Shah Rukh Khan also known as SRK (born Shahrukh Khan; 2 November 1965),[4] is an Indian actor, producer, television personality and philanthropist. Referred to in the media as "Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood" or "King Khan", he has appeared in over 50 Hindi films in genres including romance, action and comedy. His work in Bollywood has earned him numerous accolades, including fourteen Filmfare Awards from thirty nominations. His eighth Filmfare Best Actor Award put him in a tie for the most in that category. For his contribution to film, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 2005, and the Government of France has awarded him both the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Légion d'honneur. Khan was the second-richest actor in the world in 2014, with a net worth of US$600 million.
Khan started his career in theatre and appeared 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 his unconventional choice of portraying negative roles in films including Darr (1993), Baazigar (1993), and Anjaam (1994). He then rose to prominence by playing a series of roles in romantic comedies and dramas including Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001). Khan later earned wide critical acclaim in the drama Devdas (2002), for his portrayal of a NASA scientist in Swades (2004), as a hockey coach in Chak De! India (2007), and as the titular character in My Name Is Khan (2010). Thirteen of the films he has acted in have accumulated gross earnings of over INR1 billion (US$16 million) worldwide,[5] making him one of the most successful leading actors of Hindi cinema.[6]
Khan is currently co-chairman of the motion picture production company Red Chillies Entertainment and its subsidiaries, and is a co-owner of the Indian Premier League cricket team Kolkata Knight Riders. In 2007, he made his debut as a television presenter with the Star Plus game show Kaun Banega Crorepati. Media often label him "Brand SRK" because of his brand endorsement and entrepreneurship ventures. Khan has also been involved in philanthropic endeavours related to health care, relief funds, and children's education—for which he was honoured with UNESCO's Pyramide con Marni award in 2011. He is considered to be one of the biggest film stars in cinematic history and has a massive fan following; the Los Angeles Times described him as the world's biggest movie star.[7] He regularly features in listings of the most influential people in Indian culture and in 2008, Newsweek named him one of the 50 most powerful people in the world.
Khan was born on 2 November 1965 in New Delhi.[1] He spent the first five years of his life in Mangalore where his maternal grandfather Ifthikar Ahmed served as chief engineer of the port in the 1960s.[8][9][a] According to Khan, his paternal grandfather was born in Afghanistan.[11] Khan's father Meer Taj Mohammed Khan, an ethnic Pashtun, was an Indian independence activist from Peshawar, British India (present-day Pakistan), and a follower of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.[12] He moved to New Delhi before the 1947 partition of India.[13] Khan's mother Lateef Fatima was the daughter of a senior government engineer.[14][b] His parents met when his mother was involved in an auto accident, and his father (who is 13 years older than she) rescued her, took her to the hospital, and donated blood. They were married in 1959.[17] Khan described himself on Twitter as "half Hyderabadi (mother), half Pathan (father), some Kashmiri (grandmother)".[18] A cousin of his father's family in Peshawar claims that the family is actually of Hindkowan origin.[19]
Khan grew up in the Rajendra Nagar neighbourhood of Delhi.[20] Although his father had several business ventures including a restaurant, the family was often living in near poverty in a rented apartment.[21] Khan attended St. Columba's School where he received the school's highest award, the Sword of Honour.[21] In his youth, he acted in stage plays and was popular for imitating Bollywood actors. One of his childhood friends and acting partners was Amrita Singh, who later became a Bollywood actress.[22] His favorite actors at the time were Mumtaz and Amitabh Bachchan.[23] Khan enrolled at Hansraj College (1985–1988) to earn his Bachelors degree in Economics, but spent much of his time at Delhi's Theatre Action Group (TAG),[24] where he studied acting under the mentorship of theatre director Barry John.[25] He started studying for a Masters Degree in Mass Communications at Jamia Millia Islamia, but left to pursue his career.[26] He also attended the National School of Drama, Delhi during his early career in Bollywood.[27] His father died of cancer when Khan was in his mid teens,[c] and his mother died in 1991 from complications of diabetes.[29] The death of Khan's parents at an early age affected him greatly. He described these events as a motivator for his own work ethic.[30]
Khan married Gauri Chibber, a Punjabi Hindu, in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on 25 October 1991, after a six year courtship.[31][32] According to Khan, while he strongly believes in Islam, he also values his wife's religion. At home, his children follow both religions; the Qur'an is situated next to the Hindu deities.[33] They have a son Aryan (born 1997) and a daughter Suhana (born 2000).[26] In 2013 they became parents of a third child named AbRam[34] through a surrogate mother.[35] Khan has an older sister Shahnaz who was born in 1960.[1] She never fully recovered from the shock of her parent's deaths,[28] and continues to live with the Khans in their Mumbai mansion named Mannat.[36]
Khan's first starring role was in Lekh Tandon's television series Dil Dariya, which he began shooting for in 1988. Because of its production delays, the 1989 television series Fauji became his television debut.[37] In the critically acclaimed series, a realistic look at the training of army cadets, he played the leading role of Abhimanyu Rai, which earned him mass recognition.[38][39] This led to starring roles in Aziz Mirza's television series Circus (1989–90) and Mani Kaul's miniseries Idiot (1991).[40] He also played a minor role in the made-for-television English-language film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones (1989).[41] Khan's appearances in these serials led critics to compare his look and acting style with those of film actor Dilip Kumar.[42]
Khan had traveled between Delhi and Mumbai during this period, and was not interested in film acting.[43] However, two weeks after his mother's death in April 1991, he moved to Mumbai permanently to pursue a full-time career in Bollywood, and was quickly signed to four films.[44] His first film offer was for Hema Malini's directorial debut Dil Aashna Hai,[38][27] and by June 1991, he had started his first shooting.[45] However, production delays meant that his second film Deewana, in which he starred alongside Divya Bharti as the second male lead behind Rishi Kapoor, was released first in June 1992.[46] Deewana became a box office hit and launched Khan's career in Bollywood.[47] He earned the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for the performance.[48] Also released in 1992 were Chamatkar, and Khan's first films as the male lead, Dil Aashna Hai, and the comedy Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, which was his first of many collaborations with actress Juhi Chawla.
In 1995, Khan starred in two box-office hits. His first release was Rakesh Roshan's melodramatic thriller Karan Arjun, in which Khan was a part of an ensemble cast that included Salman Khan, Kajol, Mamta Kulkarni, Raakhee and Amrish Puri. The film, which dealt with the concept of reincarnation, became the second-highest grossing film of the year in India.[57] He followed it with Aditya Chopra's directorial debut, the romance Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Khan did not initially want to play the role of a loverboy, but this film is credited with establishing him as a romantic hero.[58] The film was a major critical and commercial success and became the year's top-grossing production in India and abroad; it was declared an "all time blockbuster" by Box Office India.[57][59] It remains the longest-running film in the history of Indian cinema; as of 2013, it was still playing at the Maratha Mandir theatre in Mumbai.[60] Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has grossed over INR1.2 billion (US$19 million) worldwide.[61] The film won ten Filmfare Awards, and Khan's performance as a young NRI who falls in love with Kajol's character during a trip across Europe won him critical acclaim and his second Best Actor Award at Filmfare.[51] 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."[62] Khan appeared in a total of seven films that year.
In 1996, all four of Khan's releases failed critically and commercially.[63] In 1997, however, his starring role in Subhash Ghai's social drama Pardes earned him accolades that included a nomination for Best Actor at Filmfare. Khan portrayed Arjun, a musician facing a moral dilemma. The film also featured Mahima Chaudhry and Apurva Agnihotri. Later that year, Khan starred opposite Juhi Chawla in Aziz Mirza's romantic comedy Yes Boss. Upon release, the film performed moderately at the box-office.[64] Khan's final release of 1997 was Yash Chopra's successful musical romance Dil to Pagal Hai. This film about a love triangle also featured Madhuri Dixit and Karishma Kapoor; it was Khan's second collaboration with Chopra. Khan portrayed Rahul, a stage director who falls in love with one of his new actresses. The film and his performance in it met with critical appreciation; Khan won his third Best Actor Award at Filmfare.[51][64] He appeared in several other productions that year, including the action thriller Koyla.
In December 2004, Khan received wide critical acclaim for his performance in Ashutosh Gowariker's social drama Swades, which also featured Gayatri Joshi. Swades narrates the story of a NASA scientist who returns to India to get in touch with his roots. Several film critics considered Khan's performance in the film to be his best to date.[106] Critic Jitesh Pillai said, "Ultimately your heart leaps out to the magical Shah Rukh Khan, who unarguably gives his career's finest performance ... you can feel the earnestness of his intentions, the wetness of his tears".[107] Filmfare included his performance in the 2010 issue of the "Top 80 Iconic Performances".[108] Swades was featured on Rediff.com's list of the 10 Best Bollywood Movies of the Decade.[106] Khan was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor Award for all three of his 2004 releases and eventually won the award for Swades.[48]
Khan's only release in 2005—other than special appearances—was Paheli, in which he starred opposite Rani Mukerji. It was screened at the Golden Globes, the Sundance Film Festival and the Palm Springs International Film Festival.[109] It was also chosen as India's official entry in the Oscars for the 79th Academy Awards.[77] Despite failing at the box office, Paheli and Khan's performance in it were critically acclaimed; Raja Sen said his performance "justifies his supremacy in the film world".[110]
In 2006, Khan collaborated with Karan Johar for the third time in the adult-drama Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. The film had an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji and Kirron Kher, and told the story of two unhappily married couples in New York who have in an extramarital affair. The film received polarizing reviews from film critics but emerged as India's highest-grossing film in the overseas market,[70] earning more than INR1.13 billion (US$18 million) worldwide.[61] Khan played the titular role in the action thriller Don, a remake of the 1978 film of the same name. The film, and Khan's performance in it, received mixed comments from film critics. His performance was extensively compared to that of Amitabh Bachchan, the actor in the original film.[111] Taran Adarsh said Khan "does very well as Don. He enacts the evil character with flourish. But he fails to carry off the other role [Vijay] with conviction. It looks made up, it doesn't come natural to him at all."[111] Conversely, Derek Elley of Variety said, "it's hard to accept [Khan] as the title character" and that "Khan is far more convincing as Vijay, playing up to his rom-com fanbase with plenty of boyish humor".[112] Don performed well in India[113] and was the second-highest grossing film of the year in the overseas market.[70] It grossed INR1.04 billion (US$17 million) worldwide.[61] Both Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and Don earned Khan Best Actor nominations at the Filmfare Awards, which he co-hosted.[114]
In 2007, Khan starred in Yash Raj Films' Chak De! India, a semi-fictional account of the Indian women's national hockey team. Khan said that while his background as part of his university's hockey team helped him during the filming,[115] he felt playing again after a long time was "very difficult and different". Khan tore a hamstring three days before the end of filming.[116] Chak De! India was a major critical and commercial success in India and abroad,[117] earning over INR1.03 billion (US$17 million) worldwide.[61] Rajeev Masand from CNN-IBN wrote of Khan's performance, "For the first time since Swades, Shah Rukh plays a role without any of his typical trappings, without any of his trademark quirks ... He plays Kabir Khan like a real flesh-and-blood human being".[118] Filmfare included his performance in their 2010 issue of the "Top 80 Iconic Performances".[119] Chak De! India became the third-highest grossing film of 2007[120] in India and won Khan another Filmfare Award for Best Actor.[48] In the same year, Khan starred in Farah Khan's reincarnation melodrama Om Shanti Om alongside Deepika Padukone, Shreyas Talpade and Arjun Rampal. Khan played Om Prakash Makhija, a 1970s junior artiste who is reborn in the 2000s as a superstar named Om Kapoor. Khan's performance was generally well received by critics; 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".[121] The film became the highest grossing motion picture of 2007 in India[120] and the external market[70] with a worldwide gross of over INR1.48 billion (US$24 million).[61] Om Shanti Om earned Khan his second nomination of the year for Best Actor at Filmfare.[122]
In 2008, Khan collaborated for the third time with Aditya Chopra on the romantic drama Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi opposite newcomer Anushka Sharma. Khan played Surinder Sahni, a shy man with low self-esteem, whose love for his accidental wife Sharma, causes him to transform himself into Raj, a loud, fun-loving alter-ego. The film received mixed reviews from critics, but achieved success at the box office.[123] Khan's performance was appreciated by critics; Rachel Saltz of The New York Times wrote, "The Surinder/Raj dual role seems tailor-made (probably was) for Mr. Khan, who gets to show off his twin talents: he suffers nobly and entertains with panache".[124] It earned Khan another nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare ceremony. In December the same year, Khan suffered a serious shoulder injury while filming a small role in Mudassar Aziz's Dulha Mil Gaya. He underwent extensive physiotherapy sessions at the time but the intense pain left him almost immobile and he had arthroscopic surgery in February 2009.[125][126] In 2009, Khan performed an extended, special appearance in the film Billu, playing Bollywood superstar Sahir Khan—a fictionalised version of himself.[127]
After turning down a starring role in Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Khan began shooting My Name Is Khan, his fourth collaboration with director Karan Johar and his sixth with Kajol.[128] 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. To properly portray the character, Khan spent several months researching his role by reading books, watching videos and talking to people affected by the condition.[129] In an interview with Hindustan Times, he said, "Whenever you're dealing with a disorder or a near atypical situation, the first thought is that the sort of parameters you have to set that in no which way you are derogatory or deriding the disorder ... The second part is you have to come as close to reality in depicting that characterization and so one had to study a lot and one does get worried".[130] Upon release, My Name is Khan received positive reviews from critics and became one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time outside India.[61][70] Khan's performance was appreciated by most critics; Jay Wesissberg from Variety said, "Khan uses the mannerisms associated with Asperger's—averted eyes, springy steps, stuttered repetitions of memorized texts—yet captures the personality beneath the condition in a standout performance sure to receive the Autism Society's gold seal of approval".[131] My Name is Khan earned Khan his eighth Filmfare Award for Best Actor,[48] equalling the record for most all-time wins in the category with actor Dilip Kumar.
Khan started his career in theatre and appeared 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 his unconventional choice of portraying negative roles in films including Darr (1993), Baazigar (1993), and Anjaam (1994). He then rose to prominence by playing a series of roles in romantic comedies and dramas including Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001). Khan later earned wide critical acclaim in the drama Devdas (2002), for his portrayal of a NASA scientist in Swades (2004), as a hockey coach in Chak De! India (2007), and as the titular character in My Name Is Khan (2010). Thirteen of the films he has acted in have accumulated gross earnings of over INR1 billion (US$16 million) worldwide,[5] making him one of the most successful leading actors of Hindi cinema.[6]
Khan is currently co-chairman of the motion picture production company Red Chillies Entertainment and its subsidiaries, and is a co-owner of the Indian Premier League cricket team Kolkata Knight Riders. In 2007, he made his debut as a television presenter with the Star Plus game show Kaun Banega Crorepati. Media often label him "Brand SRK" because of his brand endorsement and entrepreneurship ventures. Khan has also been involved in philanthropic endeavours related to health care, relief funds, and children's education—for which he was honoured with UNESCO's Pyramide con Marni award in 2011. He is considered to be one of the biggest film stars in cinematic history and has a massive fan following; the Los Angeles Times described him as the world's biggest movie star.[7] He regularly features in listings of the most influential people in Indian culture and in 2008, Newsweek named him one of the 50 most powerful people in the world.
Khan was born on 2 November 1965 in New Delhi.[1] He spent the first five years of his life in Mangalore where his maternal grandfather Ifthikar Ahmed served as chief engineer of the port in the 1960s.[8][9][a] According to Khan, his paternal grandfather was born in Afghanistan.[11] Khan's father Meer Taj Mohammed Khan, an ethnic Pashtun, was an Indian independence activist from Peshawar, British India (present-day Pakistan), and a follower of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.[12] He moved to New Delhi before the 1947 partition of India.[13] Khan's mother Lateef Fatima was the daughter of a senior government engineer.[14][b] His parents met when his mother was involved in an auto accident, and his father (who is 13 years older than she) rescued her, took her to the hospital, and donated blood. They were married in 1959.[17] Khan described himself on Twitter as "half Hyderabadi (mother), half Pathan (father), some Kashmiri (grandmother)".[18] A cousin of his father's family in Peshawar claims that the family is actually of Hindkowan origin.[19]
Khan grew up in the Rajendra Nagar neighbourhood of Delhi.[20] Although his father had several business ventures including a restaurant, the family was often living in near poverty in a rented apartment.[21] Khan attended St. Columba's School where he received the school's highest award, the Sword of Honour.[21] In his youth, he acted in stage plays and was popular for imitating Bollywood actors. One of his childhood friends and acting partners was Amrita Singh, who later became a Bollywood actress.[22] His favorite actors at the time were Mumtaz and Amitabh Bachchan.[23] Khan enrolled at Hansraj College (1985–1988) to earn his Bachelors degree in Economics, but spent much of his time at Delhi's Theatre Action Group (TAG),[24] where he studied acting under the mentorship of theatre director Barry John.[25] He started studying for a Masters Degree in Mass Communications at Jamia Millia Islamia, but left to pursue his career.[26] He also attended the National School of Drama, Delhi during his early career in Bollywood.[27] His father died of cancer when Khan was in his mid teens,[c] and his mother died in 1991 from complications of diabetes.[29] The death of Khan's parents at an early age affected him greatly. He described these events as a motivator for his own work ethic.[30]
Khan married Gauri Chibber, a Punjabi Hindu, in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on 25 October 1991, after a six year courtship.[31][32] According to Khan, while he strongly believes in Islam, he also values his wife's religion. At home, his children follow both religions; the Qur'an is situated next to the Hindu deities.[33] They have a son Aryan (born 1997) and a daughter Suhana (born 2000).[26] In 2013 they became parents of a third child named AbRam[34] through a surrogate mother.[35] Khan has an older sister Shahnaz who was born in 1960.[1] She never fully recovered from the shock of her parent's deaths,[28] and continues to live with the Khans in their Mumbai mansion named Mannat.[36]
Khan's first starring role was in Lekh Tandon's television series Dil Dariya, which he began shooting for in 1988. Because of its production delays, the 1989 television series Fauji became his television debut.[37] In the critically acclaimed series, a realistic look at the training of army cadets, he played the leading role of Abhimanyu Rai, which earned him mass recognition.[38][39] This led to starring roles in Aziz Mirza's television series Circus (1989–90) and Mani Kaul's miniseries Idiot (1991).[40] He also played a minor role in the made-for-television English-language film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones (1989).[41] Khan's appearances in these serials led critics to compare his look and acting style with those of film actor Dilip Kumar.[42]
Khan had traveled between Delhi and Mumbai during this period, and was not interested in film acting.[43] However, two weeks after his mother's death in April 1991, he moved to Mumbai permanently to pursue a full-time career in Bollywood, and was quickly signed to four films.[44] His first film offer was for Hema Malini's directorial debut Dil Aashna Hai,[38][27] and by June 1991, he had started his first shooting.[45] However, production delays meant that his second film Deewana, in which he starred alongside Divya Bharti as the second male lead behind Rishi Kapoor, was released first in June 1992.[46] Deewana became a box office hit and launched Khan's career in Bollywood.[47] He earned the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for the performance.[48] Also released in 1992 were Chamatkar, and Khan's first films as the male lead, Dil Aashna Hai, and the comedy Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, which was his first of many collaborations with actress Juhi Chawla.
In 1995, Khan starred in two box-office hits. His first release was Rakesh Roshan's melodramatic thriller Karan Arjun, in which Khan was a part of an ensemble cast that included Salman Khan, Kajol, Mamta Kulkarni, Raakhee and Amrish Puri. The film, which dealt with the concept of reincarnation, became the second-highest grossing film of the year in India.[57] He followed it with Aditya Chopra's directorial debut, the romance Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Khan did not initially want to play the role of a loverboy, but this film is credited with establishing him as a romantic hero.[58] The film was a major critical and commercial success and became the year's top-grossing production in India and abroad; it was declared an "all time blockbuster" by Box Office India.[57][59] It remains the longest-running film in the history of Indian cinema; as of 2013, it was still playing at the Maratha Mandir theatre in Mumbai.[60] Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has grossed over INR1.2 billion (US$19 million) worldwide.[61] The film won ten Filmfare Awards, and Khan's performance as a young NRI who falls in love with Kajol's character during a trip across Europe won him critical acclaim and his second Best Actor Award at Filmfare.[51] 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."[62] Khan appeared in a total of seven films that year.
In 1996, all four of Khan's releases failed critically and commercially.[63] In 1997, however, his starring role in Subhash Ghai's social drama Pardes earned him accolades that included a nomination for Best Actor at Filmfare. Khan portrayed Arjun, a musician facing a moral dilemma. The film also featured Mahima Chaudhry and Apurva Agnihotri. Later that year, Khan starred opposite Juhi Chawla in Aziz Mirza's romantic comedy Yes Boss. Upon release, the film performed moderately at the box-office.[64] Khan's final release of 1997 was Yash Chopra's successful musical romance Dil to Pagal Hai. This film about a love triangle also featured Madhuri Dixit and Karishma Kapoor; it was Khan's second collaboration with Chopra. Khan portrayed Rahul, a stage director who falls in love with one of his new actresses. The film and his performance in it met with critical appreciation; Khan won his third Best Actor Award at Filmfare.[51][64] He appeared in several other productions that year, including the action thriller Koyla.
In 1998, Khan performed the lead role in three films and made one special appearance. His first release was Mahesh Bhatt's action comedy Duplicate opposite Juhi Chawla and Sonali Bendre. The film, in which he portrayed a double role, was the first of his many collaborations with Yash Johar's production company Dharma Productions. The film was a commercial failure.[65] The same year, Khan won critical praise for his performance in Mani Ratnam's acclaimed Dil Se.., the third in Ratnam's trilogy of terror films after Roja (1992) and Bombay (1995) that depict human relationships against a background of Indian politics.[66][67] Khan played the part of Amarkant "Amar" Varma, an All India Radio correspondent who develops an infatuation for a mysterious terrorist played by Manisha Koirala.[68] Raja Sen said, "Khan delivers a compelling performance ... He plays the part with taut restraint, and expresses exasperation superbly".[69] The film failed financially in India but was a commercial success overseas,[70] becoming the first Indian film to enter the top 10 at the United Kingdom box office.[71]
His final release of the year was Karan Johar's candyfloss romance Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, in which he starred with Kajol and Rani Mukerji. The hit film earned a worldwide gross of over INR1 billion (US$16 million).[72] Khan played the role of Rahul Khanna, a college student who falls in love with his best friend Anjali (Kajol) after the death of his wife Tina (Rani Mukerji). His performance won him the Best Actor award at the Filmfare Awards ceremony for the second consecutive year.[51] Khan's only release in 1999 was Baadshah, in which he starred opposite Twinkle Khanna. It underperformed at the box office but earned Khan a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Performance in a Comic Role.[73] Khan turned producer in 1999 in a collaboration with actress Juhi Chawla and director Aziz Mirza for a production company called Dreamz Unlimited.[74] The company's first production, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000), starring Khan and Chawla, opened to mixed reviews from critics and audiences, and was a commercial failure.[75]
Khan's next release was Mansoor Khan's action drama Josh. The film starred Khan as the leader of a Christian gang in Goa, with Aishwarya Rai playing his twin sister. The film was a box office success.[75] Vinayak Chakravorty of Hindustan Times wrote that Khan "basks in his tailormade role, donning with panache the garb of a streetsmart tough".[76] Khan's next role was that of a Muslim archaeologist who is beaten to death during the unrest following the partition of India in Hey Ram. Directed by and co-starring Kamal Hassan, the film was critically acclaimed and was selected as India's entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars that year.[77] Khan dubbed for his own lines for the Tamil version of the film.[78] His final release of 2000 was Aditya Chopra's romantic drama Mohabbatein, which co-starred Amitabh Bachchan. The film was a major financial success,[75] in India and abroad.[70] Khan's performance as a music teacher was acclaimed by critics; Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama called him outstanding.[79] Khan was awarded his second Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for his performance in Mohabbatein.[80]
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)
In 2001, Khan produced and portrayed the title role in Santosh Sivan's historical epic Aśoka, a partly fictionalised account of the life of Ashoka the Great. The film was screened at the Venice Film Festival and the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival to a positive response,[81] but it performed poorly in Indian box offices.[82] The film, which also featured Kareena Kapoor, received generally positive reviews; Khan received favourable reactions for his performance.[83] Khan's next film was the family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, in which he reunited with Karan Johar as part of an ensemble cast that included Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan. The film was a major financial success in India[82] and tbecame he top-grossing Indian production of all time in the overseas market until 2006, earning over INR1.17 billion (US$19 million) worldwide.[61] Khan's portrayal of Rahul Raichand, an adopted son of Bachchan's character who disowns him for marrying a poor girl (Kajol), met with wide public appreciation. Taran Adarsh said, "Khan sparkles yet again", and that he performed the part "with amazing poise, class, honesty and maturity".[84] It earned him another nomination for the Filmfare Best Actor Award. Khan said that Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham was a turning point in his career.[85]
In 2002, Khan played the title role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period romance Devdas. This was the third Hindi film adaptation of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel of the same name; it was the most expensive Bollywood film ever made at the time.[86] Khan starred as a rebellious alcoholic opposite Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit. Khan's performance was well received and earned him another Filmfare Best Actor Award.[48] The film became the highest-grossing film of the year in India and abroad, earning INR840 million (US$14 million) worldwide.[61][87][88] Devdas won numerous awards, including 10 Filmfare Awards (including 'Best Scene'),[89][90] and received a special screening at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.[91] It also received a BAFTA nomination for Best Foreign Language Film,[92] and was India's entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars.[77] In an interview with Indian news and entertainment portal Rediff.com, Khan said, "We stars live in this bubble where everyone is smiling at you, where everyone loves you. Somehow, you lose touch with real, deep down sadness. Working on this film put us in touch with that emotion."[27] Khan appeared in three other productions that year, including the long-delayed family drama Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam.
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 flew to Lucknow a week later for a series of stage shows, which further aggravated his condition. By the time he returned to Mumbai, Khan was experiencing severe pain. He was subsequently diagnosed with a prolapsed disc between vertebrae six and seven. Khan tried multiple alternative therapies but nothing effected a permanent solution; he was still in pain during the shooting of Devdas.[93]
2004 was a critically and commercially successful year for Khan. He transformed Dreamz Unlimited into Red Chillies Entertainment, with his wife Gauri serving as a producer.[102] He produced and starred in Farah Khan's directorial debut, the action comedy Main Hoon Na—a fictionalized account of India–Pakistan relations, which became the second-highest earner of the year.[103] He then played Indian Air Force pilot Squadron Leader Veer Pratap Singh in Yash Chopra's love saga Veer-Zaara. The film, in which Priety Zinta portrayed Singh's love interest, Pakistani woman Zaara Haayat Khan, was the biggest hit of 2004 in India; it earned a worldwide gross of over INR940 million (US$15 million)[61][103] and was screened at the 55th Berlin Film Festival to critical appreciation.[104] Veer-Zaara earned Khan appreciation; Rama Sharma from The Tribune wrote, "Shah Rukh Khan here scales the heights of sensitivity, rising above the mundane. His expressions are mature and reach out to touch the heart of the common man."[105]In December 2004, Khan received wide critical acclaim for his performance in Ashutosh Gowariker's social drama Swades, which also featured Gayatri Joshi. Swades narrates the story of a NASA scientist who returns to India to get in touch with his roots. Several film critics considered Khan's performance in the film to be his best to date.[106] Critic Jitesh Pillai said, "Ultimately your heart leaps out to the magical Shah Rukh Khan, who unarguably gives his career's finest performance ... you can feel the earnestness of his intentions, the wetness of his tears".[107] Filmfare included his performance in the 2010 issue of the "Top 80 Iconic Performances".[108] Swades was featured on Rediff.com's list of the 10 Best Bollywood Movies of the Decade.[106] Khan was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor Award for all three of his 2004 releases and eventually won the award for Swades.[48]
Khan's only release in 2005—other than special appearances—was Paheli, in which he starred opposite Rani Mukerji. It was screened at the Golden Globes, the Sundance Film Festival and the Palm Springs International Film Festival.[109] It was also chosen as India's official entry in the Oscars for the 79th Academy Awards.[77] Despite failing at the box office, Paheli and Khan's performance in it were critically acclaimed; Raja Sen said his performance "justifies his supremacy in the film world".[110]
In 2006, Khan collaborated with Karan Johar for the third time in the adult-drama Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. The film had an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji and Kirron Kher, and told the story of two unhappily married couples in New York who have in an extramarital affair. The film received polarizing reviews from film critics but emerged as India's highest-grossing film in the overseas market,[70] earning more than INR1.13 billion (US$18 million) worldwide.[61] Khan played the titular role in the action thriller Don, a remake of the 1978 film of the same name. The film, and Khan's performance in it, received mixed comments from film critics. His performance was extensively compared to that of Amitabh Bachchan, the actor in the original film.[111] Taran Adarsh said Khan "does very well as Don. He enacts the evil character with flourish. But he fails to carry off the other role [Vijay] with conviction. It looks made up, it doesn't come natural to him at all."[111] Conversely, Derek Elley of Variety said, "it's hard to accept [Khan] as the title character" and that "Khan is far more convincing as Vijay, playing up to his rom-com fanbase with plenty of boyish humor".[112] Don performed well in India[113] and was the second-highest grossing film of the year in the overseas market.[70] It grossed INR1.04 billion (US$17 million) worldwide.[61] Both Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and Don earned Khan Best Actor nominations at the Filmfare Awards, which he co-hosted.[114]
In 2007, Khan starred in Yash Raj Films' Chak De! India, a semi-fictional account of the Indian women's national hockey team. Khan said that while his background as part of his university's hockey team helped him during the filming,[115] he felt playing again after a long time was "very difficult and different". Khan tore a hamstring three days before the end of filming.[116] Chak De! India was a major critical and commercial success in India and abroad,[117] earning over INR1.03 billion (US$17 million) worldwide.[61] Rajeev Masand from CNN-IBN wrote of Khan's performance, "For the first time since Swades, Shah Rukh plays a role without any of his typical trappings, without any of his trademark quirks ... He plays Kabir Khan like a real flesh-and-blood human being".[118] Filmfare included his performance in their 2010 issue of the "Top 80 Iconic Performances".[119] Chak De! India became the third-highest grossing film of 2007[120] in India and won Khan another Filmfare Award for Best Actor.[48] In the same year, Khan starred in Farah Khan's reincarnation melodrama Om Shanti Om alongside Deepika Padukone, Shreyas Talpade and Arjun Rampal. Khan played Om Prakash Makhija, a 1970s junior artiste who is reborn in the 2000s as a superstar named Om Kapoor. Khan's performance was generally well received by critics; 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".[121] The film became the highest grossing motion picture of 2007 in India[120] and the external market[70] with a worldwide gross of over INR1.48 billion (US$24 million).[61] Om Shanti Om earned Khan his second nomination of the year for Best Actor at Filmfare.[122]
In 2008, Khan collaborated for the third time with Aditya Chopra on the romantic drama Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi opposite newcomer Anushka Sharma. Khan played Surinder Sahni, a shy man with low self-esteem, whose love for his accidental wife Sharma, causes him to transform himself into Raj, a loud, fun-loving alter-ego. The film received mixed reviews from critics, but achieved success at the box office.[123] Khan's performance was appreciated by critics; Rachel Saltz of The New York Times wrote, "The Surinder/Raj dual role seems tailor-made (probably was) for Mr. Khan, who gets to show off his twin talents: he suffers nobly and entertains with panache".[124] It earned Khan another nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare ceremony. In December the same year, Khan suffered a serious shoulder injury while filming a small role in Mudassar Aziz's Dulha Mil Gaya. He underwent extensive physiotherapy sessions at the time but the intense pain left him almost immobile and he had arthroscopic surgery in February 2009.[125][126] In 2009, Khan performed an extended, special appearance in the film Billu, playing Bollywood superstar Sahir Khan—a fictionalised version of himself.[127]
After turning down a starring role in Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Khan began shooting My Name Is Khan, his fourth collaboration with director Karan Johar and his sixth with Kajol.[128] 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. To properly portray the character, Khan spent several months researching his role by reading books, watching videos and talking to people affected by the condition.[129] In an interview with Hindustan Times, he said, "Whenever you're dealing with a disorder or a near atypical situation, the first thought is that the sort of parameters you have to set that in no which way you are derogatory or deriding the disorder ... The second part is you have to come as close to reality in depicting that characterization and so one had to study a lot and one does get worried".[130] Upon release, My Name is Khan received positive reviews from critics and became one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time outside India.[61][70] Khan's performance was appreciated by most critics; Jay Wesissberg from Variety said, "Khan uses the mannerisms associated with Asperger's—averted eyes, springy steps, stuttered repetitions of memorized texts—yet captures the personality beneath the condition in a standout performance sure to receive the Autism Society's gold seal of approval".[131] My Name is Khan earned Khan his eighth Filmfare Award for Best Actor,[48] equalling the record for most all-time wins in the category with actor Dilip Kumar.
In 2011, Khan produced and starred alongside Arjun Rampal and Kareena Kapoor in Anubhav Sinha's science fiction superhero film Ra.One. The film follows the story of a London-based videogame designer who creates a villain character who escapes into the real world. It was billed as Bollywood's most expensive production; it had an estimated budget of INR1.25 billion (US$20 million).[133][134] Khan was involved in several aspects of the making of Ra. One—he volunteered to write the film's console game script, dubbed for it, oversaw its technical development and wrote the digital comics based on the film's characters.[135][136] Despite negative media coverage of the film's box office performance, Ra.One was a financial success with a gross of INR2.4 billion (US$39 million).[137][138] The film received mixed reviews from critics. For his portrayal of a dual role, Khan received mixed comments; while most critics praised his performance as the robotic superhero G.One, they panned his portrayal of videogame designer Shekhar. Daily News and Analysis said, "Khan is in his element and endearing as superhero G.One, but annoyingly [over the top] as video game creator Shekhar".[139]
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 second release of 2011 was Don 2, a sequel to the 2006 hit Don.[140] To prepare for his role, Khan exercised extensively and performed most of the stunts himself.[141] 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".[142] The film was a major success in India and it became the year's highest-grossing Bollywood production abroad, earning a worldwide gross of around INR2.06 billion (US$33 million).[143][144] Don 2 was showcased at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival[145] and at the 2012 International Film Festival of Marrakech in Morocco, where Don was also shown.[146] It earned Khan another nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare ceremony.[147]
Khan's only release in 2012 was Yash Chopra's romantic drama Jab Tak Hai Jaan, in which he starred opposite Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. It was the fourth collaboration between Chopra and Khan[148] and was Chopra's last directorial venture before his death on 21 October 2012.[149] The film received positive to mixed reviews from critics in India and positive reviews from critics abroad. 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 INR2.11 billion (US$34 million) worldwide.[150][151] The film was showcased at the 2012 International Film Festival of Marrakech in Morocco.[146] For his performance in the film, Khan was nominated for a Filmfare Award for Best Actor.
In August 2013, Khan produced and starred in Rohit Shetty's action comedy Chennai Express for his company Red Chillies Entertainment. The film earned mixed critical reviews, broke many box office records for Hindi films in both India and abroad, and became the film quickest to enter the coveted Bollywood 100 Crore Club at the time.[152][153][154] The film also broke the record of 3 Idiots to become the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time. It eventually grossed almost INR4 billion (US$65 million) in worldwide ticket sales[155] and is currently the second highest-grossing Bollywood film worldwide.[154] On 7 March 2013—a day before International Women's Day—Times of India reported that Khan had said that starting with this film, he wants the name of his lead female co-stars to appear above his own in the credits.[156] Chennai Express was released on 8 August 2013.

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