Shah Rukh Khan made his debut with Deewana in 1992.
He has appeared in more than 80 Hindi films, and earned numerous accolades, including 14 Filmfare Awards. The Government of India has awarded him the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest Indian civilian honour. Many actors come and go but this actor still holds his ‘King Khan’ tag firmly and enjoys fame all over the world.
There are certain reasons why he is called so:
SRK’s riches story
He is among the A-listers of Hindi films despite not having a film background. He made his way into B-town from television serials. He is also an inspiration for many aspiring actors, who come to Mumbai every year to be the next Shah Rukh Khan.
Biggest romantic hero
Almost everyone in India can quote a dialogue from Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ, 1995), the film that shot him to fame. Kids growing up in the 90s ended up with a rather impractical view on love, thanks to Raj (Khan) and Simran (Kajol). With his floppy hair, piercing eyes and mischievous smile, King Khan caught the fancy of thousands of young girls, who still hold on to posters from the film. DDLJ is Hindi film industry’s longest-running movie, and you can still catch a matinée show at the Maratha Mandir theatre in Mumbai.
Global appeal
Stardom is synonymous with this actor and here is the proof. When My Name is Khan was announced as part of the movie line-up at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2012, tickets sold out in five seconds after being auctioned on eBay for a whopping €1,000 each. SRK has one of the biggest online fan clubs, which has around 2 million followers worldwide.
A good Samaritan
He’s been known to work with the Make a Wish Foundation regularly to grant the wishes of terminally ill children who want to meet him, even spending quality time with them at his residence. In 2009 and 2012, the actor ‘adopted’ about 17 impoverished Indian villages and usually donates the proceeds from his concerts towards victims of natural disasters.
Flower named after him
A unique red-orange blooming orchid in Singapore was named Ascocenda Shahrukh Khan about 10 years ago. The flower grows beside Dendrobium Amitabh Bachchan at Singapore’s National Orchid Garden.
A family man
In an industry where make-ups and break-ups are a mainstay, Khan has maintained a squeaky-clean image. He is seen as a faultless husband (he is married to entrepreneur Gauri Khan) and is an overindulgent father to Aryan, Suhana and AbRam.
SRK is also a celeb favorite
SRK is also popular celebrity and the most-liked Khan of all in B town. He is always seen gracing the biggest parties in town and appears on many Instagram profiles, as other celebs too want to be pictured with the great SRK. The ladies love him, the men adore him and he is a star even among children. He is also the top pick to host the biggest award ceremonies of Hindi film industry.
PNN/Agencies
