Actor Shah Rukh Khan on Monday advised students graduating from Moulana Azad National Urdu University to do in life what is close to their heart so that they do not have regrets later.
Shah Rukh, who received the honorary doctorate from the university for his contribution in promotion of Urdu language and culture through his films, thanked the university and then shared his thoughts with the students.
He told the graduates, post graduates and P.hD. students who received their degrees at the sixth convocation that he feels proud when somebody gets education as there is nothing greater than education in the world.
Speaking in Urdu, the actor said they were at a threshold as they would be going out in the field to start their careers.
“Do for the whole life what you think you should do and what is close to your heart because when you come to my age or the age of your parents and teachers, there may be regret that you couldn’t do a particular thing,” he said.
Narrating instances from his own life and the lessons he learnt from his father, Shah Rukh urged students to do everything in life with diligence.
“Whatever you do, do with diligence. Do it as if this is your last chance,” he said amid thunderous applause by the students.
The actor said that usually the creativity which is one’s hobby doesn’t become his job. “I am one of the few fortunate. Acting which was my hobby also became my profession.”
He told the students that poetry, writing, painting, singing or whatever creativity they have may not be recognised by the world.
“At one stage in life, when we may feel lonely and sad, our creativity will be our best friend,” he said.
Shah Rukh admitted that he is bad at poetry but when he feels sad, he writes it down and feels peace with himself.
Speaking about his father, the actor said he was very educated but poor and did not get any job and whatever business he started was a failure.
He recalled that his father gave him lot of love and used to gift his personal belongings to him on his birthdays.
Stating that the first thing his father gave was a chess set, he said his father also told him that one can learn lessons of life from chess.
“The first thing you can learn is cooperation and how to work together. The second is sometimes you have to retreat to move ahead in life.”
Stressing the importance of pawns in the game, the actor asked students to never consider anybody as inferior.
“Another important lesson is that sometimes to move ahead in life you have to sacrifice the thing which you develop affection with, like the queen,” he said amid loud cheers by students.
Shah Rukh said the typewriter which his father gifted him taught him that just as one can’t afford to commit mistakes in typing, one has to be diligent in whatever one does and that practice makes one perfect.
The actor also advised students to always keep sense of humour in life. “Always keep smiling. There should be a child like innocence,” he said.
He also urged students to be graceful with everybody in life whether they are good or bad.
“Life is the biggest gift. Good, bad, light or darkness respect everything,” he added.
