Owing to hits like DDLJ, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Veer-Zaara, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Devdas, Don, Chak De! India and Om Shanti Om, Khan and his recently acquired six-packs have become a huge draw in India as well as overseas.
Dreaming unlimited, SRK style SRK's enthusiasm rubbed on his colleagues-cum friends as well. Along with director Aziz Mirza and co-star Juhi Chawla, he set up a production company, Dreamz Unlimited. Though their first and second ventures -- Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani and Asoka -- were wash-outs, the troika got third time lucky with the musical love story, Chalte Chalte. The actor also co-produced Kaal along with buddy Karan Johar. Lately, the astute and ambitious Khan has been producing under his banner, Red Chillies Entertainment. While the Amol Palekar helmed Rajasthani fairy tale, Paheli didn't click big, Farah Khan's Main Hoon Naa and Om Shanti Om did spectacular business at the box-office.
Brand SRK With great box-office power come prized endorsements. And so from washing machines (Videocon), laptops (Compaq), to beverages (Pepsi), biscuits (Sunfeast) and soaps (Lux) to cell phones (Nokia) and providers (Airtel), SRK sells it all. He is also the brand ambassador of Swiss luxury watch Tag Huer and South Korean auto company, Hyundai. The OSO star reportedly earns 38 million dollars a year from endorsements alone.
Anchored antics Anchoring award-ceremonies involves a great deal of spontaneous wit and dynamic persona, which Shah Rukh Khan does only too well. Along with his Kal Ho Naa Ho co-star, Saif Ali Khan, the two are known to bring the house down. While their on-stage antics and jokes might not work all the time, it still gets a whole lot of attention.
Item boy! Despite his more-than-full plate, SRK finds time to take on an item number as well. So far, so good. His frantic jhatkas with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Shakti's Ishq kamina was received with deafening decibels of wolf-whistling. He also broke into a vibrant jig with Akshay Kumar and Ritesh Deshmukh for Heyy Babyy's foot-tapping chartbuster, Mast kalander. Next, King Khan aspires to give Rakhi Sawant and Hrithik Roshan a run for their money with his stylish boogie woogie in Krazzy 4. All three make separate 'item number' appearances in Jaideep Sen's directorial debut.
And the Booker goes to... His inspiring success and mesmerising take on life makes Shah Rukh Khan a fascinating subject story to study. Every now and then books like Still Reading Khan by Mushtaq Sheikh and King of Bollywood and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema by Anupma Chopra pop up on book stalls. A couple of years ago, Nasreen Munni Kabir's documentary, The Inner/Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan was added to the growing library. Interestingly, SRK, too, is in the process of putting together his autobiography. If his fine eloquence is any indication, we may just have a best-seller. |
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