When Shah Rukh Khan made emotional confession about avoiding media due to Aryan Khan's case, recalls paparazzo; 'Whatever wrong has happened...'
Shah Rukh Khan once reached out to a paparazzo and made an emotional confession about his distance from the media due to his son Aryan Khan's arrest in the drug case.
Trigger Warning: The article contains mentions of drugs.
Shah Rukh Khan faced a tough period in 2021 when his son, Aryan Khan, was arrested in connection with the Cordelia cruise drugs bust in Mumbai. Although Aryan was eventually cleared of all charges, the incident had a significant emotional impact on the actor. In a recent interview, paparazzo Varinder Chawla recalled that Khan made an emotional confession about avoiding the media, stating that he didn't want to, but "I am also a father, and whatever wrong has happened in the media" had affected him.
In an interview with Faridoon Shahryar on his YouTube channel, Varinder Chawla shared an incident from 2022-2023, prior to the release of Pathaan, when one of his photographers captured a private moment of Shah Rukh Khan and his family.
After Varinder deleted the footage, he received a call from Shah Rukh Khan, who thanked him for his actions. The Dunki actor explained that he had been distancing himself from the media due to Aryan Khan's case, mentioning that he was informed about the video being deleted. Khan added that it wasn’t his intention to avoid the media, but as a father, he felt deeply affected by the wrong portrayals in the media.
Varinder mentioned that their conversation lasted for about 3-4 minutes, and during that time, he realized that, as a father of two, he could understand the pain Shah Rukh was expressing. He noted that the way Shah Rukh spoke on the phone reflected the anguish of a father dealing with his son being wrongfully accused.
Since then, Shah Rukh Khan has made many appearances in the media, but he does not make as many appearances as he used to before this case.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Shah Rukh Khan will next be seen in Sujoy Ghosh's King, alongside Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, and Abhay Verma. Pinkvilla revealed that the first schedule of the film will begin in Mumbai in January 2025, followed by an extensive shooting schedule in Europe. The makers are reportedly aiming for a theatrical release in 2026.
On the other hand, his son Aryan Khan has decided to make his directorial debut with a project reportedly titled Stardom, with SRK also sharing the exciting news about Aryan's debut project.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who is struggling with alcohol, drugs, or substance abuse, please reach out to the authorities and report it. There are several helplines available for the same.