KARACHI:
In some of the iconic scenes from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Shah Rukh Khan teeters on the sting of each girl’s worst nightmare. His character, Raj, finds himself locked in a prepare compartment with Simran (Kajol). Simran is reserved, conventional, and decidedly uninterested within the charming but invasive stranger decided to disrupt her solitude.
She would not lash out instantly. When Raj awkwardly jokes, “There is no one at residence,” after knocking futilely on the compartment door, Simran provides a well mannered smile and turns her consideration again to her guide. However Raj, like so many males earlier than him, would not misinterpret the alertshe blatantly ignores them. What follows is an escalating collection of humiliations: Raj flaunts her lingerie with a smirk, croons “Tum mein, ek dabbe mein band hoon,” slides on his sun shades, and cosies up beside her. When Simran firmly says, “Please depart me alone,” Raj would not simply dismiss her resistance; he mocks it, resting his head overtly on her lap.
If Simran had been requested whether or not she’d quite share that compartment with a person or a bear, the reply would’ve been apparent. But, DDLJ endures as a timeless love storya cornerstone of Bollywood’s romantic canon.
It additionally serves because the prototype for Shah Rukh’s signature model of on-screen masculinity: one which smooths over boundary-pushing behaviour with irresistible appeal, blurring strains between flirtation and coercion. This archetype, rooted in working-class, old-school romance, is not simply central to Shah Rukh’s personait has knowledgeable and sustained Bollywood’s storytelling for many years, proving each sturdy and profitable.
A wierd legacy
2023 marked Shah Rukh’s roaring comeback, a yr that noticed him dominate field places of work with Pathaan and Jawan, cementing his place as Bollywood’s reigning celebrity. His return wasn’t simply cinematic; it was cultural, sparking renewed adoration from followers and a frenzy of discourse round his legacy.
In 2024, Shah Rukh redefined what cinematic stardom may imply – and demand – in a globalised, hyper-connected period of Indian cinema. On the twenty fourth Worldwide Indian Movie Academy (IIFA) Awards, his efficiency in Jawan earned him the Greatest Actor award. Later within the yr, beneath the starry skies of Switzerland, he grew to become the primary Indian artist to obtain the Pardo alla Carriera Ascona-Locarno Tourism award on the 77th Locarno Movie Competition. In the meantime, the web anointed him as a feminist icon, a title buoyed by his feedback on gender equality and punctiliously curated gestures of respect for girls.
Two years earlier than DDLJ, Shah Rukh was a brand new and promising villain. His portrayal of Rahul Mehra in Darr (1993) was sinister and obsessive, outlined by the chilling chorus, “Tu haan kar ya na kar, tu hai meri Kiran.” In each Darr and Baazigar, Shah Rukh embodied a menacing depth, incomes acclaim as a well-liked antihero. However these movies barely hinted on the softer, insistent romantic persona that will later crown him as King Khan.
The Shah Rukh Khan adored by ladies did not at all times include rippling six-packs, veiny biceps, or shirtless shows beneath waterfallsthat continues to be Salman Khan’s territory. As an alternative, Shah Rukh’s appeal has at all times been rooted in his boyish charisma and razor-sharp wit. As an actor, his performances are strong, although typically eclipsed by his larger-than-life stardom. He’s, and has at all times been, the nation’s undefeated sweetheart. And make no mistakehe adores ladies.
Off-screen, Shah Rukh is not far faraway from his on-screen persona. Positive, he won’t be shedding his shirt to disclose a sculpted chest – that’s nonetheless Salman Khan’s experience – however he reveres ladies. Name it SRK feminism. “How have you ever bewitched ladies all around the world?” a girl requested him at a public occasion. “I’ve numerous free time. Each time I see a lady, I am going there ,” Shah Rukh quips with amusing earlier than including in a severe tone, “For ladies, love means respect, and I respect each girl. That is why they love me a lot.”
Discovering an escape
There was a time when Shah Rukh was topic to uncritical adoration. Loving him, having fun with Bollywood, and even supporting artists deemed “problematic” post-cancellation was relegated to the realm of responsible pleasures. Within the rapid aftermath of #MeToo, the stress was palpable: to curate a listing of offences, nevertheless minor or main, and to chorus from indulgenceat the very least with out first issuing a disclaimer of disapproval.
Years after #MeToo, that stress has metamorphosed into private manifestos that should account for all that’s consumed. It will not be sufficient to like Shah Rukh and never know what his legacy means for girls.
However the place Shah Rukh’s romanticised masculinity matches inside feminist discourse wasn’t at all times on the forefront. It takes both selective amnesia or being born right into a later technology to neglect the swirling rumours of his alleged affair with Priyanka Chopra or how his on-screen avatars impressed numerous males to chase ladies who had clearly stated no. Shah Rukh was at all times cherished however not at all times praised.
A lady’s man
What fantasy does Shah Rukh Khan actually provide? From Dil To Pagal Hai (1997) to Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), he reimagines himself as the identical wide-eyed, love-struck romantic who thrives on the joys of unreciprocated affection. However to indulge on this fantasy requires seeing your self as Madhuri Dixit or Kajolby no means as Karisma Kapoor or Rani Mukerji, whose characters are conveniently neglected within the grand narrative of his romantic pursuits.
In a 2017 BuzzFeed piece, Sonia Mariam Thomas laments the expertise of watching Shah Rukh via the lens of a South Indian viewer, pointing to the stereotypes in Ra.One, the informal racism in Chennai Categorical, and the slut-shaming in Jab Harry Met Sejal. These moments reveal a troubling undercurrent in a few of his most celebrated movies, whilst his appeal stays a potent distraction.
Relying on you and your algorithm’s loyalties, Shah Rukh might seem a feminist icon in your social media feed or he could also be seen reverse Anushka Sharma, candidly telling her that the very first thing he notices about ladies is their “butt”. This can be a joke, he clarifies. In an interview with Preity Zinta, he asks her if she is pregnant and decides to counter her silence with one other joke. “I could make you pregnant,” he tells her.
He has one for Girl Gaga, too. In a wierd, transient clip the place the 2 share a sofa earlier than an viewers, he says, “Whenever you went out buying, I consider you didn’t have the funds for to purchase issues. So I’m going to offer you my watch.” Then he proceeds to get actual near Girl Gaga whereas she protests, “No, I do not need it. Give it to a fan.” This, too, is a joke for he’s a really humorous man.
The yr might have belonged to Shah Rukh, a veteran star basking within the afterglow of a monumental 2023. However his legacy casts a shadow. It is a model of misogyny that is not borne from brute power, however from appeal, from the simple charisma of a person who makes you neglect, for a second, to query the narrative he is promoting. Maybe what followers can depart behind in 2024 is the naive expectation that somebody they lovewho occurs to be well-knownought to embody a politics of progress. The ability of the star, in the long run, could also be its capacity to make us look the opposite method.