THE SECRET OF CINEMA’S GOLDEN TRIO
Bollywood’s three Khans have hit the silver jubilee of their career, and show no sign of slowing down. Here’s why they made it so big
The past year can easily be called a landmark year for Shah Rukh Khan — he completed 25 years in Bollywood, and joined the other two Khans — Aamir and Salman — in the silver jubilee club. While Aamir debuted with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), Salman’s lead hero debut was in Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), and Shah Rukh entered films with Deewana (1992).
The three have seen their share of success and failure, but the triumvirate’s brand value has only grown stronger. A prime example is Salman’s Tiger Zinda Hai, which has already made over ₹325 crore in India.
The big question is: what makes the Khans such a blockbuster brand even 25 years later? Director Anees Bazmee says, “It didn’t happen overnight. The Khans have created and built their brand value over 20 years now. It takes a lot of commitment, perseverance and talent.” Experts feel that SRK has proved his global as well as Indian appeal, and has put Hindi films on the world map. “Besides his romantic image, he has a touch of vulnerability, which appeals — especially to women — a lot,” says ad guru Prahlad Kakar. Aamir, who has explored different kinds of cinema starting with Lagaan (2001), has been delivering big hits in India, and is making inroads into other countries such as China, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan, where his films, PK, 3 Idiots, and Dangal did well. His biggest USP is making “unconventional ideas conventional”, say experts. Trade analyst Komal Nahta says, “Aamir knows his audiences so well that it’s scary at times.” And Salman, says exhibitordistributor Akshaye Rathi, is the “darling of the masses, which constitute a majority of our film audiences .”
THE KHANS TALK
Since the ’90s, the three Khans have been pitched against each other, but their working methodology is diametrically different. SRK says, “It’s like, there are three people from different places. They manage to get a similar thing. But all three achieve that through different processes and they also think very differently about it. I think we have a kind of non-blood brotherhood.”
All three actors don’t feel like 25 years have gone by. “It’s been a very exciting and fulfilling journey,” says Aamir. “I’ve been fortunate to have worked with wonderful writers and directors on their unique scripts. I got to learn so much. But honestly, I feel my decisions have mostly been very risky and impractical.”
SRK feels his personal and professional life in 25 years has “passed by in a blink”. He says, “I don’t get tired or worried, and I never give up.”
Salman concurs. “It feels as if I worked in Maine Pyar Kiya the day before yesterday. I’ve always had a lot of love for this profession. Life is superb, outstanding. God is kind.”
For a change, 2018 will see all three Khans’ films releasing in theatres in the same year. Aamir has Thugs of Hindostan coming up, while SRK has Zero, and Salman has his Eid release, Race 3