a typewriter. You have to be very diligent in typing. When I learnt typing, I realised that practice makes you perfect. Whatever you do in life, do it with diligence as if it is the last chance to do it,” he said.

Shah Rukh said his father told him to retain a sense of humour and childlike innocence. “Life will be better if you look at things with a sense of humour,” he said.

Observing that creative expression in any form would be a good outlet for one’s feelings, he said such a habit would give solace in times of feeling lonely. “I am a bad poet. But, I still write something...When I write, I get peace,” he said.

The actor also suggested the students to respect and enjoy the gift of life, through good or bad times.

Earlier, Chancellor Zafar Sareshwala conferred the ‘honoris causa’ (doctor of letters) on Khan and Rekhta Foundation founder Sanjiv Saraf at the sixth convocation of the university, for their contribution in the promotion of Urdu language and culture.

Expressing happiness on being conferred the honorary doctorate, Khan said the honour would make his father happy as he was a freedom fighter and held Maulana Azad and also education in high esteem.

The actor said he would try to live up to the responsibility bestowed on him.