Before becoming Bollywood’s biggest superstar, Shah Rukh Khan was a young boy frequently seen around Delhi’s theatre circles. Here’s the heartwarming story shared by Veteran actor Pankaj Kapur about King Khan that surprised the fans.
Published: June 22, 2026, 5:07 PM IST
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Shah Rukh Khan and Pankaj Kapur (PC: Twitter)
Every superstar has a beginning, and Shah Rukh Khan’s journey is filled with stories that continue to surprise fans. Despite becoming one of Bollywood’s biggest stars over the last three decades, Shah Rukh Khan is widely known for his humility and his deep appreciation of his early days in Delhi. While many know about his days in Delhi theatre and television before he entered Bollywood, a lesser-known incident shared by veteran actor Pankaj Kapur offers a glimpse into an even earlier chapter of his life. The story takes us back to the corridors of Delhi’s National School of Drama (NSD), where a young Shah Rukh Khan was often seen long before fame.
Pankaj Kapur’s reveals Shah Rukh Khan used to sell samosas
In an interaction with Kindle Cast’s YouTube channel, Pankaj Kapur recalled his early days at the National School of Drama and shared a fond memory of Shah Rukh Khan from that period. The veteran actor revealed that he first noticed Shah Rukh Khan when he was around 10 years old and frequently visited the NSD campus. The young boy would sell samosas and snacks to theatre students and performers. At the time, nobody could have imagined that the cheerful child moving around the theatre premises would one day become one of India’s biggest film stars.
He revealed, “We made a team with friends. They would throw the naans towards us, we would catch them, and during the interval we would buy samosas, take everything backstage, and enjoy naan, samosa, and tea together. Those samosas were supplied to us by none other than Shah Rukh Khan. He was a 10-year-old boy at the time. His father used to run the canteen there.” Earlier in an interview with Times of India, he revealed that his father used to run the canteen at NSD. The incident highlighted how closely connected Shah Rukh was to the world of performance from a very young age, even before he formally stepped into acting.
Shah Rukh Khan’s early connection with theatre
Delhi played a significant role in shaping Shah Rukh Khan’s artistic journey. Growing up in the capital, he developed an interest in acting and performing arts early in life. Years later, he joined a theatre group called Theatre Action Group (TAG) and trained under renowned theatre director Barry John. His passion for acting gradually led him towards television, where he gained recognition through shows such as Fauji and Circus before making the transition to films.
Shah Rukh Khan and Pankaj Kapur in Ram Jaane (PC: Twitter)
Shah Rukh Khan’s journey: From Delhi’s theatre to Bollywood stardom
What makes Pankaj Kapur’s story particularly fascinating is the fire between those humble beginnings and Shah Rukh Khan’s extraordinary rise to fame. Pankaj Kapur and Shah Rukh Khan worked together in the 1995 action thriller film Ram Jaane. After moving to Mumbai in the early 1990s, Shah Rukh quickly established himself as one of Bollywood’s most popular and talented actors. Films such as Baazigar, Darr, and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Om Shanti Om, and Chak De! India transformed him into a household name.
Over the decades, he built a career that extended far beyond India, earning global recognition and becoming one of the most influential figures in Indian cinema.
