by Anamika Sengupta
With Kolkata Knight Rider’s becoming the champions of IPL 2014, the nation’s focus was once again on the ruler of oh-so-many hearts- Shahrukh Khan. His KKR franchise proved that not only is he a mighty potentate of the silver screen but he is also a successful businessman. (To all those who disagree with me….grr!!). I for one, am a HUGE ‘SRK’ fan & just cannot get enough of his smile, his words or his acting. What makes him an utterly likeable personality is his wit, his charm, his confidence, his affable nature, his tongue-in-cheek humor & of course his dimples!
With Kolkata Knight Rider’s becoming the champions of IPL 2014, the nation’s focus was once again on the ruler of oh-so-many hearts- Shahrukh Khan. His KKR franchise proved that not only is he a mighty potentate of the silver screen but he is also a successful businessman. (To all those who disagree with me….grr!!). I for one, am a HUGE ‘SRK’ fan & just cannot get enough of his smile, his words or his acting. What makes him an utterly likeable personality is his wit, his charm, his confidence, his affable nature, his tongue-in-cheek humor & of course his dimples!
Shahrukh’s portrayal of a devoted father and loyal friend as ‘Rahul’ in ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, or of an impassioned lover as ‘Raj’ in ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ are just two examples of all the roles he has beautifully personated. And each shows one of the many facets of the mighty journey that every person undertakes and calls ‘life’. Though the genre in which Shahrukh has proven to be most triumphant is undoubtedly romance, he has also quite successfully played roles that go above & beyond being the ultimate romantic hero. I have picked three of his most iconic roles that I personally love :-
1) THE INSPIRER: Kabir Khan, Chak De India
“Sattar minute hai tumhaare paas...
shaayad tumhaare zindagi ke sabse khaas sattar minute..”
Every time I think of this movie, these lines reverberate in my mind. Shahrukh Khan outdid himself in Chak De India! The movie showcased his perfect portrayal of a confident, focused, nurturing and truly sincere Hockey coach. In the absence of prolific green fields and beautiful heroines dancing to a foot-tapping song, the viewer’s sole focus is on Mr. Khan. And oh how he impresses! Whenever one is in need of just that tiny proverbial ‘push’, one should watch this movie & get inspired.
Every time I think of this movie, these lines reverberate in my mind. Shahrukh Khan outdid himself in Chak De India! The movie showcased his perfect portrayal of a confident, focused, nurturing and truly sincere Hockey coach. In the absence of prolific green fields and beautiful heroines dancing to a foot-tapping song, the viewer’s sole focus is on Mr. Khan. And oh how he impresses! Whenever one is in need of just that tiny proverbial ‘push’, one should watch this movie & get inspired.
2) THE REALIST: Mohan Bhargava, Swades
Swades is a poignant story of a man who goes on a journey of self-discovery and lets the love for his country be reborn after a very long time. Shahrukh’s role as a NASA scientist, makes you stop for a moment and ponder over the huge divide between rural & urban India. Synthesized to be a wake-up call, Swades urges each of us to do away with idealism & brace realism. Apathy towards all the social maladies that infects India should not be tolerated any further !! ( Phew! You see how SRK makes me so verbose a !?! :P)
3) THE DUTIFUL SON: Rahul Raichand, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham
“Zindagi mein kuch banna ho, kuch hasil karna ho, kuch jeetna ho, toh hamesha apne dil ki suno. Aur agar dil se bhi koi jawaab na aaye, toh apni aankhein band karke apni Maa aur Baba ka naam lo. Phir dekhna tum har manzil pa sakoge, har mushkil aasan ho jayegi, jeet tumhari hogi. Sirf tumhari.”
Yes, the movie had all the glitz and all the glamour. Yes, it had a star-packed ensemble. Yes, it was a tad bit too ostentatious at times (thanks to Karan Johar flair for the dramatic!). And yes, it had all those “senti” moments that make all the cynics shudder. But all these points are just what made this movie the ‘quintessential’ Bollywood flick. And it’s highlight is most definitely Shahrukh Khan! He portrayed beautifully what this movie stands for- unconditional, unequivocal and unadulterated love every child should have for his/her parents. And his awesome chemistry with Kajol just added to the sheer delight that K3G brought to every SRK loyalist.
If I was allowed to go on raving about just how emotional his performance in ‘Veer Zaara’ was, or how moving his role as ‘Rizwan Khan’ in ‘My Name is Khan’ was ( how spectacular was his depiction of Asperger Syndrome ?!), or how much I cried after watching ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’…..you would probably come kill me! But my point is, Shahrukh Khan makes acting seem effortless that you cannot help but get charmed by him. His interviews make you applaud his sheer wit and brilliant sense of humor. To not only be able to sustain in Bollywood for over 26 years, but to thrive and rule as ‘the’ most popular actor for more than half of said period is truly something.
‘Korbo, lorbo, jeetbo re’ ~ yeah, not only did he do that in Kolkata but also in the hearts of so, so, so many all over the world. A charismatic personality and a sagacious soul with an illustrious career to proclaim it all, Shahrukh Khan is truly the ‘Badshah of Bollywood’ !!
‘Korbo, lorbo, jeetbo re’ ~ yeah, not only did he do that in Kolkata but also in the hearts of so, so, so many all over the world. A charismatic personality and a sagacious soul with an illustrious career to proclaim it all, Shahrukh Khan is truly the ‘Badshah of Bollywood’ !!