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Top 3 Bollywood actors khan
Salman Khan
Khan in 2015
Born Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan
27 December 1965 (age 49)
Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
Residence Bandra, Mumbai, Maharashtra[1]
Occupation Actor, Film Producer, Television Personality, Model, Philanthropist, Singer[2][3]
Years active 1988–present
Religion Hinduism & Islam[4]
Relatives See Khan family[5]
This article is about the Indian film actor. For other people named Salman Khan, see Salman Khan (disambiguation).
Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (born 27 December 1965)[6] better known as Salman Khan (pronunciation : [səlˈmaːn ˈxaːn];) is an Indian film actor, producer and television personality. Referred to in the media as "The Tiger of Bollywood", "Blockbuster Khan", "Box-office King", he is popularly called as "Bhaijaan" and "Sallu" by his fans. Described by the CNN as one of the world's biggest stars,[7] he has a significant following in Asia and the Indian diaspora worldwide. He is cited in the media as one of the most popular, influential[8] and commercially successful actors of Hindi cinema.[9]
The son of screenwriter Salim, Khan began his acting career with a supporting role in Biwi Ho To Aisi (1988) and achieved breakthrough with a leading role in his next release — Sooraj Barjatya's romance Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). Khan went on to establish himself in Bollywood in the 1990s with roles in several top-grossing productions, including the romantic drama Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), the action thriller Karan Arjun (1995), the comedy Biwi No.1 (1999), and the family drama Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999). For his role in Karan Johar's romantic drama Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Khan was awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. After a brief period of decline in the 2000s, Khan achieved greater stardom in the 2010s by playing the lead role in several successful action films, including Dabangg (2010), Bodyguard (2011), Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Kick (2014) and Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015). Eight of the films he has acted in, have accumulated gross earnings of over ₹1 billion (US$15 million),[10][11] and he has starred in the highest-grossing Bollywood films of nine separate years which is a Bollywood record.[12] For his contributions to film, the Government of India honoured him with the 2008 - Rajiv Gandhi Award for Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment.
In addition to his acting career, Khan is a stage performer and an active humanitarian through his charity organisation Being Human with his Brother Sooban Ahmad Khan. Khan's off-screen life is marred by controversy and legal troubles. His tumultuous relationship with Aishwarya Rai, hunting of endangered species, and a negligent driving case in which he ran over five people with his car, killing one, have been extensively covered by the Indian media.[13] For the last of these, Khan was sentenced to a five-year imprisonment in 2015.[14][15]
Salman Khan was ranked 7th in Forbes's first global list of highest-paid actor in the world with USD 33.5 million, earning more than Hollywood actors like Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio.[16][17][18][19][20] He regularly features in listings of the most influential people in Indian culture, and in 2015 Khan whizzed ahead of the US President Barack Obama in the list of The Most Admired Personalities of India.[21] In September 2015, a leading magazine declared him "The Most Attractive Personality" in India.[22]
Early life and background
Khan with brothers Arbaaz Khan (left) and Sohail Khan (right)
Khan is the eldest son of screenwriter Salim Khan and his first wife Sushila Charak (later adopted the name Salma Khan). His paternal ancestors were Pashtun[23][24][25][26] from Afghanistan[27] who immigrated to Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Khan's mother is a Hindu, whose father Baldev Singh Charak comes from Jammu-Kashmir[28] and mother comes from Maharashtra.[27][29] Salman has stated that he is both Hindu and Muslim.[30][31]
Khan's stepmother is Helen, a former actress, who co-starred with him in a few films. He has two brothers, Arbaaz Khan who is married to actress and VJ Malaika Arora Khan, and Sohail Khan; and two sisters, Alvira Khan Agnihotri who is married to actor/director Atul Agnihotri and an adopted sister Arpita Khan .
Salman finished his schooling at St. Stanislaus High School in Bandra, Mumbai, as did his younger brothers Arbaaz and Sohail. Earlier, he studied at The Scindia School, Gwalior for a few years along with younger brother Arbaaz.[32][33] He attended Elphinstone College and dropped out after the second year.[34]
Career
1989–93: Debut and breakthrough
Salman Khan made his acting debut with a supporting role in the 1988 film Biwi Ho To Aisi in which his voice was dubbed by someone else. His first leading role in a Bollywood movie was in Sooraj R. Barjatya's romantic family drama Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), one of India's highest grossing films.[35][36] It earned him his first nomination for a Best Actor at Filmfare, but the much expected Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut was awarded to Sooraj Barjatya.[37]
Later Filmfare rectified their mistake by presenting the same award after 15 long years. Maine Pyar Kiya was later dubbed in English as When Love Calls, a 125-minute version, was the biggest hit in the Caribbean market at Guyana and also dominated the box-office collections in Trinidad and Tobago. Maine Pyar Kiya had also been dubbed in Spanish as Te Amo, the first experiment of its kind. This 125-minute film also proved its universal appeal with a glorious 10-week premiere run at Lima, capital of Peru. In Telugu as Prema Paavuraalu, it crossed 25 weeks at Visakhapatnam and had 100 plus day run at six centres in Andhra Pradesh. It was also dubbed in Tamil as Kaadhal Oru Kavithai and in Malayalam as Ina Praavukal.[38]
1990 saw one film release starring Khan, Baaghi: A Rebel for Love, a box office success,[39] followed by three moderately successful films in 1991, Patthar Ke Phool, Sanam Bewafa, and Kurbaan. In the same year, Khan co-starred with Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit in the Romance drama film Saajan.[40] The movie was a critical and financial success.[41][42] Despite these early successes, nearly all of his 1992–1993 releases resulted in box office failures.[41]
1994–2009: Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!! and other films
Khan returned to success in 1994 with his second collaboration with director Sooraj Barjatya in the romance Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! co-starring Madhuri Dixit. During the 1995 awards season, the film won 3 Filmfare Awards for the Best Film, Best Director and Best Actress. It also won the National Award for being the most popular film of the year.[43] Earning over ₹1.35 billion (US$20 million) worldwide, the film became the biggest Bollywood hit of the year, as well as one of the biggest Bollywood hits ever. It is one of the films on Box Office India's list of "Biggest Blockbusters Ever in Hindi Cinema".[44] This film was the biggest hit of that year, and turned out to be one of Bollywood's highest-grossing films ever, becoming the fourth-highest earner of all time.[45] The film broke all the previous records and maintained itself as the highest-grossing Bollywood film throughout history for 7 years. In 1995 he starred in Rakesh Roshan's Karan Arjun alongside Shahrukh Khan, Karan Arjun is a mix of an upbeat Bollywood musical, religious overtones and an action movie. The film was released on 13 January 1995. The two played brothers who are reincarnated after being killed by family enemies. The film was the second biggest hit of the year, and his role of Karan once again put his name among the nominees for the Best Actor award for Filmfare Awards.[46]
In 1996, Khan performed in two movies, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's directional debut Khamoshi: The Musical, a box office failure[47] but critically acclaimed[48] and Raj Kanwar's action hit Jeet.[47] He had two releases in 1997: Judwaa and Auzaar. The former was a comedy directed by David Dhawan where he played a dual role of twins separated at birth was a commercial success while later, an action thriller was "below average".[49]
Khan worked in five different films in 1998, his first release being the romantic comedy film Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya opposite Kajol, one of the biggest commercial successes of that year.[50] This was followed by the moderately successful drama Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai[41] where Khan played a young man who has to take a child who claims to be his son, under his custody. Khan's performance in the film earned him several positive notices and favourable reviews from critics.[51] He rounded of the year with an extended cameo in Karan Johar's directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai for which he earned a second Filmfare Award under the Best Supporting Actor category.[52]
In 1999, Khan starred in three films: Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United and Biwi No.1, both were the highest grossing films that year[53] and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam alongside Aishwarya Rai and Ajay Devgan, which earned another him Best Actor nomination at the Filmfare awards.[54] The film was a critical and commercial success[53][55] along with its music.
In 2000, Khan acted in films including Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega and Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, which addressed the issue of surrogate childbirth; Khan played the role of a rich industrialist, who hires a surrogate mother after his wife becomes infertile. Critics noted his turn towards a more serious role, which reportedly had more substance in comparison to his previous roles.[56][57] In 2002 he starred in the delayed release Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam.
For Tere Naam, (2003) Taran Adarsh said of him, "Salman Khan is exceptional in a role that fits him to the T. He breathes fire in sequences that demand uneasiness. But beneath the tough exterior lies a vulnerable person and this facet in particular comes to the fore in the latter reels. His emotional outbursts are splendid..."[58] Tere Naam is to date considered Salman Khan's best film with critically acclaimed performance.[59][60] He subsequently continued his success at the box office, with comedies like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004) and No Entry (2005).[41] Khan's work in 2006 included Jaan-E-Mann and Baabul, however neither of these films were successful in the box office.
Khan started 2007 with the ensemble film Salaam E Ishq. His next release Partner did very well at the box office, receiving a blockbuster verdict.[61] He next appeared in the Hollywood movie, Marigold: An Adventure in India which told the love story of an Indian man and an American woman. Khan starred in three films throughout 2008, all of which underperformed.[62]
Khan hosted the second season of 10 Ka Dum in year 2009 which turned out to be even more successful than his first season as host of the game show in year 2008. The show got very high TRPs for Sony Entertainment Television and according to reports, the show helped Sony TV regain its third position in the Indian television ratings.[63]
2009–present: commercial success
2009 marked a significant turning point in Khan's career. Starting with Wanted, directed by choreographer turned director Prabhu Deva became a box office success and earned superhit status.[64] In the same year, he appeared in two other films, Main Aurr Mrs Khanna and London Dreams. London Dreams did average business due to the uninspiring music, but Main Aurr Mrs Khanna was a commercial failure.[65] Khan's first release of 2010 was Anil Sharma's commercially and critically unsuccessful film Veer.
Khan in 2011
His next release, Dabangg was released on Eid, 10 September 2010. Khan played the role of a fearless cop with comic effect in the film. It opened to generally positive reviews and broke several box-office records upon release. The film set another box office record, grossing ₹808.7 million in its first week, thus becoming the highest opening week grossing Bollywood film, overtaking the previous record of 3 Idiots. Dabangg went on to gross ₹2.15 billion worldwide and Box office India declared it an all-time blockbuster in the second week of its release. It is the highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2010 and, as of 2012, the fourth highest–grossing Bollywood film of all time.[66] Dabangg went on to win several awards, including the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. It was later remade in Tamil and Telugu, The film was produced by his brother Arbaaz Khan, and released on 10 September 2010. It made a record opening at the box office[67] and Box Office India declared it an all-time blockbuster.[68] Dabangg at that time was the second and now the fourth highest-grossing Bollywood film and for his performance, Khan received a Star Screen Award for Best Actor and a Stardust Award for Star of the Year – Male and was nominated for his sixth Filmfare Award for Best Actor. Anupama Chopra from NDTV wrote about his performance, "It's the role of a lifetime and Salman Khan bites into it like a starving man devours a feast. He inhabits it fully, strutting and swaggering and even, spoofing himself."[69]
Khan's first release of 2011 was Ready. Upon release, Ready became the second highest opening day grosser, as well as the second highest weekend grossing Bollywood film at that time, after Dabangg. It also held records for being the second highest grossing Bollywood film of 2011.[70][71] He next appeared in Bodyguard, a remake of the 2010 Malayalam film of the same name. The film was not well received by critics, though became a financial success, with a domestic total of 1,409.5 million (US$26 million)—India's highest-earning film of the year.[72]
Salman Khan with Katrina Kaif at the launch of Ek Tha Tiger's first song 'Mashallah'.
Khan's first release of 2012 was Ek Tha Tiger where he starred opposite Katrina Kaif and act as Indian Spy. The film garnered positive to mixed reactions from critics[73] whilst opening to extremely strong box office collections.[74] The film went on to break the opening day box office record with a collection of ₹312.3 million (US$4.7 million)[75] and became the second Bollywood film to gross over ₹3 billion (US$45 million) worldwide behind only 3 Idiots with an eventual gross of ₹3.1 billion (US$47 million).[76] It marks his first association with Yash Raj Films.[77] The film also broke the record of Opening weekend net gross (First 3 Days of Release),[78] Opening week net gross (First 7 Days of Release) and entered 100 crore club in just 5 days of release breaking Salman Khan's own record set by Bodyguard in 7 Days.[79]
Salman Khan's second release of 2012 is Dabangg 2 which is a sequel of his blockbuster Dabangg under production of Arbaaz Khan. Upon release, the film netted an excellent ₹192.1 million (US$2.9 million) on its opening day and became the biggest opener for a non-holiday Friday in India, beating the previous record held by Don 2.[80] and collected ₹582.6 million (US$8.8 million), beating the previous three-day record set by Ek Tha Tiger.[81][82] Dabangg 2 eventually emerged as a huge financial success with revenues of ₹2.5 billion (US$38 million) globally.[83]
After year gap Khan's first release of 2014 was Jai Ho which he starred opposite Daisy Shah. After five consecutive blockbuster, his first film performed average at box office despite making over 100 crore in India. His second release Kick remake of Telugu film has entered the club of Rs. 200 crore in India on Eid . He also sang the "Hangover" song from the movie.[84]
Khan's first film of 2015, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, released on Eid received positive reviews from critics and public and broke several box-office record upon release. The film It set all time weekend record to collected ₹1.02 billion (US$15 million) on its first weekend at domestic box office and became the eighth consecutive film of Salman Khan to gross over 100 crores.[85] The film grossing ₹1.84 billion (US$28 million) on its first week beat previous record of PK.[86] Khan's first and become a second Bollywood film after PK to enter 300 club.[87] The film is currently second second highest-grossing Bollywood films in India and worldwide with collection of over 600 crore.[88] Bajrangi Bhaijaan crossed 300 crore in 20 days of its release and became the second highest grosser till date in India[89][90]
Mentor
Salman Khan has mentored a number of aspiring Bollywood actors.[91] He has also been an inspiration for some Bollywood actors like Hrithik Roshan and Arjun Kapoor to get into perfect shape. Saawan Kumar Tak, the director of Sanam Bewafa was helped by Khan as he worked Saawan... The Love Season for free.[92][93]
Salman has recommended composers like Himesh Reshammiya and Sajid–Wajid. He supported Sanjay Leela Bhansali to make Khamoshi: The Musical and then Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Actor Govinda' s career was rescued by Khan as he offered parallel role in Partner. Similarly it was Salman Khan who suggested Mohnish Bahl to Sooraj Barjatya for Maine Pyar Kiya and later in Baaghi: A Rebel for Love after his stinct as hero failed. Bahl has also done important roles in Salman's Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Hum Saath-Saath Hain and recently Jai Ho. Similarly he was instrumental in getting Ravi Kishan, the role in Tere Naam.
Salman is now reportedly mentoring Rinzing, son of Danny Denzongpa, Ali, son of Raza Murad and Vaibhav Anand, the son of late Vijay Anand for their Bollywood launch. Similarly Aditya Pancholi’ s son Sooraj Pancholi and Suneil Shetty’ s daughter Athiya Shetty was launched by Salman in his production Hero. He has also decided to offer Sonu Sood his role in the Hindi remake of Mahesh Manjrekar’s 2010 hit Marathi movie Shikshanachya Aaicha Gho who has lost many offers due to injury happened in CCL while playing. Salman has decided to mentor his longtime loyal bodyguard Shera’s son as well.[94] Armaan Kohli, who had a failed Bollywood career is now playing a major role with Khan in Sooraj Barjatya' s Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.[95]
Production
In 2011, he launched his own production company called SKBH Productions (Salman Khan Being Human Productions). Money which will be generated from film productions will be donated to Being Human. First film made under the banner was kids entertainer Chillar Party, which went on to win 3 National Awards, for Best Children's film, Best Original Screenplay and Child Artist's Award .[96][97] SKBH Productions next film will be Shikshanachya Aaicha Gho remake directed by Mahesh Manjrekar.
In 2014, he launched another production house called SKF (Salman Khan Film). First film released under this banner was Canadian film Dr. Cabbie. The film earned $350,452 on its opening day at the box office and Dr. Cabbie became the second highest-grossing film in Canada. The next films under this banner are Hero where he also sang title song hero[98][99] by Nikhil Advani which starring newcomers Suraj Pancholi & Athiya Shetty and Bajrangi Bhaijaan by Kabir Khan starring Salman Khan himself with Kareena Kapoor & Nawazuddin Siddiqui.[100]
Other work
Television
In 2008 Khan hosted 10 Ka Dum. The show was extremely popular and was at number one spot in ratings in India. It garnered an average TVR of 2.81 and a peak rating of 4.5, leaving behind Shahrukh Khan's Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tej hai? with an average rating of 1.37 TVR and a peak rating of 2.3 and Hrithik Roshan's Junoon — Kuch Kar Dikhane Ka on NDTV Imagine with an average TVR of 0.76 and a peak rating of 1.1[101] According to reports, the show helped Sony TV regain its third position in the Indian television ratings.[102] He again hosted the show in 2009 and thus won the Best Anchor Award for 10 Ka Dum in 2008 and 2009. In 2010 Khan hosted Bigg Boss 4. The show was widely accepted and appreciated due to Khan's hosting and surpassing the famous hosting of Amitabh Bachchan.[103] According to data available with aMap, a television viewership monitoring agency, the opening episode of Bigg Boss 4 on Colors got a rating of 3.6. Season 3 had average rating of 2.43 while Bigg Boss 1 and Bigg Boss 2 had average ratings of 1.96 and 2.03. While Bigg Boss 1 was anchored by Arshad Warsi, Shilpa Shetty hosted Bigg Boss 2 and Amitabh Bachchan for Bigg Boss 3.[104] The Grand Finale episode on 8 January 2011, received a TRP of 6.7, which was the highest among the finale of other Indian reality shows such as Kaun Banega Crorepati, Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayega, MasterChef and DID –Li’l Masters.[105] Due to high TRP Salman Khan again hosted Bigg Boss 5 along with Sanjay Dutt in 2011 and because of huge acceptance also hosted Bigg Boss 6 and Bigg Boss 7 in 2012 and 2013 respectively. In 2013 Khan hosted the Star Guild Award for the first time. Khan also hosted Bigg Boss 8.
Brand endorsements
Salman Khan was associated as a brand when he had done the advertisements for Limca Soft drink,[106] Hero Honda bikes[107] and Double Bull shirts,[108] much before he entered film Industry. Even after he became a superstar, he never showed interest in promoting himself as a brand, but he was signed for Thums Up in 2002 and continued until its contract was over. Later Akshay Kumar replaced Khan. Later he was the brand ambassador of soft drink Mountain Dew with whom he ended the contract in December 2010.[109] and now he is once again promoting Thums Up.[110][111] He has also become the brand ambassador for the travel website, Yatra.com, which also made him a shareholder.[112] He is also the face of the History Channel and the new brand for Suzuki motorcycles,[113] Previously he endorsed Red Tape Shoes[114] and now he is endorsing Relaxo Hawaii[115] Salman Khan is also the brand ambassador of the detergent brand, Wheel[116] He has also appeared for Chlormint, a brand of gum with his brother Sohail Khan. The actor has also done a jewellery brand, Sangini with Kareena Kapoor[117] apart from innerwear brand Dixcy Scott and tablet BlackBerry Playbook. Britannia' s Tiger biscuits is the latest endorsement of Salman.[118] He is also the face of Ranbaxy' s Revital replacing Yuvraj Singh[119] Apart from these brands, he also has Rotomac Pen and SF Sonic Batteries endorsements[120] Now Khan has been roped in as the brand ambassador of Dubai-based fashion label Splash[121] Khan has been signed as the brand ambassador for Astral Poly Technik Ltd, the leading manufacturers of plumbing and drainage systems in the country.[122]
Singing
Salman Khan has also sung few songs like:
Chaandhi Ki Daal Par Sone Ka Mor - Hello Brother (1999)
Hangover - Kick (2014)
Jumme Ki Raat - Kick (2014)
Tu Hi Tu Har Jagah - Kick (2014)
Main Hoon Hero Tera - Hero (2015)
Philanthropy
Khan at his Being Human show with actresses, (l-r) Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee, Preity Zinta, Katrina Kaif, Karishma Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra.
Khan has been involved in several charities during his career.[123] He has started an NGO called Being Human which sells T-shirts and other products online and in stores. A portion of the sales go to a worthy cause supporting the underprivileged.[124] Being Human Foundation is a registered charitable trust set up by Salman Khan for helping the cause of the underprivileged. In its early days, Salman Khan set up and funded the Foundation using his own money. The Foundation has two focus areas: Education and Healthcare. To increase the reach and corpus of the Foundation, Salman Khan has undertaken initiatives such as Being Human Art; Being Human merchandise; and Being Human Gitanjali Gold Coins.[125]
In 2011, he launched his own production company called SKBH Productions (Salman Khan Being Human Productions). Money which will be generated from film productions will be donated to Being Human. First film made under the banner was kids entertainer Chillar Party, which went on to win 3 National Awards, for Best Children's film, Best Original Screenplay and Child Artist's Award .[96][97]
In January 2012, Khan offered to pay ₹4 million (US$60,000) for releasing around 400 prisoners from around 63 prisons in the state of Uttar Pradesh via his NGO. The prisoners had completed their term but due to economical reasons, they were unable to pay a legal fine for their charges.[126]
In July 2015, Khan offered to donate the profits of his most successful film Bajrangi Bhaijaan among the poor farmers all over India. Film’s producers Salman Khan and Rockline Venkatesh both have mutually decided to donate the profits of their film to them. Film's director Kabir Khan and Salman’s sister Alvira Agnihotri met Mahrashtra’s Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse to discuss the same.[127]
Personal life
He lives in Galaxy Apartments, Bandra, Mumbai.[1] He also has a 150-acre plot in Panvel, which has 3 bungalows, swimming pool and gym.[1] Khan is a dedicated bodybuilder. He has a 42-inch chest, 17-inch biceps and a 30-inch waist.[1]
Khan has never married and his relationships have been of keen interest to the media and his fans. In 1999, he began dating Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai; their relationship was often reported in the media until the couple separated in 2001. Khan started dating actress Katrina Kaif but after years of speculations, Kaif admitted in an interview in 2011 that she was in a serious relationship with Salman Khan for several years, which ended in 2010.[128] Sangeeta Bijlani and Somy Ali were also in serious relationship with Khan.[129]
In August 2011, Khan admitted he suffers from trigeminal neuralgia, a facial nerve disorder commonly known as the "suicide disease". In an interview, he said that he has been quietly suffering it for the past seven years, but now the pain has become unbearable. It has even affected his voice, making it much harsher.[130]
In popular media
Salman Khan promoting his production venture Chillar Party.
In 2004 Khan was ranked as 7th Best looking man in world - People Magazine, USA. In 2008 his lifelike wax statue was installed in London's Madame Tussauds Museum and so in 2012 once again his another wax statue was installed in New York's Madame Tussauds Museum. In 2010 People Magazine, India declared him the Sexiest Man Alive. In 2011, 2012 and 2013 he was declared Times of India's Most Desirable Man of #2, #1 and #3 respectivelty.[131] In August 2013 he was declared as India's Most Searched Celebrity Online.[132] Khan topped Forbes India charts for 2014, in terms of both fame and revenues.[133] According to the Forbes 2015 list of 'Celebrity 100 : The World's Top-Paid Entertainers 2015', Khan was the highest ranked Indian in 71st rank with earnings of $33.5 million.[134]
Acting style and analysis
He is one of the most commercially successful movie stars of India. While reviewing his performance in Tere Naam, Taran Adarsh wrote, "Salman Khan is exceptional in a role that fits him to the T. He breathes fire in sequences that demand uneasiness. But beneath the tough exterior lies a vulnerable person and this facet in particular comes to the fore in the latter reels. His emotional outbursts are splendid...".[58] Adarsh also remarked that "Wanted that it will run only on Salman's star power."[135] Filmfare commenting about him says that "When it comes to a Salman Khan or a Rajnikant film, their performance is not important. It’s the audience performance that counts."[136] He also received rave reviews for his portrayal of colorful cop Chulbul Pandey a.k.a. Robinhood Pandey in Dabangg. Anupama Chopra of NDTV said, "It's the role of a lifetime and Salman Khan bites into it like a starving man devours a feast. He inhabits it fully, strutting and swaggering and even, spoofing himself." He has thus established himself as one of the leading actors in Hindi cinema.[137] In August 2012, he was voted no.3 "India's Greatest Actor" in NDTV poll.[138]
Controversies
Khan has been the subject of several controversies, including certain legal troubles.
Hit-and-run case
On 28 September 2002, Khan was arrested for rash and negligent driving after his car ran into a bakery in Mumbai; one person who was sleeping on the pavement outside the bakery died and three others were injured in the mishap.[139] Charges of culpable homicide were laid against him, but later dropped.[140] On 24 July 2013, he was formally charged with culpable homicide in the case, to which he pleaded not guilty.
On 6 May 2015, Khan was found guilty of all charges in the case. The Bombay Sessions Court concluded that Salman Khan was driving the car under the influence of alcohol causing the death of one and serious injury to four homeless persons. Sessions judge DW Deshpande convicted the actor for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sentenced him to five years in prison. Later on same day, Bombay High Court granted him interim bail till 8 May 2015,[141][142][143] on which the court suspended his prison sentence until the final appeal hearing in July.[144][145][146] His driver Ashok Singh, who had given the testimony that it was him who was driving the car at the time of accident, was charged with perjury for misguiding the Court with false testimony and was arrested.[147] The kidnapping and eventual death of prime witness Police Constable Ravindra Patil remains a mystery, with some suspecting the involvement of organized crime.[148][149][150][151]
Relationship with Aishwarya Rai
His relationship with actress Aishwarya Rai was a well publicized topic in the Indian media.[152] After their break-up in March 2002, Rai accused him of harassing her. She claimed that Khan had not been able to come to terms with their break-up and was hounding her; her parents lodged a complaint against him.[153] In 2005, news outlets released what was said to be an illicit copy of a mobile phone call recorded in 2001 by the Mumbai police. It appeared to be a call in which he threatened Rai, in an effort to force her to appear at social events held by Mumbai crime figures. The call featured boasts of connections to organised crime and derogatory comments about other actors. However, the alleged tape was tested in the government's Forensic lab in Chandigarh, which concluded that it was fake.[154][155]
Blackbuck hunting case
On 17 February 2006, Khan was sentenced to one year in prison for hunting the Chinkara, an endangered species. The sentence was stayed by a higher court during appeal.[156] On 10 April 2006, he was handed a five-year jail term and remanded to Jodhpur jail until 13 April when he was granted bail.[157] On 24 July 2012, Rajasthan High Court finalized charges against Salman Khan and his other colleagues in the endangered blackbuck killing case, paving way for start of the trial.[158] On 9 July 2014, Supreme Court issued a notice to Salman on Rajasthan government's plea challenging the HC order suspending his conviction.[159]
Remarks about 26/11 attacks
On September 2010, Khan was reported to have claimed during an interview to a Pakistani channel that the 26/11 attacks got a lot of attention because the "elite" were targeted.[160][161] During the interview the actor had said – "It was the elite that was targeted this time. Five star hotels and stuff. So they panicked. Then they got up and spoke about it. My question is why not before. Attacks have happened in trains and small towns too, but no one talked about it so much."[160][161] Khan also said that Pakistan was not to be blamed for it, and that the Indian security forces had failed.[162] Khan's comments had drawn strong reactions from Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Chagan Bhujbal, Shiv Sena, BJP and other political parties.[163] The comments were also condemned by Ujwal Nikam, Special Prosecutor in the 26/11 trial.[163] Khan later apologized for his comments.[16
Shahrukh Khan
Born Shahrukh Khan
2 November 1965 (age 49)[1]
New Delhi, India[2]
Residence Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Occupation Actor, producer, television presenter
Years active 1988–present
Religion Islam
Spouse(s) Gauri Khan (m. 1991)
Children 3
This article is about the Indian film actor/producer. For other uses, see SRK (disambiguation).
Shah Rukh Khan (born Shahrukh Khan, 2 November 1965), also known as SRK, is an Indian film actor, producer and television personality. Referred to in the media as "Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood" or "King Khan", he has appeared in more than 80 Bollywood films. Described by the Los Angeles Times as perhaps "the world's biggest movie star",[3] Khan has a significant following in Asia and the Indian diaspora worldwide. He is one of the richest actors in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$400–600 million, and his work in Bollywood has earned him numerous accolades, including 14 Filmfare Awards.
Khan started his career with appearances in several television series in the late 1980s. He made his Bollywood debut in 1992 with Deewana. Early in his career, Khan was recognised for portraying villainous roles in the films Darr (1993), Baazigar (1993) and Anjaam (1994). He then rose to prominence after starring in a series of romantic films, including Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001). He earned critical acclaim for his portrayal of an alcoholic in Devdas (2002), a NASA scientist in Swades (2004), a hockey coach in Chak De! India (2007) and a man with Asperger syndrome in My Name Is Khan (2010). Many of his films display themes of Indian national identity and connections with diaspora communities, or gender, racial, social and religious differences and grievances. For his contributions to film, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, and the Government of France awarded him both the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Légion d'honneur.
As of 2015, Khan is co-chairman of the motion picture production company Red Chillies Entertainment and its subsidiaries, and is the co-owner of the Indian Premier League cricket team Kolkata Knight Riders. He is a frequent television presenter and stage show performer. The media often label him as "Brand SRK" because of his many endorsement and entrepreneurship ventures. Khan's philanthropic endeavours have provided health care and disaster relief, and he was honoured with UNESCO's Pyramide con Marni award in 2011 for his support of children's education. He regularly features in listings of the most influential people in Indian culture, and in 2008 Newsweek named him one of their fifty most powerful people in the world.
Early life and family
Shah Rukh Khan standing beside his wife Gauri at a party in 2012
Khan with his wife Gauri at a party in 2012
Khan was born on 2 November 1965 in New Delhi.[2] He spent the first five years of his life in Mangalore, where his maternal grandfather, Ifthikar Ahmed, served as the chief engineer of the port in the 1960s.[4][5][a] According to Khan, his paternal grandfather, Jan Muhammad, was from Afghanistan.[7][8] Khan's father, Meer Taj Mohammed Khan, an ethnic Pashtun (Pathan), was an Indian independence activist from Peshawar, British India (present-day Pakistan). As of 2010, Khan's paternal family was still living in Shah Wali Qataal area of Peshawar's Qissa Khawani Bazaar.[8] Meer was a follower of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan,[9] and affiliated with the All Indian National Congress.[8] He moved to New Delhi before the 1947 partition of India.[10] Khan's mother, Lateef Fatima, was the daughter of a senior government engineer.[11][b] His parents were married in 1959.[14] Khan described himself on Twitter as "half Hyderabadi (mother), half Pathan (father), [and] some Kashmiri (grandmother)".[15] His cousin in Peshawar, Maqsood Ahmed, claims that the family is actually of Hindkowan origin, and also contradicts the claim that his grandfather was from Afghanistan.[8]
Khan grew up in the Rajendra Nagar neighbourhood of Delhi.[16] His father had several business ventures including a restaurant, and the family lived a middle-class life in rented apartments.[17] Khan attended St. Columba's School in central Delhi where he excelled in his studies and in sports such as hockey and football,[18] and received the school's highest award, the Sword of Honour.[17] In his youth, he acted in stage plays and received praise for his imitations of Bollywood actors, of which his favourites were Mumtaz and Amitabh Bachchan.[19] One of his childhood friends and acting partners was Amrita Singh, who became a Bollywood actress.[20] Khan enrolled at Hansraj College (1985–88) to earn his bachelor's degree in Economics, but spent much of his time at Delhi's Theatre Action Group (TAG),[21] where he studied acting under the mentorship of theatre director Barry John.[22] After Hansraj, he began studying for a master's degree in Mass Communications at Jamia Millia Islamia, but left to pursue his acting career.[23] He also attended the National School of Drama in Delhi during his early career in Bollywood.[24] His father died of cancer in 1981,[c] and his mother died in 1991 from complications of diabetes.[27] After the death of their parents, his older sister, Shahnaz Lalarukh, born in 1960,[28] fell into a depressed state and Khan took on the responsibility of caring for her.[25][29] Shahnaz continues to live with her brother and his family in their Mumbai mansion.[30]
Although Khan was given the birth name Shahrukh Khan, he prefers his name to be written as Shah Rukh Khan, and is commonly referred to by the acronym SRK.[1] He married Gauri Chibber, a Punjabi Hindu, in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on 25 October 1991, after a six-year courtship.[31][32] They have a son Aryan (born 1997) and a daughter Suhana (born 2000).[23] In 2013, they became parents of a third child named AbRam,[33] who was born through a surrogate mother.[34] According to Khan, while he strongly believes in Islam, he also values his wife's religion. His children follow both religions; at home the Qur'an is situated next to the Hindu deities.[35]
Acting career
Further information: Shah Rukh Khan filmography
1988–92: Television and film debut
Khan's first starring role was in Lekh Tandon's television series Dil Dariya, which began shooting in 1988, but production delays led to the 1989 series Fauji becoming his television debut instead.[36] In the series, which depicted a realistic look at the training of army cadets, he played the leading role of Abhimanyu Rai.[37][38] This led to further appearances in Aziz Mirza's television series Circus (1989–90) and Mani Kaul's miniseries Idiot (1991).[39] Khan also played minor parts in the serials Umeed (1989) and Wagle Ki Duniya (1988–90),[39] and in the English-language television film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones (1989).[40] His appearances in these serials led critics to compare his look and acting style with those of the film actor Dilip Kumar,[41] but Khan was not interested in film acting at the time, thinking that he was not good enough.[39][42]
Khan changed his decision to act in films in April 1991,[43] citing it as a way to escape the grief of his mother's death.[44] He moved from Delhi to Mumbai to pursue a full-time career in Bollywood, and was quickly signed to four films.[43] His first offer was for Hema Malini's directorial debut Dil Aashna Hai,[24][37] and by June, he had started his first shoot.[45] His film debut was in Deewana, which was released in June 1992.[46] In it he starred alongside Divya Bharti as the second male lead behind Rishi Kapoor. Deewana became a box office hit and launched Khan's Bollywood career;[47] he earned the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for his performance.[48] Also released in 1992 were Khan's first films as the male lead, Chamatkar, Dil Aashna Hai, and the comedy Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, which was his first of many collaborations with the actress Juhi Chawla.[49] His initial film roles saw him play characters who displayed energy and enthusiasm. According to Arnab Ray of Daily News and Analysis, Khan brought a new kind of acting as he was "sliding down stairs on a slab of ice, cartwheeling, somersaulting, lips trembling, eyes trembling, bringing to the screen the kind of physical energy ... visceral, intense, maniacal one moment and cloyingly boyish the next."[50]
1993–94: Anti-hero
Among his 1993 releases, Khan garnered the most appreciation for portraying villainous roles in two box office hits: an obsessive lover in Darr, and a murderer in Baazigar.[51] Darr marked the first of Khan's many collaborations with filmmaker Yash Chopra and his company Yash Raj Films. Khan's stammering and the use of the phrase "I love you, K-k-k-Kiran" were popular with audiences.[52] For Darr he received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role, also known as the Best Villain Award, but lost to Paresh Rawal for Sir.[53] Baazigar, in which Khan played an ambiguous avenger who murders his girlfriend, shocked Indian audiences with an unexpected violation of the standard Bollywood formula.[54] In The Cambridge Companion to Modern Indian Culture, Sonal Khullar called the character "the consummate anti-hero".[55] His performance in Baazigar, which would be his first of many appearances with actress Kajol, won Khan his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor.[56] In 2003, the Encyclopedia of Hindi Cinema stated that Khan "defied the image of the conventional hero in both these films and created his own version of the revisionist hero".[56] Also in 1993, Khan performed a nude scene with Deepa Sahi in Maya Memsaab, although parts of it were censored by the Central Board of Film Certification.[57] The ensuing controversy prompted him to eschew such scenes in future roles.[58]
In 1994, Khan played a love-struck musician in Kundan Shah's comedy-drama film Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, which he later professed was his favourite role. His performance earned him a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, and in a retrospective review from 2004, Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com referred to it as Khan's best performance, saying "He is spontaneous, vulnerable, boyish, mischievous and acting straight from the heart."[59] Also in 1994, Khan won the Filmfare Best Villain Award for his role as an obsessive lover in Anjaam, co-starring Madhuri Dixit.[56] At the time, playing antagonistic roles was considered risky to a leading man's career in Bollywood. Ray subsequently credited Khan for taking "insane risks" and "pushing the envelope" by choosing to play such characters, through which he established his career in Bollywood.[50] The director Mukul S. Anand called him "the new face of the industry" at the time.[44]
1995–98: Romantic hero
Shah Rukh Khan hugs Kajol
Khan with co-star Kajol in 2014 celebrating 1000 weeks continuous showing of their film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
Khan starred in seven films in 1995, the first of which was Rakesh Roshan's melodramatic thriller Karan Arjun. Co-starring Salman Khan and Kajol, it became the second-highest grossing film of the year in India.[60] His most significant release that year was Aditya Chopra's directorial debut, the romance Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, in which he played a young Non-resident Indian (NRI) who falls in love with Kajol's character during a trip across Europe. Khan was initially reticent to portray the role of a lover, but this film is credited with establishing him as a "romantic hero".[61] Lauded by both critics and the public, it became the year's highest grossing production in India and abroad and was declared an "all time blockbuster" by Box Office India,[60][62] with a gross of over ₹1.22 billion (US$18 million) worldwide.[63] It is the longest-running film in the history of Indian cinema; it is still showing at the Maratha Mandir theatre in Mumbai after more than 1000 weeks as of early 2015.[64][65] The film won ten Filmfare Awards, including the second of Khan's Best Actor Awards.[56] The director and critic Raja Sen said, "Khan gives a fabulous performance, redefining the lover for the 1990s with great panache. He's cool and flippant, but sincere enough to appeal to the [audience]. The performance itself is, like the best in the business, played well enough to come across as effortless, as non-acting."[66]
In 1996, all four of Khan's releases failed critically and commercially,[67] but the following year, his starring role opposite Juhi Chawla in Aziz Mirza's romantic comedy Yes Boss earned him accolades that included a Filmfare Best Actor nomination.[53] Later in 1997, he starred in Subhash Ghai's diasporic-themed social drama Pardes,[68] portraying Arjun, a musician facing a moral dilemma. India Today cites it as one of the first major Bollywood pictures to succeed in the United States.[69] Khan's final release of 1997 was a second collaboration with Yash Chopra in the popular musical romance Dil To Pagal Hai. He portrayed Rahul, a stage director caught in a love triangle between Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor. The film and his performance met with critical praise, winning Khan his third Best Actor Award at Filmfare.[56]
Khan performed the lead role in three films and made one special appearance in 1998. In his first release of the year, he played a double role opposite Juhi Chawla and Sonali Bendre in Mahesh Bhatt's action comedy Duplicate, the first of his many collaborations with Yash Johar's production company Dharma Productions. The film was not well received,[70] but India Today lauded Khan for his energetic performance.[71] The same year, Khan won critical praise for his performance as an All India Radio correspondent who develops an infatuation for a mysterious terrorist (Manisha Koirala) in Dil Se..,[72] the third instalment of Mani Ratnam's trilogy of terror films.[73][74] In his final release of the year, he portrayed a college student in Karan Johar's romance Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, in which he was involved in a love triangle along with Kajol and Rani Mukerji. The writer Anjana Motihar Chandra has referred to the picture as the blockbuster of the 1990s, a "pot-pourri of romance, comedy, and entertainment."[75] Khan won the Best Actor award at the Filmfare Awards ceremony for the second consecutive year,[56] although he and several critics believed his performance to have been overshadowed by that of Kajol.[76]
The roles in this phase of his career, and the series of romantic comedies and family dramas that followed, earned Khan widespread adulation from audiences, particularly teenagers,[77] and according to author Anupama Chopra, established him as an icon of romance in India.[78][79] He continued to have frequent professional associations with Yash Chopra, Aditya Chopra, and Karan Johar, who moulded his image and made him into a superstar.[80] Khan became a romantic leading man without ever actually kissing any of his co-stars,[78] although he broke this rule in 2012, after strong urging by Yash Chopra.[81]
1999–2003: Career challenges
Khan's only release in 1999 was Baadshah, in which he starred opposite Twinkle Khanna. Although the film underperformed at the box office,[82] it earned him a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Performance in a Comic Role, which he lost to Govinda for Haseena Maan Jaayegi.[53] Khan became a producer in 1999 in a collaboration with the actress Juhi Chawla and the director Aziz Mirza for a production company called Dreamz Unlimited.[83] The company's first production, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000), starring Khan and Chawla, was a commercial failure.[84] It was released one week after Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, starring Hrithik Roshan, then a newcomer, who critics believed overshadowed Khan.[85] Swapna Mitter of Rediff.com spoke of Khan's predictable mannerisms, saying "Frankly, it's high time he innovated his act a little."[86] Khan made his debut in Tamil cinema with Hey Ram (2000),[87] which he performed free of charge as he wanted to work with Kamal Haasan.[88] The film released to critical acclaim;[89] on Khan's performance, T. Krithika Reddy of The Hindu wrote, "Shah Rukh Khan, as usual comes up with an impeccable performance."[87]
In 2001, Dreamz Unlimited attempted a comeback with Khan portraying the title role in Santosh Sivan's historical epic Aśoka, a partly fictionalised account of the life of emperor Ashoka. The film was screened at the Venice Film Festival and the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival to a positive response,[90] but it performed poorly at Indian box offices.[91] As losses continued to mount for the production company,[85] Khan was forced to close srkworld.com, a company that he had started along with Dreamz Unlimited.[92] In December 2001, Khan suffered a spinal injury while performing an action sequence for a special appearance in Krishna Vamsi's Shakti: The Power.[93] He was subsequently diagnosed with a prolapsed disc, and attempted multiple alternative therapies. None of these provided a permanent solution to the injury, which caused him severe pain while shooting several of his films.[93][94] By the beginning of 2003, his condition had worsened to the point that he had to undergo anterior cervical discectomy and fusion surgery at Wellington Hospital, London.[95][96][97] Khan resumed shooting in June 2003, but he reduced his workload and the number of film roles he accepted annually.[94]
Shah Rukh Khan views a book with Aishwarya Rai in 2002
Khan with co-star Aishwarya Rai at the home video launch of their film Devdas (2002)
Successes during this time included Aditya Chopra's Mohabbatein (2000), and Karan Johar's family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001),[84][98] which Khan cites as a turning point in his career.[99] Both films co-starred Amitabh Bachchan as an authoritarian figure, and presented ideological struggles between the two men.[100][101] Khan's performances in the films were met with wide public appreciation, and he was awarded his second Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for Mohabbatein.[53][102] Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... remained the top-grossing Indian production of all time in the overseas market for the next five years.[63]
In 2002, Khan played the title role as a rebellious alcoholic opposite Aishwarya Rai in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period romance Devdas. At a cost of over ₹500 million (US$7.5 million), it was the most expensive Bollywood film ever made at the time,[103] yet recovered its costs, earning ₹840 million (US$13 million) worldwide.[63] The film earned numerous accolades including 10 Filmfare Awards, with Best Actor for Khan,[48] and a BAFTA nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.[104] Khan next starred in Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), a comedy-drama written by Karan Johar and set in New York City, which became the second-highest grossing film domestically and the top-grossing Bollywood film in external markets that year.[98][105] Co-starring with Jaya Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, and Preity Zinta, Khan received critical praise for his portrayal of Aman Mathur, a man with a fatal heart disease, with critics praising his emotional impact upon audiences.[106] Conflict broke out between Khan and the other partners of Dreamz Unlimited over the failure to cast Juhi Chawla in their 2003 production of Aziz Mirza's Chalte Chalte, and they parted ways, despite the film's success.[107]
2004–09: Resurgence
2004 was a critically and commercially successful year for Khan. He transformed Dreamz Unlimited into Red Chillies Entertainment, adding his wife Gauri as a producer.[108] In the company's first production, he starred in Farah Khan's directorial debut, the action comedy masala film Main Hoon Na. A fictionalised account of India–Pakistan relations, it was viewed by some commentators as a conscious effort to move away from the stereotypical portrayal of Pakistan as the constant villain.[109] Khan then played an Indian Air Force pilot who falls in love with a Pakistani woman (Preity Zinta) in Yash Chopra's romance film Veer-Zaara, which was screened at the 55th Berlin Film Festival to critical praise.[110] It was the highest earning film of 2004 in India, with a worldwide gross of over ₹940 million (US$14 million), and Main Hoon Na was the second-highest earner with ₹680 million (US$10 million).[63][111]
Shah Rukh Khan standing beside Priyanka Chopra at film premiere
Khan with Priyanka Chopra at the premiere for Don in 2006
In his final release of 2004, Khan starred as a NASA scientist who patriotically returns to India to rekindle his roots in Ashutosh Gowariker's social drama Swades (meaning "Homeland"), which became the first Indian picture to be shot inside the NASA research centre at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.[112] Film scholar Stephen Teo refers to the picture as an example of "Bollywoodised realism", displaying a transcendence in conventional narrative and audience expectation in Hindi cinema.[113] In December 2013, The Times of India reported that Khan found filming the picture such an emotionally overwhelming and life-changing experience that he had still not viewed the film.[114] Derek Elley of Variety found Khan's performance "unsettling" as "a self-satisfied expatriate determined to bring Western values to poor Indian peasants",[115] but several film critics, including Jitesh Pillai, believed it to have been his finest acting to date.[116][117] He was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor Award for all three of his 2004 releases and eventually won the award for Swades.[48][53] Filmfare later included his performance in the 2010 issue of Bollywood's "Top 80 Iconic Performances".[118]
In 2005, Khan starred in Amol Palekar's fantasy drama, Paheli. The film was nominated as India's official entry to the 79th Academy Awards.[119] He later collaborated with Karan Johar for the third time in the musical romantic drama Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), the story of two unhappily married people in New York City who begin an extramarital affair. The film, which featured an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji and Kirron Kher, emerged as India's highest grossing film in the overseas market,[98] earning more than ₹1.13 billion (US$17 million) worldwide.[63] Both his roles in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and the action film Don, a remake of the 1978 film of the same name, earned Khan Best Actor nominations at the Filmfare Awards,[120] despite his performance as the titular character in Don being negatively compared to that of Amitabh Bachchan in the original film.[121][122] Hrithik Roshan, who was also nominated twice, won the award for Dhoom 2.[123]
"Such great things have happened to such a normal guy like me. I am a nobody who shouldn't have been able to do all this but I have done it. I tell everyone that there's this myth I work for; there is this myth called Shahrukh Khan and I am his employee. I have to live up to that ... I'll do it, I am an actor. But I can't start believing in this myth."
—Khan reflecting in 2007 on his position as the Hindi film industry's top star[124]
In 2007, Khan portrayed a disgraced hockey player who coaches the Indian women's national hockey team to World Cup success in Yash Raj Films' semi-fictional Chak De! India. Bhaichand Patel notes that Khan, who had a background in the sport playing for his university's hockey team,[125] essentially portrayed himself as a "cosmopolitan, liberal, Indian Muslim".[126] Faring well in both India and abroad,[63][127] Khan garnered another Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance,[48] which Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN considers to have been "without any of his typical trappings, without any of his trademark quirks", portraying Kabir Khan "like a real flesh-and-blood human being".[128] Filmfare included his performance in their 2010 issue of the "Top 80 Iconic Performances".[129] In the same year, Khan starred alongside Deepika Padukone, Shreyas Talpade and Arjun Rampal in Farah Khan's reincarnation melodrama Om Shanti Om, portraying a 1970s junior artiste who is reborn as a 2000s era superstar. The film became the highest grossing Indian motion picture of 2007, both domestically and abroad.[98][130] Om Shanti Om earned Khan his second nomination of the year for Best Actor at Filmfare.[131] Khalid Mohammed from Hindustan Times wrote, "the enterprise belongs to Shah Rukh Khan, who tackles comedy, high drama and action with his signature style—spontaneous and intuitively intelligent".[132]
Khan collaborated for the third time with Aditya Chopra on the romantic drama Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) opposite Anushka Sharma, at that time a newcomer. He played Surinder Sahni, a shy man with low self-esteem, whose love for his young arranged wife (Sharma) causes him to transform himself into Raj, a boisterous alter-ego. Rachel Saltz of The New York Times believed the dual role to have been "tailor-made" for Khan, giving him the opportunity to display his talents,[133] although Deep Contractor from Epilogue thought Khan displayed greater strength in the role of Surinder and weakness in the role of monologue-prone Raj.[134] In December 2008, Khan suffered a shoulder injury while filming a small role in Mudassar Aziz's Dulha Mil Gaya. He underwent extensive physiotherapy sessions at the time but the pain left him almost immobile and he had arthroscopic surgery in February 2009.[135][136] He performed an extended, special appearance in the 2009 film Billu, playing Bollywood superstar Sahir Khan—a fictionalised version of himself, wherein he performed musical item numbers with actresses Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, and Deepika Padukone.[137] As head of the film's production company, Red Chillies, Khan made the call to change the title of the film from Billu Barber to Billu after hairdressers across the country complained that the word "barber" was derogatory. The company covered up the offending word on billboards that had already been installed with the original title.[138]
2010–present
After refusing the role that subsequently went to Anil Kapoor in Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Khan began shooting My Name Is Khan (2010), his fourth collaboration with director Karan Johar and his sixth with Kajol.[139] The film is based on a true story and set against the backdrop of perceptions of Islam after the 11 September attacks. Khan plays Rizwan Khan, a Muslim suffering from mild Asperger syndrome who sets out on a journey across America to meet the country's president, in a role that film scholar Stephen Teo sees as a "symbol of assertive rasa values" and another example of Khan representing NRI identity in global Bollywood.[140] To provide an accurate portrayal of a sufferer without disparagement, Khan spent several months researching his role by reading books, watching videos and talking to people affected by the condition.[141][142] Upon release, My Name is Khan became one of the highest grossing Bollywood films of all time outside India,[63][98] and earned Khan his eighth Filmfare Award for Best Actor,[48] equalling the record for the most wins in the category with actor Dilip Kumar.[143] Jay Wesissberg from Variety noted how Khan portrayed the Asperger's sufferer with "averted eyes, springy steps, [and] stuttered repetitions of memorized texts", believing it to have been a "standout performance sure to receive the Autism Society's gold seal of approval".[144]
In 2011, Khan starred alongside Arjun Rampal and Kareena Kapoor in Anubhav Sinha's science fiction superhero film Ra.One, his first work in this genre, as a favour to his children.[145] The film follows the story of a London-based videogame designer who creates a villainous character who escapes into the real world. It was billed as Bollywood's most expensive production; it had an estimated budget of ₹1.25 billion (US$19 million).[146][147] Despite negative media coverage of the film's box office performance, Ra.One was a financial success with a gross of ₹2.4 billion (US$36 million).[148][149] The film, and Khan's portrayal of a dual role, received mixed reviews; while most critics praised his performance as the robotic superhero G.One, they criticised his portrayal of the videogame designer Shekhar.[150] Khan's second release of 2011 was Don 2, a sequel to Don (2006).[151] To prepare for his role, Khan exercised extensively and performed most of the stunts himself.[152] His performance earned him positive reviews from critics; Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India said, "Shah Rukh remains in command and never loses his foothold, neither through the dramatic sequences nor through the action cuts".[153] The year's highest grossing Bollywood production abroad,[154][155] it was showcased at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival.[156]
Shah Rukh Khan with Jab Tak Hai Jaan co-stars Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma
Khan with his Jab Tak Hai Jaan co-stars Katrina Kaif (left) and Anushka Sharma (right) at a promotional event in 2012
Khan's only release in 2012 was Yash Chopra's last picture,[157] the drama Jab Tak Hai Jaan, which saw him once again in a romantic role, starring opposite Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. CNN-IBN considered the overall performance by Khan to have been one of his finest to date, but believed that Khan's first screen kiss of his career with Katrina Kaif, twenty years his junior, was an awkward one.[81][158] Jab Tak Hai Jaan became one of the highest grossing Bollywood films of all time, both in India and abroad, setting several records and earning over ₹2.11 billion (US$32 million) worldwide.[159][160] The film was showcased at the 2012 Marrakech International Film Festival in Morocco, along with Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..., Veer-Zaara, and Don 2.[161] At the following Zee Cine Awards, Khan performed a tribute to the late Yash Chopra along with Kaif, Sharma, and several of Chopra's other past heroines.[162]
In 2013, Khan starred in Rohit Shetty's action comedy Chennai Express for Red Chillies Entertainment, a film which earned mixed critical reviews and a fair amount of criticism for its perceived disparagement of South Indian culture, although the film included a tribute to Tamil cinema star Rajinikanth.[163] The critic Khalid Mohamed thought that Khan overacted in the film and criticised him for "re-rendering every old trick in the acting book".[164] Despite the criticism, the film broke many box office records for Hindi films in both India and abroad, surpassing 3 Idiots to briefly become the highest grossing Bollywood film of all time, with a gross of almost ₹4 billion (US$60 million) in worldwide ticket sales.[165][166] On 7 March 2013—a day before International Women's Day—The Times of India reported that Khan had requested a new convention with the name of his lead female co-stars appearing above his own in the credits. He claimed that the women in his life, including his co-stars, have been the reason for his success.[167] In 2014, the actor was featured in Farah Khan's ensemble comedy Happy New Year, which co-starred Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan and Boman Irani; his third collaboration with the director.[168] Although Khan's unidimensional character was criticised,[169] the film became a commercial success.[170]
As of April 2015, Khan has completed work on Maneesh Sharma's Fan, in which he plays dual roles of a superstar and his fan.[171][172] He has signed on for director Rahul Dholakia's next film, entitled Raees, produced by Excel Entertainment and co-starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and has also committed to star with Kajol, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon in Rohit Shetty's comedy-drama Dilwale.[173][174] In August 2015, he was cast opposite Alia Bhatt in Gauri Shinde's next project.[175][176]
Other work
Film production and television hosting
Khan co-produced three films from 1999 to 2003 as a founding member of the partnership Dreamz Unlimited.[83] After the partnership was dissolved, he and Gauri restructured the company as Red Chillies Entertainment,[108] which includes divisions dealing with film and television production, visual effects, and advertising.[177] As of 2015, the company has produced or co-produced at least nine films.[178] Either Khan or Guari are usually given production credits, and he has appeared in most of the films, either in the lead role, or in a guest appearance. Khan was involved in several aspects of the making of Ra.One (2011). Aside from acting, he produced the film, volunteered to write the console game script, dubbed for it, oversaw its technical development, and wrote the digital comics based on the film's characters.[179][180] Khan has occasionally done playback singing for his films. In Josh (2000) he sang the popular song "Apun Bola Tu Meri Laila". He also sang in Don (2006) and Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012).[181] For Always Kabhi Kabhi (2011), which was produced by Red Chillies, Khan participated in the lyrical composition.[182]
In addition to his early television serial appearances, Khan has hosted numerous televised awards shows, including the Filmfare, Zee Cine, and Screen Awards.[183][184][185] In 2007, he replaced Amitabh Bachchan for one season as the host of Kaun Banega Crorepati, the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?,[186] and a year later, Khan began hosting Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?, the Indian version of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?.[187] In 2011, he returned to television, appearing on Imagine TV's Zor Ka Jhatka: Total Wipeout, the Indian version of Wipeout; scenes featuring Khan were shot at the Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai.[188] Contrary to his earlier television anchoring jobs, Zor Ka Jhatka: Total Wipeout performed poorly. It aired for only one season and became the lowest rated show hosted by a Bollywood star.[188]
Stage performances
Shah Rukh Khan dances with other performers in 2010
Khan during a performance in a concert at the Army Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2010
Khan is a frequent stage performer and has participated in several world tours and concerts. In 1997, he performed in Asha Bhosle's Moments in Time concert in Malaysia, and returned the following year to perform with Karisma Kapoor for the Shahrukh–Karisma: Live in Malaysia concert.[189] The same year, he participated in The Awesome Foursome world tour across the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States along with Juhi Chawla, Akshay Kumar and Kajol, and resumed the tour in Malaysia the following year.[190][191] In 2002, Khan featured with Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Preity Zinta, and Aishwarya Rai in the show From India With Love at Manchester's Old Trafford and London's Hyde Park; the event was attended by more than 100,000 people.[192] Khan performed alongside Rani Mukherji, Arjun Rampal and Ishaa Koppikar in a 2010 concert at the Army Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh.[193] The next year he joined Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra in the Friendship Concert, celebrating 150 years of India–South Africa friendship in Durban, South Africa.[194]
Khan started an association with the "Temptations" series of concert tours by singing, dancing, and performing skits alongside Arjun Rampal, Priyanka Chopra, and other Bollywood stars in Temptations 2004, a stage show that toured 22 venues across the world.[195] The show played to 15,000 spectators at Dubai's Festival City Arena.[196] In 2008, Khan set up Temptation Reloaded, a series of concerts that toured several countries, including the Netherlands.[197] Another tour was held with Bipasha Basu and others in 2012 in Jakarta,[198] and in 2013 another series of concerts visited Auckland, Perth and Sydney.[199] In 2014, Khan performed in SLAM! The Tour in the US, Canada, and London,[200] and also hosted the Indian premiere of the live talent show, Got Talent World Stage Live.[201]
Ownership of IPL cricket team
In 2008, Khan, in partnership with Juhi Chawla and her husband Jay Mehta, acquired ownership rights for the franchise representing Kolkata in the Twenty20 cricket tournament Indian Premier League (IPL) for US$75.09 million, and named the team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).[202] As of 2009, KKR was one of the richest teams in the IPL, with a brand value of US$42.1 million.[203] The team performed poorly on the field during the first three years.[204] Their performance improved over time, and they became the champions in 2012[204] and 2014.[205]
Khan performed alongside Sunidhi Chauhan and Shriya Saran at the opening ceremony of the 2011 season, where they danced to Tamil songs.[206] He appeared again in 2013 alongside Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone and Pitbull.[207] In May 2012, the Mumbai Cricket Association banned him from the Wankhede Stadium for five years for arguing with security guards and officials after a match between KKR and The Mumbai Indians.[208] Khan later apologised to his fans after his team won the final match.[209]
In the media
Main article: Shah Rukh Khan in the media
Shah Rukh Khan wearing sunglasses and a vest at a promotional event
Khan at a Tag Heuer press conference, promoting the Carrera Monaco GP watch in 2012
Shah Rukh Khan receives a considerable amount of media coverage in India, and is often referred to as "King Khan", "The Baadshah of Bollywood", or "The King of Bollywood".[210][211][212] Anupama Chopra cites him as an "ever present celebrity", with two or three films a year, constantly running television ads, print ads and gigantic billboards lining the streets of Indian cities.[213] The object of a sometimes fanatical following, with a fan base estimated to exceed one billion,[214] he was declared "the biggest movie star you've never heard of. And perhaps the world's biggest movie star, period" in 2011 by Steven Zeitchik of the Los Angeles Times.[d][3] Khan is one of the wealthiest and most powerful celebrities in India, topping the Forbes India's "Celebrity 100 list" for 2012 and 2013.[216][217] He was named by Newsweek as one of their fifty most powerful people globally in 2008,[218][219] and his wealth has been estimated at US$400–600 million.[220][221] Khan owns several properties in India and abroad, including a £20 million apartment in London,[222] and a villa on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai.[223]
Khan frequently appears on listings of the most popular, stylish and influential people in India. He has regularly featured among the top ten on The Times of India 's list of the 50 most desirable men in India,[224][225] and in a 2007 poll by the magazine Eastern Eye he was named the sexiest man in Asia.[226] Khan is often referred to as "Brand SRK" by media organisations because of his many brand endorsement and entrepreneurship ventures.[227][228] He is one of the highest paid Bollywood endorsers and one of the most visible celebrities in television advertising, with up to a six per cent share of the television advertisement market.[229][230] Khan has endorsed brands including Pepsi, Nokia, Hyundai, Dish TV, D'decor, LUX and TAG Heuer.[230][231] Books have been published about him,[232][233] and his popularity has been documented in several non-fiction films, including the two-part documentary The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan (2005),[234] and the Discovery Travel & Living channel's ten-part miniseries Living with a Superstar—Shah Rukh Khan (2010).[229] In 2007, Khan became the third Indian actor to have his wax statue installed at London's Madame Tussauds museum, after Aishwarya Rai and Amitabh Bachchan.[235][236] Additional versions of the statue were installed at Madame Tussauds' museums in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, New York and Washington.[237]
Khan has been brand ambassador of various governmental campaigns, including Pulse Polio and National AIDS Control Organisation.[231] He is a member of the board of directors of Make-A-Wish Foundation in India,[238] and in 2011 he was appointed by UNOPS as the first global ambassador of the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council.[239] He has recorded a series of public service announcements championing good health and proper nutrition, and joined India's Health Ministry and UNICEF in a nationwide child immunisation campaign.[240] In 2011, he received UNESCO's Pyramide con Marni award for his charitable commitment to provide education for children, becoming the first Indian to win the accolade.[241]
Awards
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Shah Rukh Khan
Khan is one of the most decorated Bollywood actors.[48] He has received 14 Filmfare Awards from 30 nominations,[242][e] including eight for Best Actor; he is tied for the most in the category with Dilip Kumar.[143] Khan has won the Filmfare Best Actor award for Baazigar (1993), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Devdas (2002), Swades (2004), Chak De! India (2007) and My Name Is Khan (2010). At times, he has garnered as many as three of the five total Filmfare Best Actor nominations.[53] Although he has never won a National Film Award,[243] he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2005.[48] The Government of France has awarded him both the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2007),[244] and its highest civilian honour, the Légion d'honneur (2014).[245]
See also
P vip.svgBiography portal Indiafilm.svgBollywood portal Video-x-generic.svgFilm portal
Footnotes
Jump up ^ There was some confusion because Khan seemingly contradicted himself in an interview, saying that he was born and brought up in Mangalore[6] but he later confirmed his birthplace as Delhi, and that he was brought up in Mangalore for the first five years.[5]
Jump up ^ Although she was reported to be the adopted daughter of Shah Nawaz Khan, a Major General in the Indian National Army, the Indian Army denied those reports.[12] According to Khan, his father was related to Shah Nawaz.[13]
Jump up ^ Chopra's 2007 book gave the date as 19 September 1980,[25] but in an interview in 2014 Khan said the date was 19 October 1981.[26]
Jump up ^ Although Khan has an estimated worldwide fan base exceeding one billion, the bulk of his fan base, like numerous other Bollywood stars, is in Asia and Indian diaspora communities worldwide, whereas Zeitchik was writing for a American audience in the Los Angeles Times.[215]
Jump up ^ Awards in certain categories come without a prior nomination.
Aamir Khan
Born Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan
14 March 1965 (age 50)
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Nationality Indian
Occupation
Actor producer director screenwriter television personality social worker
Years active 1984–present
Religion Islam[1]
Spouse(s)
Reena Dutta (m. 1986; div. 2002)
Kiran Rao (m. 2005)
Children 3
Parent(s) Tahir Hussain
Zeenat Hussain
Relatives Faisal Khan (brother)
Nikhat Khan (sister)
Nasir Hussain (uncle)
Imran Khan (nephew)
Aamir Khan (pronounced [ˈaːmɪr ˈxaːn]; born Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan on 14 March 1965) is an Indian film actor, director, producer, television personality, social worker, screenwriter and philanthropist. Through his successful career in Hindi films, Khan has established himself as one of the most popular and influential actors of Indian cinema.[2][3] He is the recipient of numerous awards, including four National Film Awards and seven Filmfare Awards. He was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri in 2003 and the Padma Bhushan in 2010.[4]
Khan first appeared on screen as a child actor in his uncle Nasir Hussain's film Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973). His first feature film role came with the experimental film Holi (1984), and he began a full-time acting career with a leading role in the highly successful tragic romance Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988). His performance in the film and in the thriller Raakh (1989) earned him a Special Jury Award at the National Film Award ceremony. He established himself as a leading actor of Hindi cinema in the 1990s by appearing in several commercially successful films, including the romantic drama Dil (1990), the romance Raja Hindustani (1996), for which he won his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor, and the drama Sarfarosh (1999).[5][6] He was also noted for playing against type in the critically acclaimed Canadian-Indian film Earth (1998).
In 2001, Khan started a production company, whose first release, Lagaan, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and earned him a National Film Award for Best Popular Film and two more Filmfare Awards (Best Actor and Best Film). After a four-year absence from the screen, Khan continued to portray leading roles, most notably in the 2006 box-office hits Fanaa and Rang De Basanti. The following year, he made his directorial debut with Taare Zameen Par, a major success that garnered him the Filmfare Awards for Best Film and Best Director. Khan's greatest commercial successes came with the thriller Ghajini (2008), the comedy-drama 3 Idiots (2009), the adventure film Dhoom 3 (2013), and the satire PK (2014), all of which held records for being the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time.[7]
In addition to acting, Khan is a humanitarian and has participated and spoken out for various social causes, some of which have sparked political controversy. He has created, and featured as the host of the television talk show Satyamev Jayate through which he highlights sensitive social issues in India. Khan was married to his first wife, Reena Dutta, for fifteen years after which he married the film director Kiran Rao. He has three children—two with Dutta, and one with Rao through surrogacy.
Early life and background
Khan was born on 14 March 1965 in Mumbai to Tahir Hussain, a film producer, and Zeenat Hussain.[8][9][10] Several of his relatives were members of the Hindi film industry, including his late paternal uncle, the producer-director Nasir Hussain.[10] He is related to the Indian philosopher Abul Kalam Azad who is related to him through his grandmother.[11][12] Khan is the eldest of four siblings; he has a brother, the actor Faisal Khan, and two sisters, Farhat and Nikhat Khan.[13] His nephew, Imran Khan, is a contemporary Hindi film actor.[14]
As a child, Khan appeared on screen in two minor roles. At the age of eight, he appeared in a highly popular song in the Nasir Hussain-directed musical film Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973).[15][16] The following year, he portrayed the younger version of Mahendra Sandhu's character in his father's production Madhosh.[15] Khan attended J.B. Petit School for his pre-primary education, later switching to St. Anne's High School, Bandra till the eight grade, and completed his ninth and tenth grade at the Bombay Scottish School, Mahim.[17] He played tennis in state level championships, and has professed being "much more into sports than studies".[17][18] He completed his twelfth grade from Mumbai's Narsee Monjee College.[19] Khan described his childhood as "tough" due to the financial problems faced by his father whose film productions were mostly unsuccessful; he said, "there would be at least 30 calls a day from creditors calling for their money" and he was always at risk of being expelled from school for non-payment of fees.[20]
At the age of sixteen, Khan was involved in the experimental process of making a 40-minute silent film, entitled Paranoia, that was directed by his school friend Aditya Bhattacharya.[21] The film was funded by the filmmaker Shriram Lagoo, an acquaintance of Bhattacharya, who provided them with a few thousand rupees.[22] Khan's parents opposed to his joining films due to their own experiences, wishing that he would instead pursue a "steady" career of an engineer or doctor,[21] and thus the shooting schedule of Paranoia was a clandestine one.[23] In the film, he played the lead role alongside actors Neena Gupta and Victor Banerjee, while simultaneously assisting Bhattacharya.[22] He said that the experience of working on it encouraged him to pursue a career in film.[24]
Khan subsequently joined a theatre group called Avantar, where he performed backstage activities for over a year. He made his stage debut with a small role in the company's Gujarati play, Kesar Bina, at Prithvi Theatre.[22][25] He went on to two of their Hindi plays, and one English play, which was titled Clearing House.[26] After completing his high-school education Khan decided to discontinue studying, despite the objection of his parents, choosing instead to work as an assistant director to Nasir Hussain on two Hindi films—Manzil Manzil (1984) and Zabardast (1985).[21][27]
Career
Actor
Early career
In addition to assisting Hussain, Khan acted in documentaries directed by the students of FTII, Pune.[28] The director Ketan Mehta noticed Khan in those films, and he offered him a role in the low-budget experimental film Holi (1984).[28][29] Featuring an ensemble cast of newcomers, Holi was based on a play by Mahesh Elkunchwar, and dealt with the practice of ragging in India.[30] The New York Times published that the film was "melodramatic" but "very decently and exuberantly performed by the nonprofessional actors".[31] Khan's role was that of a rowdy college student, an "insignificant" role,[30] that was described by CNN-IBN as "lack[ing] in finesse".[32] Holi failed to garner a broad audience, but Nasir Hussain and his son Mansoor signed him as the leading man in Mansoor's directorial debut Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) alongside Juhi Chawla.[30] The film was a tale of unrequited love and parental opposition based on the Shakespearean tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, with Khan portraying Raj, a "clean-cut, wholesome boy-next-door".[33] Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak proved to be a major commercial success, catapulting both Khan and Chawla to stardom.[34] It was awarded seven Filmfare Awards including a Best Male Debut trophy for Khan.[35] The film has since attained cult status,[32] with the entertainment portal Bollywood Hungama crediting it as a "path-breaking and trend setting film" for Indian cinema.[36]
The year 1989 saw the release of Raakh, a crime thriller from Aditya Bhattacharya that was filmed before the production of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.[37] The film tells the story of a young man avenging the rape of his ex-girlfriend (played by Supriya Pathak). Despite a poor reception at the box-office, the film was critically acclaimed.[38] Khan was awarded a National Film Award – Special Jury Award / Special Mention for his performances in both Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and Raakh.[39] Later that year he reunited with Chawla for the romantic comedy Love Love Love, a commercial failure.[40]
Khan had five film releases in 1990. He found no success in the sport film Awwal Number, the mythological thriller Tum Mere Ho, the romance Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin and the social drama Jawani Zindabad.[41] However, the Indra Kumar-directed romantic drama Dil (opposite Madhuri Dixit) was a major success.[42] A tale of parental opposition to teenage love, Dil was highly popular among the youth,[41] and emerged as the highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.[43][44] He followed this success with a leading role alongside Pooja Bhatt in the romantic comedy Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1991), a remake of the Hollywood film It Happened One Night (1934), which proved to be a box office hit.[45]
After that, he went on to appear in several other films in the late '80s and early '90s: Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992), Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993) (for which he also wrote the screenplay), and Rangeela (1995). Most of these films were successful critically and commercially.[46][47][48] Other successes include Andaz Apna Apna, co-starring Salman Khan. At the time of its release the movie was reviewed unfavorably by critics, but over the years has gained cult status.[49]
Back-to-back success
Khan continued to act in just one or two films a year, then an unusual trait for a mainstream Hindi cinema actor. His only release in 1996 was the Dharmesh Darshan directed commercial blockbuster Raja Hindustani in which he was paired opposite Karisma Kapoor. The film earned him his first Filmfare Best Actor Award, after seven previous nominations, and went on to become the biggest hit of the year, as well as the third-highest grossing Indian film of the 1990s.[50] Khan's career had seemed to hit a plateau at this point of time, and most of the films to follow for the next few years were only partially successful. In 1997, he co-starred alongside Ajay Devgn, Kajol and Juhi Chawla in Ishq, which performed well at the box office. The following year, Khan appeared in the moderately successful Ghulam, for which he also did playback singing.[51] John Mathew Matthan's Sarfarosh (1999), Khan's first release in 1999, was also moderately successful, gaining an above average box office verdict.[52] The film and Khan's role in it were highly appreciated by movie critics, as was his role in Deepa Mehta's art house film Earth. His first release for the new millennium, Mela, in which he acted alongside his real-life brother Faisal Khan, was both a box-office and critical bomb.[53]
In 2001 he appeared in Lagaan. The film was a major critical and commercial success,[54] and received a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards. Additionally, the film gathered critical acclaim at several international film festivals, in addition to winning numerous Indian awards, including the National Film Awards. Khan himself won his second Filmfare Best Actor Award.[citation needed]
The success of Lagaan was followed by Dil Chahta Hai later that year, in which Khan co-starred with Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna, with Preity Zinta playing his love interest. The film was written and directed by the then newcomer Farhan Akhtar.
Khan then took a four-year break citing personal problems, and returned in 2005 with Ketan Mehta's Mangal Pandey: The Rising playing the title role of the real-life sepoy and martyr who helped spark the Indian Rebellion of 1857.[55]
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's award-winning Rang De Basanti was Khan's first release in 2006. His performance was critically acclaimed,[56] earning him a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor and various nominations for Best Actor. The film went on to become one of the highest grossing films of the year,[57] and was selected as India's official entry to the Oscars. Although the film was not shortlisted as a nominee for the Oscar, it received a nomination for Best Foreign Film at the BAFTA Awards in England. Khan's work in his next movie, Fanaa (2006), co-starred with Kajol, was also appreciated,[58] and the film went on to become one of the highest grossing Indian films of 2006.[57]
His 2007 film, Taare Zameen Par was also produced by him and marked his directorial debut.[59] The film, which was the second offering from Aamir Khan Productions, starred Khan in a supporting role as a teacher who befriends and helps a dyslexic child. It opened to excellent responses from critics and audiences alike. Khan's performance was well-received, although he was particularly applauded for his directing.[60]
Blockbuster films
In 2008, Khan appeared in the movie Ghajini. The film was a major commercial success[61] and became the highest grossing Bollywood movie of that year. For his performance in the film, Khan received several Best Actor nominations at various award ceremonies as well as his fifteenth Filmfare Best Actor nomination.[62]
In 2009, Khan appeared in the commercially and critically acclaimed film 3 Idiots as Ranchodas Chanchad. 3 Idiots became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time in India at that time,[63][64] breaking the previous record set by Ghajini which also starred Aamir Khan.3 Idiots also became one of the few Indian films to become a major success in East Asian markets such as China,[65] eventually bringing its overseas total to US$25 million—the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time in overseas markets.[66][67] It was expected to be the first Indian film to be officially released on YouTube, within 12 weeks of releasing in theatres on 25 March 2010, but finally got officially released on YouTube in May 2012.[68] The film also went on to win many awards, winning six Filmfare Awards including best film and best director, ten Star Screen Awards and sixteen IIFA Awards[69]
There was speculation that Khan had disagreements with director Reema Kagti over the tone of his 2012 film Talaash, causing significant delays in the film release.[70] However, Khan said that the claims were baseless.[71] The film was released and was a hit.[citation needed]
Khan's next venture was Dhoom 3 with Yash Raj Films. He has considered this to be the most difficult role of his career to date.[72][73] The film was released worldwide on 20 December 2013.[74][75] Box Office India declared Dhoom 3 "the biggest hit of 2013" after two days of release,[76] with the film grossing ₹2 billion (US$30 million) worldwide in three days[77] and ₹4 billion (US$60 million) worldwide in ten days, making it the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time.[77][78][79]
In 2014, Khan appeared as the eponymous alien in Rajkumar Hirani's comedy-drama PK. It also starred Anushka Sharma, Sushant Singh Rajput, Boman Irani and Sanjay Dutt in pivotal roles.[80][81] The film received critical acclaim and emerged as the highest grossing Bollywood film of all time (the fourth time Khan achieved this feat).[7][82][83] Khan's performance was unanimously praised by critics. Raja Sen called the film a "triumph" and said: "Aamir Khan is exceptional in PK, creating an irresistibly goofy character and playing him with absolute conviction."[84]
Film production and direction
An Indian man wearing a black dress shirt.
Khan at a promotional event for Taare Zameen Par
In 2001 Khan set up a production company known as Aamir Khan Productions. Its first film was Lagaan. The movie was released in 2001, starring Khan as the lead actor. The film was selected as India's official entry to the 74th Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category. It was eventually chosen and nominated in that category but lost to No Man's Land. The film won numerous awards at several Indian award functions such as Filmfare and IIFA, and won the National Film Award for Most Popular Film, an award shared between Khan and the film's director, Ashutosh Gowariker.[85] Khan later commented on the loss of Lagaan at the Oscars: "Certainly we were disappointed. But the thing that really kept us in our spirits was that the entire country was behind us".
For producing the documentary, Madness in the Desert, on the making of Lagaan, Khan and director Satyajit Bhatkal were awarded the National Film Award for Best Exploration/Adventure Film at the 51st National Film Awards ceremony.[86]
In 2007 he produced the drama Taare Zameen Par which marked his directorial debut. Khan also played a supporting role in the film, sharing the screen with the debut of child actor Darsheel Safary. The film was initially conceived of and developed by the husband and wife team, Amole Gupte and Deepa Bhatia. It is the story of a young child who suffers in school until a teacher identifies him as dyslexic. The movie was critically acclaimed,[87] as well as a box office success. Taare Zameen Par won the 2008 Filmfare Best Movie Award as well as a number of other Filmfare and Star Screen Awards. Khan's work also won him the Best Director. In 2008, Khan launched his nephew Imran Khan's debut in the film Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na under his production house. The film was a big hit in India, and eventually earned Khan another nomination for Best Movie at the Filmfare.[88]
In 2011, Khan released his home production Dhobi Ghat.[89] which was directed by his wife, Kiran Rao. In 2012, Khan starred in Reema Kagti's neo-noir mystery film, Talaash which was joint production by Excel Entertainment and Aamir Khan Productions. The film was eventually declared a semi-hit in India and accumulated a worldwide gross of ₹1.74 billion (US$26 million).[90]
Television
Around August 2011, Khan started talks with Siddhartha Basu's BIG Synergy, to host a talk show, similar to The Oprah Winfrey Show.[91]
Khan made his television debut with his social issue based talk show Satyamev Jayte which started airing on 6 May 2012. Aamir was paid Rs. 30 million rupees per episode to host the Satyamev Jayate, and it makes him the highest paid host in Indian television industry (as on June 2012).[92] Aamir, speaking on a radio channel, said that in view of phenomenal public response he may come up with a second season of the show.[93] The show went live simultaneously on Star Plus, STAR World and national broadcaster Doordarshan on the 11 am Sunday slot in eight languages, being the first to do so in India.[94]
Satyamev Jayte opened to positive reviews and feedback from eminent personalities such as social activists, media houses, doctors, film and television personalities. Khan was also praised for his effort.[95] In her review, Ritu Singh of IBN Live stated that, "Aamir Khan deserves an applause for bringing up such a sensitive issue and presenting it in a hard hitting way. The amount of research Aamir and his team has put into the show was clearly visible with the facts and figures presented. Every aspect of the issue was covered with great diligence."[96] Parmita Uniyal from Hindustan Times praised the content and Khan for "step[ing] in to do what journalists are supposed to do – make a difference. The show is a classic example of that."[97] Despite the initial hype and being labelled as the channel's most ambitious project till date, the initial viewership figures were not very encouraging; the show received an average television rating of 2.9 (with a reach of 14.4 million, it was watched by only 20% of TV viewers) in the six metros in its debut episode on 6 May. The rating was far lower than those of most other celebrity-hosted shows at the time.[98][99]
Khan made to cover page of TIME magazine Asia edition in September 2012 issue with title "Khan's Quest" – "He is breaking the Bollywood mold by tackling India's social evils. Can an actor change a nation?"[100]
Humanitarian and political causes
Khan with United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2009
In April 2006, Aamir participated in the demonstrations put up by the Narmada Bachao Andolan committee with their leader Medha Patkar after the Gujarat government's decision to raise the height of the Narmada dam. He quoted to support adivasis (tribes), who might be displaced from their homes.[101] Later he faced protests and a partial ban on his film Fanaa, but the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh supported him by saying "Everyone has the freedom of expression. If someone says something on a particular subject, that doesn't mean you should start protesting."[102] Aamir also lent his support to the Janlokpal Bill Movement led by Anna Hazare in August 2011.[103]
He has been supporting common causes; when asked about views on entertainment tax in 2012 budget Aamir said, "I don't want any reduction in that, all I expect is focus on education and nutrition."[104] He quit the GOI's copyrights panels in February 2010 after facing sharp differences with other members.[105] During the promotion of 3 Idiots he journeyed to diverse parts of India, mostly to small towns, noting that "film makers from Mumbai don't understand small town India."[106] This experience of reaching out to 'regional India' was extended in his debut TV show Satyamev Jayate. On 16 July 2012, Khan met the prime minister and the minister for social justice and empowerment and discussed the plight of manual scavengers and sought eradication of manual scavenging in the country.[107]
On 30 November 2011, Khan was appointed national brand ambassador of UNICEF to promote child nutrition.[108] He is part of the government organised IEC campaign to raise awareness about malnutrition.[109]
In the media
In a 2009 interview, Khan states that he tends to take an independent approach to the world of filmmaking, noting that he does not "do different things; I try to do it in a different manner. I think every person should follow his/her dream and try and make it possible to create an ability to achieve it backed by its practicality." He has also indicated that he is more interested in the process of filmmaking than in the end result: "For me, the process is more important, more joyful. I would like to have my entire concentration on the process right from the first step."
Khan has a reputation for shunning award ceremonies and not accepting any popular Indian film awards. Though nominated many times, Khan has not attended any Indian film award ceremony as he feels "Indian film awards lack credibility".[110] When asked about the selection procedure and authenticity of popular Indian Film awards, Aamir Khan says, "fact is that I have no objections to film awards per se. I just feel that if I don't value a particular film award, then I won't attend it either. Apart from the National Film Awards, I don't see any other award ceremony that I should give value to. My personal experience about these award ceremonies is that I don't trust them. I have no faith in them so I would prefer to stay away."[111][112][113][114]
In 2007, Khan was invited to have a wax imitation of himself put on display at Madame Tussauds in London.[115] However, Khan declined, stating that "It's not important to me... people will see my films if they want to. Also, I cannot deal with so many things, I have bandwidth only for that much."[116]
In April 2013, He was among TIME magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.[117][118] He was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri in 2003 and the Padma Bhushan in 2010.[119][120][121]
In February 2015, Aamir Khan lashed out at a popular online comedy group All India Bakchod for its celebrity Roast episode. He said ‘I completely believe in freedom of speech, no issues. But we have to understand that we all have a certain responsibility. When I heard what was being described to me I felt it was a violent event.’ He further said violence is not just physical but it has verbal aspects to it. Calling the roast a shameless act, Aamir Khan did not spare even his friends from the film industry Karan, Ranveer and Arjun.[122]
Personal life
Khan with his wife Kiran Rao at an event in Mumbai
Khan married Reena Dutta, who had a small part in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, on 18 April 1986. They have two children, a son named Junaid and a daughter, Ira. Reena was involved briefly in Khan's career when she worked as a producer for Lagaan. In December 2002, Khan filed for divorce, ending the 15-year marriage. Reena took custody of both children.[123]
On 28 December 2005, Khan married Kiran Rao who had been an assistant director to Ashutosh Gowariker during the filming of Lagaan.[124] On 5 December 2011, Khan and his wife announced the birth of their son, Azad Rao Khan,[125] through a surrogate mother.[126][127] In 2007, Khan lost a custody battle for his younger brother Faisal to their father, Tahir Hussain.[128] His father died on 2 February 2010.[129]
In March 2015, Khan stated that he has quit non vegetarian food and has adopted vegan lifestyle after being inspired by his wife Kiran