Ananya Panday calls Shah Rukh Khan 'definition of an emotionally available man'

Ananya Panday praised Shah Rukh Khan, calling him the "definition of an emotionally available man" while recalling childhood memories with the superstar.

In Short

• Ananya Panday praises Shah Rukh Khan as emotionally available man
• She highlights his charisma and authenticity
• Shah Rukh prioritises his children despite busy schedule

Actor Ananya Panday, in a candid conversation, reminisced about her childhood memories with Shah Rukh Khan and praised the superstar as the "true definition of an emotionally available man." The Call Me Bae actor opened up about the qualities that make Shah Rukh not only a unique individual but also an exemplary father figure, admired by everyone in his circle.

“It’s that charisma thing. When you are the king but you can still make everybody feel like they’re the king. He does that,” said Ananya, appreciating Shah Rukh's ability to make people feel special despite his larger-than-life persona.

Highlighting his authenticity, she added, “The way he conducts himself; he’s been very real. If you watch his old interviews, he has never been some cookie-cutter, formulaic thing. He has always spoken his mind. He has always been honest and real.”

Ananya called Shah Rukh an “amazing father,” sharing how he consistently prioritised his children despite his busy schedule. She said, "Even though he may be the busiest man, he will always take that time out for his kids, for their education, for their sports. He’s come for every single sports day of ours, he’s taught me for my relay races, he used to practice taekwondo with us, he taught me and Shanaya how to ride a bike, he’d play football with us, help us with our homework. Any problem we had, we could call him up."

The actor also admired Shah Rukh's respect for women, both on-screen and off. “The respect that he has given women in real life and in his films... Or the way that he has treated mother figures. Any woman in his life... And that makes a huge difference. You can’t fake it after a point; that’s just who he is as a person,” she said.

Shah Rukh himself had previously acknowledged the influence of women in his life. Speaking to India Today, he said, “It is only women who are behind my success. My mother, sister, wife, and, lastly, all my heroines. I am a very simple actor and these women helped me in my success."

After his recent appearance in Rajkumar Hirani's Dunki, Shah Rukh is now working on Sunjoy Ghosh's King. Details about the film remain under wraps.