It was charm, wit, and a touch of emotion as Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan shared the stage with Deepika Padukone at the ongoing WAVES 2025 Summit in Mumbai. During a special session titled ‘The Journey: From Outsider to Ruler’, moderated by filmmaker Karan Johar, SRK gave the audience a delightful glimpse into his real self, revealing a softer, more introverted side.

As reported by ANI, the actor opened up about his long-standing friendship with Deepika, his co-star from ‘Om Shanti Om’, ‘Chennai Express’, and ‘Pathaan’.

Speaking candidly, SRK confessed, “So, when I come on stage, I can be very shy, I can be very awkward, I am all that. And that’s why I love Deepika, because she’s taller than me. So, what happens is, when we go out to a party, I can hide behind her.” The light-hearted revelation brought laughter and warmth to the room, with Deepika playfully adding, “It’s true! There are two awkward people, and then he runs behind me, and then I’m running behind him. And we’re just trying to hide behind each other.”

But amid the banter, Shah Rukh also took a deeply emotional turn, sharing a heartfelt thought about Deepika’s new chapter in life. “I have one more thing, which is very personal, so please excuse me if I’m stepping beyond boundaries, but I think the role she’s going to play the best, inshallah, is that of a mother to Dua. I think she’s really going to be a wonderful mother,” he said, touching the audience and his co-star alike.

The camaraderie between the two stars, built over more than a decade since Deepika’s debut with Om Shanti Om in 2007, was palpable. Their body of work together—from action-packed thrillers to heartfelt dramas—has defined a generation of Hindi cinema, and their presence at WAVES only reinforced the event’s celebration of creative journeys and deep artistic partnerships.

The four-day WAVES 2025 Summit, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 1, has emerged as a marquee event for India’s cultural and creative economy. PM Modi, in his address, called it a historic milestone in showcasing India’s global creative potential.