Director Sohum Shah, known for his work on Tumbbad, holds a deep admiration for superstars Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan. In a chat with PTI, Shah said he considers the triumvirate of Hindi cinema the “last of the superstars” and 3 of his gurus and hailed them as Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh as learned a lot from them.

Shah revealed that he entered the industry inspired by Shah Rukh Khan and expressed his admiration for him, acknowledging that while he is a huge fan, his own life’s path is unique. He noted that there can only be one Shah Rukh Khan and emphasized that while Khan is undoubtedly captivating, he too has been uniquely crafted by God. Shah mentioned that he has no regrets about not being SRK and doesn’t aspire to be. He added with a laugh that Khan faces immense pressure, even having to step out of Mannat just to wave at his fans.

He said, “They have been my three gurus (referring to SRK, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan) — Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh.” “From Shah Rukh sir, I learned charm and the way a man should be… Nobody can have a charm like that of Shah Rukh Khan.”

Salman had a huge influence too during Shah’s growing up years. “In our house, you would get two pairs of clothes and when I was in college, my brother was traveling to Jaipur. I asked him to get me denim because I had seen Salman Khan wearing one,” he said.

Shah referred to Aamir Khan as his Dronacharya, acknowledging Khan’s significant impact on Tumbbad. He explained that Khan’s approach, which involves dedicating six or seven years to a single project, deeply resonates with him. Shah mentioned that he follows Khan’s philosophy of focusing on one task and executing it thoroughly.

He also noted that Aamir’s ex-wife, Kiran Rao, who was the presenter of Ship of Theseus, Shah’s debut as a producer, has influenced his work ethic. Shah emphasized his belief in Khan’s simple philosophy: doing a good job will naturally lead to success, a principle he finds many overlook.