Shah Rukh Khan shares how Mufasa’s journey reflects his life story; says, ‘I’m a semi-orphan’

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan recently got candid about his personal life and his connection to the iconic character of Mufasa from Disney's The Lion King. In a clip posted by Disney, the actor revealed that he identifies with the character on a personal level, drawing parallels between his own life and Mufasa's journey.

Shah Rukh shared that he considers himself a 'semi-orphan' due to the early loss of his parents. He also emphasised his outsider status in the Hindi film industry, having no family background in the film business. The actor's journey from Delhi to Mumbai, where he carved a niche for himself, mirrors the rise of Mufasa as a powerful and respected king.

"If I was to not be humble and say, ‘Hann meri hi kahaani aisi hai’ (My story is also like this), then it could fit in. Technically speaking, anyone who doesn't have parents is an orphan. I did lose my parents nearly in youth, so I'm a semi-orphan," he said. "It's the story of an outsider. No family of mine has been in the business of filmmaking. I came from Delhi to Mumbai, so main outsider bhi hoon (I'm an outsider as well). It’s the story of the King. So, yeah, I'm a king."

Shah Rukh has lent his voice to Mufasa in the Hindi version of Mufasa: The Lion King. His son, Aryan Khan, will voice Simba, while his youngest son, AbRam, will voice young Mufasa. The film also features the voices of Sanjay Mishra as Pumbaa, Shreyas Talpade as Timon, and Meiyang Chang as Taka.

The film is set to release in cinemas on December 20, 2024, in English, Hindi, and Tamil.