Suhana Khan reveals crying after her first audition: ‘I was so upset and disappointed…’
From crying alone in her room to sharing the screen with her father: Suhana Khan opens up about the rejection she faced during her first audition
Born into a legacy of stardom, Suhana Khan has spent her life under a microscope. After debuting in Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies (2023), the road to her theatrical debut alongside father Shah Rukh Khan in the upcoming action-thriller King wasn't as easy as many might assume. In a new interview with Harper’s Bazaar India, Suhana revealed that her passion for the craft was actually born out of a stinging rejection that left her in tears.
When interest turned to passion
Growing up, Suhana admitted she wasn't initially interested in acting and even felt pushed toward it at one point. However, her perspective shifted during her boarding school years at Ardingly College in the UK. Suhana recalled a pivotal moment when she auditioned for a school play. She desperately wanted a specific role, but when the cast list went up, she found herself relegated to the chorus. The rejection hit her harder than she expected.
“I was so upset and disappointed. And I think that’s when I knew that I really wanted to play those parts and enjoy the thrill of being on stage,” she said. She also confessed to crying alone in her room, caught off guard by the depth of her own disappointment. That moment of vulnerability served as a wake-up call, proving to her that acting wasn't just a family business — it was a personal calling. Now, she says her work is fueled by “Curiosity, purpose, but most of all, passion. It’s all of it.”
{{/usCountry}}“I was so upset and disappointed. And I think that’s when I knew that I really wanted to play those parts and enjoy the thrill of being on stage,” she said. She also confessed to crying alone in her room, caught off guard by the depth of her own disappointment. That moment of vulnerability served as a wake-up call, proving to her that acting wasn't just a family business — it was a personal calling. Now, she says her work is fueled by “Curiosity, purpose, but most of all, passion. It’s all of it.”
{{/usCountry}}Suhana’s journey has been defined by a balance of creativity and discipline. After her time in the UK, she pursued formal training at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. This academic rigour is now being put to the test on the sets of King, where she reportedly plays a protege to Shah Rukh Khan’s dark assassin character.
For the eldest Khan, the process matters more than the outcome. What truly stays with her is the experience of making it — that, she says, brings her the greatest satisfaction. With her acting journey just beginning and her much-anticipated role in King, Suhana seems content to let things unfold naturally for now.
