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| Name | Shah Rukh Khan |
| Nickname | SRK |
| Identification | Badshah, King Khan, King of Bollywood |
| Date Of Birth | 2nd November 1965 |
| Age | 57 |
| Birth Place | New Delhi |
| Profession | Actor |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Islam |
| Gender | Male |
| Profession | Actor, film producer, television personality, businessman |
| Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
| Alma Mater | Hansraj College |
| Qualification | BA and Masters in Mass Communication |
| Height | 5 feet 8 inches |
| Weight | Around 75kgs |
| Spouse | Gauri Chhibber |
| Children | Aryan Khan, Suhana Khan, AbRam Khan |
| Net Worth (as of 2023) | Around $730 million |
Who Is Shah Rukh Khan?
Shah Rukh Khan was born on November 02, 1965, in New Delhi, and his parents are Meer Taj Mohammed Khan and Lateef Fatima Khan, and he has an elder sister named Shehnaz Lalarukh. He spent his early days in Bangalore with his grandparents while his father ran a restaurant in Delhi. Sadly, his father passed away in 1981, followed by his mother in 1991. After their parents’ death, Khan and his sister moved to Mumbai, where he began his film career.
He is an Indian actor, film producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. On October 25, 1991, he married Gauri Chhibber, and they have three children: Aryan (born in 1997), AbRam (born in 2013), and Suhana (born in 2000). Khan started his career by appearing in television serials during 1988-1990 and made his film debut with the successful movie Deewana (1992). He gained popularity for his villainous roles in films like Darr (1993), Baazigar (1993), and Anjaam (1994). Throughout his Bollywood career, he won fourteen Filmfare awards, and his movies were commercially successful.
Shah Rukh Khan is known for certain trademarks that make him unique. One of them is his dimples, which are small indentations on his cheeks when he smiles. Speaking of smiles, his smile is also something that people recognize and appreciate. Additionally, he has a signature pose where he slowly waves both hands in an upward motion, which is quite famous and associated with him.
The Government of India awarded Shah Rukh Khan the Padma Shri, and the Government of France honored him with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and Legion of Honour. He has a large following in Asia and among Indians living abroad. People consider him one of the most successful film stars globally in terms of popularity and earnings. Many of his movies focus on Indian national identity and relationships with diaspora communities and explore themes of gender, race, social issues, and religious diversity and conflicts.
Shah Rukh Khan initially gained recognition for playing villainous roles in movies like Baazigar (1993) and Darr (1993). However, he became a star by starring in a series of hugely successful romantic films. Some of these films include Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Mohabbatein (2000), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… (2001), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Veer-Zaara (2004), and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006). He received praise from critics for his performances in movies like Devdas (2002), where he was an alcoholic, and Swades (2004), where he played a NASA scientist, Chak De India (2007), where he portrayed a hockey coach, and My Name Is Khan (2010), where he played a man with Asperger syndrome. He had further commercial successes with movies like Om Shanti Om (2007), Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008), Chennai Express (2013), and Happy New Year (2014). After a break, Khan made a successful comeback with the action film Pathaan (2023), which became the second-highest-grossing Hindi release.
Since 2015, Khan has served as the co-chairman of Red Chillies Entertainment which is a film production company. He is also the co-owner of two cricket teams: Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League and Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League. He is mostly called “Brand SRK” by the media because of his classy advertisements and business set out. Khan frequently appears as a presenter on television and performs in stage shows. He is involved in providing healthcare and disaster relief. In recognition of his support for children’s education, he received UNESCO’s Pyramide con Marni award in 2011. He has also advocated for women’s and children’s rights in India and got the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award in 2018. Khan is recognized as one of the most influential people in Indian culture and was one of Newsweek’s fifty most powerful people in the world in 2008. In 2022, people voted him as one of the 50 greatest actors of all time in a readers’ poll by Empire magazine. Furthermore, in 2023, Time magazine included him in their list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Net Worth
Shahrukh Khan, one of the richest actors in the world, has a net worth of $730 million. He has worked in over 80 movies and received numerous awards for his contributions to Indian cinema. Shahrukh Khan’s net worth surpasses that of veteran actors like Tom Cruise, Jackie Chan, Robert De Niro, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. His wealth is derived from his involvement in movies, television hosting, production house, and stage performances. Mannat is his most costly acquisition. Originally known as Villa Vienna, Mannat was built in 1914 as a bungalow with a large garden. A Parsi family owned it at that time. In the 1990s, a real estate firm purchased the bungalow, and Shahrukh Khan bought it in 2001. Mannat is a large mansion spanning six floors and covering an area of 27,000 square feet. It features a blend of vintage and modern design. It is known as one of the priciest residences in India, valued at Rs 200 crore.
Early Life and His Family
Shahrukh Khan was born into a Muslim family. Shahrukh Khan grew up in the Rajendra Nagar neighborhood of New Delhi. His family belonged to the middle class and lived in rented apartments. Shah Rukh Khan’s father, Mir Taj Mohammed Khan, was an Indian independence activist from Peshawar. He actively participated in the nonviolent resistance movement led by Abdul Ghaffar Khan, called the Khudai Khidmatgar, which aimed for a united and independent India. Mir was associated with the Indian National Congress and followed Abdul Ghaffar Khan. He was also the cousin of Shah Nawaz Khan, a major general in the Indian National Army. According to Khan, his paternal grandfather, Mir Jan Muhammad Khan, was an ethnic Pashtun from Afghanistan. However, his cousins in Peshawar clarified that their family speaks Hindko and originally hails from Kashmir, settling in Peshawar centuries ago, contradicting the claim of Pashtun ancestry. As of 2010, Khan’s paternal family still resided in Peshawar’s Shah Wali Qataal area. During the first five years of Shah Rukh Khan’s childhood, his maternal grandfather, Iftikhar Ahmed, served as the chief engineer at the port in Mangalore.
1946 Mir moved to Delhi to pursue a law degree at Delhi University. Due to the partition of India in 1947, he was unable to return to Peshawar and had to stay in Delhi. He eventually returned to Peshawar after many years. Khan’s mother, Lateef Fatima, worked as a magistrate and was the daughter of a senior government engineer. His parents got married in 1959.
On Twitter, Khan has described his background as “half Hyderabadi (mother), half Pathan (father), and some Kashmiri (grandmother).” He grew up in New Delhi’s Rajendra Nagar neighborhood. His father was involved in various business ventures, including running a restaurant. As a middle-class family, they lived in rented apartments. Khan went to St. Columba’s School in Central Delhi, where he was good at both studies and sports like hockey and football. He received the school’s highest honor, the Sword of Honour. Khan wanted to pursue a career in sports, but a shoulder injury prevented him from playing further. Instead, he grew an interest in acting at a young age and received praise for his imitations of Bollywood actors, particularly Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, and Mumtaz. One of his childhood friends and acting partners was Amrita Singh, who later became a Bollywood actress. Khan took admitted to Hansraj College to get a bachelor’s degree in economics but spent much of his time at Delhi’s Theatre Action Group (TAG), where he learned acting under the guidance of theatre director Barry John. Although he got a master’s degree in mass communication at Jamia Millia Islamia, he decided to leave and focus on his acting career. During his early Bollywood career, he also attended the National School of Drama in Delhi.
Sadly, Khan’s father died in 1981 due to cancer, and his mother died in 1991 due to diabetes. Following their parents’ deaths, his older sister, Shahnaz Lalarukh, experienced depression, and Khan took care of her. Shahnaz continues to live with Khan and his family in their Mumbai mansion.
The love story of Bollywood’s romantic stars Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri was as grand as a Yash Chopra movie. They first met at a party in 1984 when Shah Rukh was 18 years old. However, he didn’t ask Gauri to dance as she was already dancing with someone else. Shah Rukh Khan fell in love with Gauri when he was 18, while Gauri was 14.
Their first date took place in a nightclub in Delhi. It lasted only five minutes, and they had cold drinks. Shah Rukh Khan had to meet Gauri three times before he mustered the courage to ask for her phone number. Interestingly, Gauri was Shah Rukh Khan’s first and only girlfriend. During their courtship, they relied on landline phones for communication. Since Gauri’s brother would often answer the phone, Shah Rukh Khan would pretend to be a girl whenever he wanted to speak to Gauri.
Before getting married, Gauri’s last name was Chibber, and she came from a Punjabi family with a military background. Initially, their families opposed their relationship, and Shah Rukh Khan reportedly pretended to be a Hindu for five years to convince them. Gauri wasn’t initially enthusiastic about Shah Rukh Khan’s acting career.
Once, after a quarrel, Gauri left without informing Shah Rukh and went to Mumbai. Determined to make things right, Shah Rukh followed her to Mumbai, and they reconciled near the shores of the city. Soon after, they had a memorable wedding ceremony on October 25, 1991. Reports suggest that the actor rented a suit for his wedding from the set of the film “Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman.”
His Career
1988–1992: Television and film debut phase
Shah Rukh Khan’s first opportunity for a starring role came with the television series Dil Dariya, directed by Lekh Tandon, in 1988. But, due to production delays, his television debut happened with the series Fauji in 1989, directed by Raj Kumar Kapoor. In Fauji, he played the main character named Abhimanyu Rai and the series depicted the realistic training of army cadets. This led to further appearances in television series like Circus (1989-90) directed by Aziz Mirza and the miniseries Idiot (1992) directed by Mani Kaul. Khan also had minor roles in the serials Umeed (1989) and Wagle Ki Duniya (1988-90) and even appeared in the English-language television film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones (1989). Critics began comparing his looks and acting style to that of film actor Dilip Kumar based on his performances in these serials. But, at that time, Khan was not interested in pursuing a career in film acting as he believed he wasn’t good enough.
In April 1991, Shah Rukh Khan had a change of heart and decided to pursue a career in films as a way to cope with the grief of his mother’s death. He relocated from Delhi to Mumbai to focus on Bollywood. Soon after, he was signed for four films. Hema Malini’s directorial debut Dil Aashna Hai was his first offer, and he began shooting for it in June. Khan made his film debut with Deewana, which was released in June 1992. In the movie, he played the second male lead alongside Divya Bharti, with Rishi Kapoor in the lead role. Deewana was a huge success at the box office and marked the beginning of Khan’s Bollywood journey. He received the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for his performance. In the same year, he also appeared as the male lead in Chamatkar, Dil Aashna Hai, and the comedy Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, where he began his collaboration with actress Juhi Chawla. In his initial film roles, Khan portrayed characters filled with energy and enthusiasm. According to Arnab Ray of Daily News and Analysis, Khan brought a unique style of acting to the screen, showcasing physical energy, intense emotions, and charming boyishness in his performances.
1993–1994: Anti-hero phase
Among his releases in 1993, Shah Rukh Khan gained praise for his portrayal of characters in two successful movies: Baazigar and Darr. Sonal Khullar, in The Cambridge Companion to Modern Indian Culture, referred to his character as “the consummate anti-hero.” His performance in Baazigar, which marked the beginning of his collaborations with actress Kajol, earned Khan his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor. Darr also marked the start of Khan’s association with filmmaker Yash Chopra and his production company, Yash Raj Films. His stammering and the famous line “I love you, K-k-k-Kiran” became popular with the audience. Malini Mannath of The Indian Express praised his acting in another negative role. Khan received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role for Darr but lost to Paresh Rawal for the film Sir. In the same year, Khan appeared in the movie Maya Memsaab, which included a nude scene with Deepa Sahi, and a few scenes got removed. The controversy surrounding the scene led Khan to avoid such scenes in his future roles.
In 1994, Shah Rukh Khan portrayed a love-struck musician in Kundan Shah’s comedy-drama film Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa. He considered this role as his favorite. His performance received critical acclaim and won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance. Additionally, in 1994, Khan won the Filmfare Best Villain Award for his role as an obsessive lover in Anjaam, where he starred alongside Madhuri Dixit. Playing negative roles was considered risky for leading actors in mainstream Hindi cinema at the time, but Khan took the chance and was credited for his daring choices by Arnab Ray. During that period, director Mukul S. Anand referred to Khan as “the new face of the industry.”
1995–1998: Romantic roles phase
In 1995, Shah Rukh Khan appeared in a total of seven films. The first one was the melodramatic thriller Karan Arjun, directed by Rakesh Roshan. Co-starring Salman Khan and Kajol, the film became the second highest-grossing film of the year in India. In the film, Khan portrayed a young Non-resident Indian (NRI) who falls in love with Kajol’s character during a trip across Europe. Initially hesitant to play a lover, this film established him as a romantic hero. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge received a lot of love in India and abroad. It was declared an “all-time blockbuster” by Box Office India, with a worldwide gross of approximately ₹2 billion (US$61.68 million). The film is the longest-running film in the history of Indian cinema, as it continued to be shown at the Maratha Mandir Theatre in Mumbai for over 1000 weeks. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge won ten Filmfare Awards, including Khan’s second-best Actor Award. Raja Sen, a director and critic, described Khan’s performance as fabulous and praised his portrayal of a lover in the 1990s with great panache.
In 1996, all four of Khan’s movies received negative reviews and performed poorly at the box office. However, he starred in the romantic comedy Yes Boss alongside Aditya Pancholi and Juhi Chawla the following year. His performance earned him critical acclaim and a nomination for the Filmfare Best Actor Award. Later in 1997, Khan appeared in Subhash Ghai’s social drama Pardes, which focused on the diaspora theme. The film was successful, particularly in the United States, making it one of the first major Bollywood movies to achieve that feat. Khan’s last release in 1997 was the musical romance Dil To Pagal Hai, directed by Yash Chopra. He played the character of Rahul, a stage director involved in a love triangle with Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor. The film and Khan’s performance received critical acclaim, leading to his third Best Actor Award at the Filmfare Awards.
During this phase of his career, Shah Rukh Khan gained popularity and love from audiences. He became widely recognized as an icon of romance in India, as noted by author Anupama Chopra. Filmmakers such as Yash Chopra, Aditya Chopra, and Karan Johar played significant roles in shaping Khan’s image and contributing to his superstar status. Interestingly, Khan became a romantic leading man known for his chemistry with co-stars, even though he never actually kissed any of them. However, he eventually broke this rule in 2012, under the persuasion of Yash Chopra.
1999–2003: Career sway
1999 Shah Rukh Khan’s only film release was Baadshah, in which he starred alongside Twinkle Khanna. Although the movie did not perform well at the box office, Khan received a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Performance in a Comic Role. However, he lost the award to Govinda for the film Haseena Maan Jaayegi. In the same year, Khan ventured into film production with the actress Juhi Chawla and director Aziz Mirza. They formed a production company called Dreamz Unlimited. Unfortunately, their first production, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000), failed commercially. The film was released just a week after Hrithik Roshan’s debut, Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, which garnered more attention from critics who felt Roshan overshadowed Khan. In 2000, Khan took on a supporting role in Kamal Haasan’s Hey Ram, marking his Tamil debut. arguing any fee as he wanted to collaborate with the renowned actor. Khan’s performance in the film was highly praised, with T. Krithika Reddy of The Hindu commending his impeccable acting skills.
In 1999, Shah Rukh Khan’s only film release was Baadshah, in which he starred alongside Twinkle Khanna. Although the movie did not perform well at the box office, Khan received a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Performance in a Comic Role. However, he lost the award to Govinda for the film Haseena Maan Jaayegi. In the same year, Khan ventured into film production with the actress Juhi Chawla and director Aziz Mirza. They formed a production company called Dreamz Unlimited. Unfortunately, their first production, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000), failed. The film was released just a week after Hrithik Roshan’s debut movie Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, which garnered more attention from critics who felt Roshan overshadowed Khan. Some critics also mentioned Khan’s predictable acting style and called for him to bring more innovation to his performances. In 2000, Khan took on a supporting role in Kamal Haasan’s Hey Ram, marking his Tamil debut. He portrayed the character of an archaeologist named Amjad Khan and worked with Haasan without charging any fee, as he wanted to collaborate with the renowned actor. Khan’s performance in the film was praised, with T. Krithika Reddy of The Hindu commending his impeccable acting skills.
2004–2009: Comeback
In 2004, Shah Rukh Khan had a successful year. He transformed Dreamz Unlimited into Red Chillies Entertainment, with his wife Gauri joining as a producer. The first production under the new banner was Main Hoon Na, a masala film directed by Farah Khan, in which Khan also starred. He then appeared in Yash Chopra’s film Veer-Zaara. The film received critical acclaim and was the highest-grossing film of 2004 in India. Khan’s final release of the year was Swades, a social drama directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, where he played a NASA scientist who returns to India. Swades was praised for its unique blend of realism and unconventional storytelling. Khan found the filming experience overwhelming and had not yet watched the film at the time. His performance received mixed reviews, with some critics unsettled by his portrayal, while others considered it his best acting to date. Khan was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor Award for all three of his 2004 releases and won the award for Swades. Filmfare later recognized his performance as one of Bollywood’s “Top 80 Iconic Performances” in their 2010 issue. In 2005, Shah Rukh Khan starred in the fantasy drama Paheli, directed by Amol Palekar. The film was India’s submission for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards. He then collaborated with Karan Johar on the musical romantic drama Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna in 2006. Khan received Best Actor nominations at the Filmfare Awards for his roles in both Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and the action film Don, which was a remake of a 1978 film. Despite negative comparisons to Amitabh Bachchan’s performance in the original Don, Khan’s portrayal still got him recognition. In 2007, he played the role of a disgraced hockey player who coached the Indian women’s national hockey team to World Cup success in the film Chak De! India, produced by Yash Raj Films. Khan’s performance in Om Shanti Om, also released in 2007, earned him another Best Actor nomination at the Filmfare Awards. The film became the highest-grossing Indian film of the year. In 2008, Khan collaborated with Aditya Chopra for the romantic drama Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi opposite newcomer Anushka Sharma. In December 2008, Khan suffered a shoulder injury while filming for Dulha Mil Gaya and underwent surgery in February 2009. He made a special appearance in the film Billu (2009) as a fictionalized version of himself and changed the film’s title from Billu Barber to Billu due to complaints from hairdressers.
2010–2014: Expansion to action and comedy
In 2010, Khan began filming My Name Is Khan. The following year, he appeared in the superhero film Ra. One as a favor to his children, starring alongside Arjun Rampal and Kareena Kapoor. Ra. One was a financial success, grossing over ₹2.4 billion (US$51.42 million). In the same year, Khan also starred in Don 2, a sequel to Don (2006), where he performed most of the stunts himself after extensive preparation. In 2012, he appeared in Yash Chopra’s romantic drama Jab Tak Hai Jaan alongside Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. The film marked Chopra’s last directorial venture. In 2013, Khan starred in Rohit Shetty’s action-comedy Chennai Express, which received mixed reviews and faced criticism for its portrayal of South Indian culture. However, the film was a commercial success. In 2014, he featured in Farah Khan’s ensemble action-comedy Happy New Year alongside Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, and Boman Irani. Despite criticism of his character, the film achieved great commercial success, grossing over ₹3.8 billion (US$64.85 million) worldwide.
2015–present: Career misfortune, break, and revival
Khan appeared in Dilwale (2015), an action comedy alongside Kajol, Varun Dhawan, and Kriti Sanon. The film received mixed reviews but was financially successful, grossing over ₹3.7 billion (US$57.68 million). In Fan (2016), he played dual roles as a superstar and an obsessed fan, but the film did not perform well at the box office. In Dear Zindagi (2016), he portrayed a therapist to an aspiring cinematographer played by Alia Bhatt. In Raees (2017), he played the titular anti-hero, and the film achieved moderate success with a worldwide gross of about ₹3.08 billion (US$47.3 million). Khan returned to the romantic genre in Jab Harry Met Sejal (2017), starring alongside Anushka Sharma, but the film was a box-office disappointment. He reunited with Sharma and Katrina Kaif in Zero (2018), playing the role of Bauua Singh, a dwarf involved in a love triangle. The film received mixed reviews, with praise for Khan’s performance. After the release of Zero, Khan took a break from acting for four years, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He made a comeback with the action thriller Pathaan (2023), reuniting with Deepika Padukone, which emerged as his highest-grossing film and one of Hindi cinema’s biggest successes. Khan will also star in two other films in 2023: Jawan, an action thriller in which he will play dual roles, and Dunki, a social drama about illegal immigration directed by Rajkumar Hirani.
