On top of the world! The frightening power of Shah Rukh Khan!
Doubt
There is something extremely mysterious about Shah Rukh Khan and the power he has over others. You can either love him or hate him, but you certainly can't ignore him! There is no escaping the fact that whatever he does, it just makes people sit up and take notice!
CB tries to unravel this inexplicable effect that emanates from the name Shah Rukh Khan!
“A leader is one who paves the way for others!”
Is he just the charming boy next door who you grew up with or is he that average dork who is always trying to get cheeky with you? Is he the helpless lamb or is he Mr. Know-It-All? He may change his colours faster than a chameleon but one thing is for sure, no matter what form he takes, you can relate to Shah Rukh just like you can relate to your neighbourhood grocer, or your favourite dog or even your domineering siblings!
Shah Rukh Khan is perhaps the first star who refused to be pigeonholed into an image. In this glittering world of film, where it is so easy to become insecure and get stuck in the junk, Shah Rukh was undoubtedly a rebel from the very beginning!
It may sound paradoxical, but Shah Rukh's magic lies in being so normal and real! His genuine charisma on screen is so convincing that one doesn't know whether it should be attributed to his personality or that hidden volcano within him that comes in the name of talent!
Furthermore, it is the guts that make him jump into the most dangerous ravines that makes him stand out. In this ego-driven industry, not everyone would risk doing a Baazigar or a Darr. In a place where you are pigeonholed before you can even utter the word dishum, Shah Rukh took on the role of a compulsive psychopath early in his career, a risk that even older, established actors would hesitate to take! There must be tremendous confidence to be able to do what Shah Rukh risked.
However, there is a confusion. What is it about Shah Rukh that makes him so popular? Catapulted to superstar status, this man creates mass hysteria wherever he goes! He is not good-looking in the conventional sense, nor is his stature anything special. So why is it that there are thousands of people out there who would willingly give their right arm just to get their hands on his cigarette butt so that they can keep it as a lifelong memento?
Yash Johar, who has produced films like Duplicate and has Shah Rukh as a permanent fixture in most of his films, seems to know the answer. "Shah Rukh is able to adapt to anything. I think he is an actor par excellence. What is even more endearing is that this success has not gone to his head at all and I personally feel that he is still in touch with the real world. He respects human values and relationships. He does not get irritated or worked up about anything even when his fans rub him the wrong way. All these qualities make producers want to work with him. He has also kept his reputation intact. An actor can be a very good performer but could have a nasty temper. But Shah Rukh is the most charming and pleasant person I have met. He also has a healthy sense of humour. No lafdas, no nakhras, nothing. He is the most cooperative star I have ever worked with. He is a wonderful person in other respects too. If you are in financial trouble, he will be the first to help you out. I have seen him help out so many people who come to him. Nobody knows how much money he gives away because he doesn't talk about it. All the money he takes out from the bank is partly for his personal expenses and the balance goes to charity. Unlike many other stars, he is not a burden on the producer at all! If he is on good terms with a producer, he will spare no effort to help him. He doesn't even discuss his price. While we were shooting for Duplicate, Juhi's mother died in Prague and because of the tragedy, we had to postpone many of our shooting schedules. Shah Rukh knew that we were having money problems because of this, so he didn't take any money until I gave it to him on the last day of shooting! I don't understand why people make such a fuss about his price. If producers use his name to sell their films, why do they resent him for charging more? Today, my film is being sold only because of my star cast and not because it was produced by Yash Johar. Most of the time, I am thankful to Shah Rukh for being so considerate towards me. Our relationship is of the kind, would anyone else in my position want to work with anyone else? He is like a family member. It is his good nature that rules everything and on top of that, no one can deny the fact that he is a great performer. Every star, be it Salman, Aamir or Ajay Devgan, has his favourite producer. So, if a star prefers to work with a particular producer, people label it as camp. But in terms of work, if you have a good rapport with someone,why wouldn't you want to continue working with that person? I have seen Shah Rukh work for other producers with the same dedication that he shows with me. He has the biggest following purely because of his performance. His work makes him popular. When he's in a film, he sells for at least a week! Any other actor may be able to sell a film for a maximum of three days. Another thing I like about him is that he never conflicts with what a director wants. But in extreme cases like when we were doing the promos of Duplicate, he helped us out when we were stuck. Any role you give him, he plays with the same conviction. He is a volcano of talent."
Madhuri Dixit, Shah Rukh's partner in Koyla, had a different view, "The secret of Shah Rukh's success is that he looks beyond himself. He is not self-absorbed like many stars are. He does not live in an ivory tower. He does not have guys hanging around him all the time. He is not like the typical star at all. He is a very conscious person and tries to understand as much as he can, to learn everything that is involved in filmmaking. He is immensely interested in the art and techniques of filmmaking. He does not shy away from hard work and has never hesitated to take risks. Shah Rukh has been adventurous throughout his career, which others have not been. I think that is what has worked for him."
Ramesh Sippy, BRA Enterprises, gives a trade expert's opinion, "It is Shah Rukh's screen charisma that does the trick. And the man of course has a remarkable talent. It is his ability to get into the skin of the character! He is just like Amitabh Bachchan was 10 years ago. His commitment to what he does is so evident on his face, that is why his popularity reaches new heights with every passing film. Not many stars can boast of having fans among children, teenagers, youngsters, old women and men! Other stars, like Salman and Aamir, may have a fan following among a selective clique, but Shah Rukh has that universal appeal. I guess this is partly because he has never hesitated to play negative roles too. Probably people can relate to him more because there is an innate violence in every human being. The passion shows on his face whether he is running around a tree singing or fighting or doing anything else. There is a lot of fire in the man. This proves that whether tall or short, height makes no difference to a star. The fact that his last film Duplicate did not do so well did not affect his popularity because he was good in the film. Raj Kapoor had an aawara in his career but that did not make him any less of a star!”
Juhi Chawla, Shah Rukh's favourite partner who has worked with him in several films, says, "Whatever I know about him, I think he is one of the hardest workers I have ever met. This man is capable of working from morning till late at night, waking up the next morning and continuing the shoot. He can go on like that for days. I think he just loves what he does. When you work with him, he keeps coming up with ideas on how to go about things. He is a pleasure to work with as a partner and more so for directors and producers. He doesn't mind putting in the effort to show a film in the right mood and in the right setting. He is not only interested in his own work, he also helps his colleagues to do their best. The only thing is, when you work with him, you cannot be late at the studio even if you want to, because you know he will be there, fresh and alert. I don't know if Shah Rukh planned it or anything, but he does about four to five films a year. He only works with very good banners, very good directors and very good scripts. It's a pleasure to work with him."
Rishi Kapoor thinks Shah Rukh is one of the best among the new crop of actors. "I call the new crop of actors the Banian Brigade because they are always in a hurry to rip off their shirts and show off their muscles. Shah Rukh is different. He doesn't need to use his muscles to show his talent. He is extremely talented, very confident in what he does, he is able to portray any emotion. Also, he is very interested in everything he does. I think that is what you need to be successful. I know this because I worked with him in Deewana."
Rekha, Shah Rukh's dream girl, elaborates, "I first met Shah Rukh on the sets of Darr, where he was shooting the climax. Yashji called out to him and said, 'Hey, tapori, your dream girl is here'. Shah Rukh later teased me by saying that he had taken his wife's permission to marry me. And I thought to myself, 'Yeah right, who is he kidding!' But that's Shah Rukh for you, full of jokes and pranks. I have seen two of his films, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Duplicate. As an actor, he is alarmingly amazing. That's the only description I can think of about him. To say that the secret of Shah Rukh's success is his hard work, openness and unique understanding of his roles would be a cliche. I think the secret of his success is his vulnerability and insecurity - the crucial ingredients to be a successful actor. The more dissatisfied and dysfunctional a person is, the better it makes him as an actor. I think Shah Rukh will agree with me when I say this. To do justice to the characters he portrayed in Duplicate, Shah Rukh must be endowed with a natural ability to analyse the roles. It is obviously his deep love for his craft that makes him successful. I saw him on a show on TV and was impressed by his ability to speak straight from the heart. He admits his shortcomings without sounding pushy. Of course, it is well known that Shah Rukh is a successful actor, but for me, Shah Rukh the human is more successful!”
Manisha Koirala's opinions on Shah Rukh are much more practical. "I think the reason for Shah Rukh's success lies in the kind of films he makes and the kind of directors he chooses to work with. In addition, he has been able to experiment with his image (roles) which has brought him a lot of popularity. Working with Shah Rukh has always been a pleasure. He is extremely talented and very hardworking. He is very passionate about what he does and is just lovely."
Rakesh Roshan, who has guided Shah Rukh in King Uncle, Karan Arjun and Koyla, tries to take a director's point of view. "I think it is Shah Rukh's dedication to his work that makes him so successful. I admire this man for his punctuality and candor. I think he is a very capable actor and he works hard at it. He is a very spontaneous actor but whatever scene he plays, he plays it with a lot of sincerity. It is evident in his eyes, his commitment is so obvious. He is popular despite recent failures as people know he is a good actor. An actor cannot make a film a hit or a flop. He only portrays a character in the film and whatever he does, he does it with great candor. Whatever and wherever he has promised me something, he has fulfilled that commitment. I have never had a reason to complain. He is popular because he is talented and good-looking and there is something about him that attracts audiences. I would rate him as a very educated, knowledgeable and talented actor. On a scale of 10, I would rate him a nine."
Raj Kumar Santoshi, another director who has immense admiration for Shah Rukh, says, "It is his openness and dedication to his work that makes him stand out above others. Also the fact that he is adventurous and doesn't mind experimenting with any kind of role as long as it suits him. His face has the flexibility to look both vulnerable and mean very convincingly."
Subash Ghai, the man with the golden touch. The director who India's top actors would give their right arm to work with has this to say about the star. "I worked with Shah Rukh as a producer in Trimurti and was his director in Pardes. I am not one to give my verdict on a personality like him - I have not yet learned his secrets that only he knows, although I am aware that he is a survivor - sharp, intelligent, clever and hardworking in the truest sense. One thing I have found with Shah Rukh is that he is very alert and aware of the market. He keeps his balance intact. He works faithfully for some directors and on the other hand, some directors work faithfully for him. He enjoys both worlds by working equally well in an actor's film as he does in a director's film. Just look at his career. No other actor has been as clever and intelligent as he is. And I admire him for that. As for his energy, well that's a big plus point for him, he is involved in every aspect of the film - from costume to camera, editing, promos and attending all the marketing events of the film. He treats his film like his own baby. Very often the producers and directors wonder if the film belongs to him or to them!"
No wonder Shah Rukh has proved himself to be the Hazaron Mein Ek star!