Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan has always been open about the ups and downs of his career, and recently he shared his thoughts on self-criticism and how he deals with failure.

After taking a four-year hiatus following the disappointment of Zero, Khan made a triumphant return in 2023 with three consecutive box-office successes: Pathaan, Jawan, and Dunki. In a candid interview, Khan admitted that he is often self-critical, especially when things don’t go as planned. “I am critical of myself,” he confessed. “And I hate feeling that way. I cry a lot in the bathroom, but I never show it to anyone.” He explained that while it’s natural to feel the sting of failure, he believes in moving past self-pity. “You can wallow in it for only so long,” Khan said. “You have to understand that the world isn’t against you. It didn’t go wrong because of you, and life isn’t conspiring to destroy your work.”

Khan shared a powerful message about resilience, stating that while moments of despair are inevitable, it’s important to rise above them. “There are times when you just tell yourself, ‘Shut up, get up, and move on,’” he added. He likened the process of dealing with setbacks to the life of an ant, saying, “Sometimes the wind blows you off course, but it’s not against you. It’s just doing what it does.” He emphasized that failure is often due to mistakes in strategy, execution, or even the industry itself, and that it’s crucial to reflect, recalibrate, and try again. Shah Rukh Khan is set to begin filming his next project, King, a thriller directed by Sujoy Ghosh, which will also feature his daughter Suhana and actor Abhishek Bachchan.