Superstardom in Indian cinema is a curious factor. Retroactively, Dilip Kumar and Ashok Kumar have been known as that, however Rajesh Khanna was the primary Bollywood star for whom the time period was used. And inside 5 years of him being known as that, the actor was struggling to land hits. In a decade, he was nearly out of date. Since then, sustaining superstardom has been key. Many Indian superstars have faltered of their 50s, unable to adapt to altering instances and dropping their grip on the plenty.
Surprisingly sufficient, Shah Rukh Khan has had no such hassle. Regardless of dealing with a turbulent time on the field workplace, adopted by a interval of uncharacteristic reclusion, he stays the viewers’s favorite. As he turns 61 right this moment (November 2), the actor sits at an important juncture in his profession. It’s what he does subsequent that may decide how this superstardom continues, and he has simply the blueprint he wants.
Shah Rukh’s sustaining superstardom
SRK’s fame was constructed on love. Amitabh Bachchan was revered, Rajinikanth impressed awe, and Chiranjeevi was aspirational. However Shah Rukh was beloved, fairly like Rajesh Khanna had been in his day. The love he received from audiences of all ages and social sections was unparalleled. Ladies, particularly, have been his strongest supporters for the reason that 90s. That love was unbiased of what he did on the field workplace. It was for SRK, the person. They noticed in him a really perfect buddy, a really perfect lover, a faithful husband, a caring father, and a captivating man all spherical. Therefore, when the movies started to falter and fail round 2016-17, Shah Rukh’s stardom didn’t dim.
Most different stars would have discovered it onerous to get audiences to theatres had they returned from a five-year break with their final launch being Zero. However Shah Rukh gave Pathaan and Jawan, two ₹1000-crore hits. And it was on the again of his followers’ assist. Many went to look at these movies only for SRK. No agenda! That unwavering loyalty is difficult to fabricate. Within the 5 years since his son Aryan Khan’s arrest and launch, Shah Rukh has change into a media recluse. A person who beloved interviews has given none to Indian media. Within the age of podcasts and long-form interviews, he has none in India. His solely exchanges with followers at the moment are solely on X (Twitter). And but, this reclusion has not dented his stardom a bit.
Surprisingly sufficient, the love for SRK, the person, extends regardless of his occasional failings. Most of Shah Rukh’s supporters are liberal millennials. They see in him a left-to-centre progressive determine. And but, his followers will not be simply keen to face by him but in addition to excuse him for ‘transgressions’ they might not enable others to commit. It doesn’t matter whether or not SRK endorses a gutkha model or doesn’t submit in assist of scholar protests. All is forgiven for King Khan, it appears.
Can SRK’s stardom final?
Stardom can survive flops when it’s constructed on love for the person, and never simply the craft. However SRK, the model, is constructed on cinema. And it’s cinema that may decide if his legacy in work can proceed to be a narrative of success. It has been three years since his annus mirabilis – 2023- which gave him Pathaan, Jawan, and Dunki (the final with an asterisk). Now, he should once more mount a comeback – with Siddharth Anand’s King. There aren’t any different motion pictures within the pipeline. King’s success, or failure, will decide how Shah Rukh navigates his stardom in his 60s. And he needn’t look far for inspiration.
He idolises Amitabh Bachchan, but when Shah Rukh has adopted a blueprint for stardom, it’s considered one of Dilip Kumar. The Tragedy King started as a romantic hero within the Forties, earlier than establishing himself as a dramatic actor. Shah Rukh would do the identical 4 a long time later. He even did the identical form of movies, enjoying lovable, tragic heroes. In his 50s, Dilip Kumar confronted his first failure as movies similar to Bairaag and Sagina flopped. Dilip Kumar took a five-year hiatus and returned with a bang in Kranti, an motion potboiler. Shah Rukh did the identical with Pathaan and Jawan. In his 60s, Dilip Kumar, the once-lovable romantic star, turned motion hero, starring in mega movies that featured giant ensemble casts. Each Vidhaata and Karma have been blockbusters, whereas Mashaal and Saudagar have been additionally huge hits. For some time, within the mid-80s, Dilip Kumar, 65, was an even bigger box-office draw than Bachchan at his peak. That is what Shah Rukh would aspire to do. However there’s a probability of failure too.
The silver fox period?
Rajinikanth is an instance. After lording it over Tamil cinema within the Nineties and 2000s, Rajinikanth confronted setbacks in his 60s. The back-to-back failures of Kochadaiiyaan and Lingaa led folks to say that the famous person was ‘completed’. He roared again with Kabali and a pair of.0, earlier than re-establishing himself as Tamil cinema’s high star in his 70s with hits similar to Jailer, Coolie, and Jailer 2. Rajinikanth remodeled the form of roles he took on. He was now the vengeful grandfather, the retired jailer, the veteran cop. There was no romance with girls of their 30s (and even 40s). He was nonetheless the hero, however near his age.
Two different superstars, Amitabh Bachchan and Ashok Kumar, went the ‘character actor’ route of their 60s. Ashok Kumar made the swap in his 50s with supporting roles in Jewel Thief and later added to that with movies similar to Aashirwaad. For Amitabh Bachchan, the flip started with Main Saab and solidified with Mohabbatein and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. However Shah Rukh appears to be in no temper to play second fiddle to youthful heroes. Even when he has to play a person with gray hair (as in King), he clearly desires to be the hero, not the ‘token previous famous person’.
SRK’s silver fox flip in King may be the beginning of his ‘Rajni period’ or a false daybreak. But it surely reveals the actor is keen to vary. But the movie’s promotional marketing campaign begins with a really Besharam Rang-esque romantic tune that includes Deepika Padukone. Possibly the Jailer flip is for a future movie. However no less than Shah Rukh has a blueprint to observe.