Shah Rukh Khan, better known today as one of Bollywood’s most celebrated actors, once cleared the highly competitive IIT entrance exam—but never went down the engineering route. In a candid interview with Karan Thapar for the BBC back in 2000, SRK revealed that although he studied science in school, he wanted to switch to Economics for college. His mother, however, was keen for him to continue with the sciences and suggested that he first take the IIT exam to prove his capability. “I said, ‘I can,’ and she said, ‘Okay, just show it to me.’ So I did it and I passed it. And then she said, ‘You don’t need to take it, you now go and do your economics.’” SRK also spoke about growing up in a nurturing, liberal household where he and his sister were encouraged to pursue their own paths, from career choices to religious practices. Reflecting on his upbringing, he said, “You just do it the way you want and just be happy about it and do your best.”
Discover how Shah Rukh Khan, a Bollywood legend, once cleared the IIT entrance exam but chose to pursue a degree in Economics at Delhi University instead.
