What is so special about Shahrukh Khan?

Some actors ride a short wave of success due to their good looks.  And some actors are just lucky to get the right part in a big hit movie and are popular for simply being themselves in front of the camera. But some actors have more than just luck or appealing looks and personality, and Shahrukh Khan is definitely one of these! 

There is much more to Shahrukh than what meets the eye, and it’s these other, deeper and diverse qualities which make him the enduring and beloved superstar he has been for many years already.  

These days Shahrukh is best known and loved for his romantic hero roles in blockbuster hits like Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998),  Mohabbatein (2000), Main Hoon Na (2004) and Veer-Zaara (2004),  giving an irresistible emotionally powerful performance in each role.  But the real test of an actor’s worth is his ability to reach far beyond the popular and often stereotyped hero roles, and in this respect Shahrukh has proven himself to be a most extraordinary actor indeed.

Not many actors can successfully portray a huge range of diverse characters such as Shahrukh has, which is already a convincing testament of his exceptional talent.  A recent example of his remarkable flexibility is his dual role in Don (2006), in which he plays two completely opposing personalities:  the dangerous and cunning drug dealer who is bad to the core, and the pure and innocent look-alike Vijay who behaves and speaks very differently.   These two characters are portrayed so vibrantly that at times it’s hard to believe that the same actor is playing both roles!

Shahrukh has mastered the art of convincingly portraying all kinds of characters, not merely with the help of make-up or disguises, but by means of dynamic body language and greatly varying manners of speech such as accents and slang.  In fact, his range of vocal expression is as impressively extensive as his range of facial gestures which can convey the entire gamut of human emotions:  from sweet and lovable, compassionate and good, to fierce rage and hatred, even sheer madness.

Early Films and Awards

Interestingly, it is in this controversial area of madness or anti-social behaviour that Shahrukh’s acting seems to really thrive, and where his big screen career began.  Movie producers were perhaps unsure how to cast this fledgling actor of several television series due to his unconventional looks which did not quite fit the standard popular hero image.   Therefore, some of his earliest roles from 1992 onwards were of unstable or extremely emotional personalities such as a rebellious son obsessed with love for a young widow in Deewana (1992) for which Shahrukh won the Best Sensational Debut award at Filmfare.  

A year later, Shahrukh gave two of his most unforgettable performances as a psychopath driven by his obsession for a girl in Darr (1993) for which he was nominated as the Best Villain, and as a bereaved son ruthlessly killing in order to avenge his family’s tragic fate in Baazigar (1993) which won him the Best Actor award at Filmfare. Shahrukh’s very competent co-star in Baazigar was Kajol, who continued to be Shahrukh’s leading lady in other significant films such as the all-time blockbuster hit, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995).

The following year, Shahrukh won the Best Villain Filmfare award for his chillingly life-like portrayal of a spoilt rich son who goes to murderous extremes to get the woman he loves, but who continually spurns him, in Anjaam (1994).

No less frighteningly convincing is Shahrukh’s role in Ram Jaane (1995) a year later which tells the violent and sad story of a homeless street kid who becomes a dangerous criminal, but the film’s climax reveals a ray of goodness deep down inside, behind the mean and tough exterior. 

This line-up of diverse roles would be daunting enough for most actors to follow, but Shahrukh has heartily embraced still other challenging roles such as comedy in films like Duplicate (1998) in which he played his first dual roles of opposing characters:  a dangerous escaped convict seeking revenge on his former partners in crime, and his exact look-alike who is an innocent, boyish and clumsy chef.   

Carrying on from his comedy part as the awkward chef in Duplicate, Shahrukh manages to display far greater comedic talents a year later in Baadshah (1999) as a bungling private investigator who succeeds more by sheer luck than by skill.  Besides popular songs and great action, the scenes in which he pretends to be blind in order to fool a girl are quite outstanding and immensely entertaining.

Further on this outstanding résumé of roles are other extreme or unusual characters such as a tough bikie gang member in Josh (2000),and in particular in Asoka (2001), the story of the legendary Indian emperor remembered for converting to Buddhism after a violent life and brutal conquests.  As Asoka, Shahrukh delivers another highly-charged performance in a very serious manner with behaviour and an appearance far removed from any other role thus far. 

In a classic Indian story, the re-make of Devdas (2002), in which Shahrukh plays the leading role,earned the honour of being the first Indian film to be nominated at the illustrious Cannes Film Festival.  The tragic fate of Devdas who succumbs to alcoholism is another such exceptional and emotionally powerful portrayal which earned him not one, but two Best Actor awards.

No doubt Shahrukh’s career has been helped along by very talented co-stars with whom he shares a good rapport such as Rani Mukherjee and Kajol, but also by extremely competent directors such as Yash Chopra.  Shahrukh’s own contribution in action and stunt scenes should also not be overlooked, and even though he has said in some interviews that he cannot dance, many of his film songs are so popular that he continues to perform them on stage to the delight of many tens of thousands of fans. 

Yet the underlying force which drives Shahrukh’s success must surely be his seemingly boundless energy and ability to poignantly and convincingly portray any kind of character in any situation, while still keeping the audience in mind and delivering an undisputedly entertaining performance. In order to appreciate Shahrukh’s talent and work throughout his career so far, a closer look at his earlier films might be enlightening.

 by Barbara Burkowsky

<< back | top of page