Ek Badshah(SRK) Ka Kamaal

ome badshahs (kings) have their badshahats (empires) placed in the their lap. Some badshahs have their badshahats thrust upon them. Some badshahs grab their badshahat by fighting their way, fighting even against their own family and in some cases even their own fathers. But Badshah Shah Rukh Khan has his own way to win his badshahat. He won it by the merit of his own talent, his will to fight a war against himself to emerge as a greater badshah with every war he fought and keep growing and spreading his empire all around the world. Shah Rukh started his reign as an actor in theatre in New Delhi and conquered Delhi and all the surrounding areas. He then played major roles in Fauji and Circus, two of the very early serials which were good and in which he was very good and was naturally noticed by all lovers of talent. He was called to Bombay and even signed films like Dil Aashna Hai directed by Hema Malini and Deewana directed by Raj Kanwar and was seriously negotiating tempting offers with some major filmmakers.

It was at this crucial time that Dinesh Lakhanpal, one of his old theatre friends thought of making a short film based on Easter, the Christian's celebration of the rising of Jesus Christ from the dead. Dinesh felt Shah Rukh would be the ideal choice to play the young man in the story with a universal message. He was aware of the way Shah Rukh was making headway in Bombay and would find it difficult to do a short film for Doordarshan. He however approached Shah Rukh who was only growing busier with every film he signed. Shah Rukh did not even stop to ask Dinesh for the details of the film he was making. He made adjustments and alterations in his dates and managed to find time to play the role Dinesh offered him in his film, Mahaan Karz. And the Badshah who can today add as many zeros as he wants to his price was paid just a sum of Rs. Three Thousand and he accepted it with gratitude. I had the good fortune to see Mahaan Karz recently, thanks to Dinesh Lakhanpal and realized how good Shah Rukh was even when he did role in a short film, almost as good as he is today in any of his major films. He proves that talent is talent all the time under any circumstances and that talent could triumph and emerge as bright as ivory any time. I am not sure whether Shah Rukh remembers Mahaan Karz but I have a feeling that he must because it was what he did in films like Mahaan Karz that really gave him the courage, the confidence and the conviction to aim to build an empire of his own

And this story about Shah Rukh comes from Indonesia, comes from an actor called Mahesh Amarnani, a young man who was a struggling actor in Bombay not so long ago but is a very big star on Indonesian TV and some of the most popular Indonesia films. According to Mahesh, Shah Rukh is the most popular actor from anywhere in the world for the people. He is an integral part of the pantheon of Gods worshipped in Indonesia. People of all ages adore him. Seeing his films more than once is a custom, almost a religion, even if it is considered a sin or an act of blasphemy. There is hardly an Indonesian who has not seen a film of Shah Rukh and some of them have made it a habit to seeing his films as many times as possible. Every Indonesian young man dreams of becoming at least a little like Shah Rukh. They know that it is difficult to make the impossible possible but even trying makes them good and even better, they feel. It is a sight to see when people throng theatres and celebrate the release of every Shah Rukh Khan film like a major feast, a feast celebrated with great fanfare. No other actor from any other country has been treated like this at any other time. Indonesia and Indonesians are waiting for the day when they will be able to see their Badshah who they have only seen on screen, in flesh and blood, see him visiting Indonesia to see how they treat him and what they think of him and why.

This is not just one part of the world that Shah Rukh has conquered. There are many others and there are still others waiting to be conquered by him.