People told my mother I'd never be an actor: Shah Rukh Khan

Here's to all the Negative Nusrats.

The 53-year-old who has been in the film industry for more than two decades spoke to Mumbai Mirror of how his mother was always keen on him becoming an actor but people dampened her hopes as they felt SRK didn't have the looks for it.

"My mom wanted me to become an actor but three-four people from Mumbai whom we knew well told her I’d never become one become one because I wasn’t good-looking enough."

He added, " She was hurt but it didn’t bother me because all I wanted to do was act and I assured her 'main kaam karta rahunga'. At that point I wasn’t interested in films, I was doing well on stage. Then, TV happened and, 30 years later, I’m a poster boy."

The Chennai Express actor explained that he doesn't go by what others thought of him -- and still doesn't.

"You just have to believe in what you want to do despite what others may think of you or even if you yourself feel the lack of something, material or otherwise."

When asked about whether his children will be entering the film industry, much like Sridevi's daughter Janhvi Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan's daughter Sara Ali Khan who've recently entered Bollywood, Shah Rukh says, "Neither my son nor my daughter have been groomed to be actors. Suhana has an inclination towards wanting to be an actor. Aryan doesn’t want to be an actor, he wants to make films, become a director. AbRam I don’t know, he’s good-looking enough to be a rock star."

"Gauri and I never told our kids that they have to grow up to be actors. People around would say handsome hai, tall hai, body achcha hai, but if looks were a criterion, I’d never have been an actor."

SRK is currently promoting his upcoming release Zero alongside Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif.