2023 marked a major comeback for Shahrukh Khan. The megastar revived near-empty theatres and set new box office records with his films Pathaan and Jawan, both crossing the ₹1,000 crore mark, reaffirming his superstardom at a time when critics and skeptics were ready to write him off. His final release of the year, Dunki, rounded off the hat-trick, despite receiving mixed reviews. The film still passed the box office test, earning ₹100 crores within three days.
In an industry that is evolving faster than ever, with new stars and superstars emerging every Friday, no one has come close to replicating the stardom of Shahrukh Khan. Yet, the question that lingers is whether King Khan is the last of the true superstars. His reign, following Amitabh Bachchan—who had himself taken the mantle from Rajesh Khanna in the mid-70s—remains unrivaled to this day.
The year was 1989, and Bollywood was in its golden era.Little did anyone know that a young man from Delhi, arriving in the city of dreams—Mumbai—would eventually go on to rule it.
In an episode of Anupam Kher’s talk show Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai, Shah Rukh revealed a deep understanding of his legacy. When Kher asked if he believed anyone could achieve the same level of fame in the future, SRK confidently replied, “Nahi, aisa hoga nahi. Main modest hoon but I’ll tell you honestly? I am the last of the stars.” And we could all feel it.
In an ever-evolving industry where new faces dream of making it to billboards and posters and staying there, Shah Rukh Khan has not only achieved that but sustained and dominated for over 30 years.
Years from now, Shah Rukh Khan’s claim of being the “last of the superstars” will evoke nostalgia for an era of Indian cinema dominated by him and a select few others. The nature of stardom inevitably evolves with shifts in culture, audience preferences, and new entertainment platforms. Yet, SRK has remarkably sustained his stardom all these years, and it’s likely he’ll continue to do so in the future.
Reflecting on this, we spoke to industry expert Akshaye Rathi about the notion of SRK being the last superstar. He said, “I wouldn’t say Shah Rukh Khan is the last of the superstars because we have Hrithik Roshan, Ranbir Kapoor, and others who are quite significant. However, what sets SRK apart is the consistency with which he has delivered entertainment, not just on-screen but also off-screen, winning over fans person-by-person. A great actor delivers a great performance, but a superstar makes audiences love him and buy tickets just because his movie posters are up in theatres.”
Rathi further added, “Shah Rukh and his generation have tirelessly worked for three decades to build their stardom. To remain a superstar and stay relevant for 30 years shows the effort he consistently puts in. The drive to entertain audiences and earn their love even after three decades truly defines why he is the superstar that he is.”
As he rightly said, “Zindagi mein kuch banna ho, kuch haasil karna ho, kuch jeetna ho toh hamesha apne dil ki suno. Aur agar dil se bhi koi jawaab na aye, to apni aankhen band karke apni maa aur baba ka naam lo. Phir dekhna, har manzil paar kar jaoge, har mushkil asan ho jaegi. Jeet tumhari hogi. Sirf tumhari.”