India evolves with Shah Rukh Khan – Immune to payoffs, attuned to love

Interesting times to be a Shah Rukh Khan fan.

In a world transforming exponentially for the debatably better or worse, the great reset of the entertainment space has led things back to square one. A one-man show with Khan atop.

So how did the giant wheel of time avert all incoming diversions and run back to status quo? And how did the biggest possible legion in the world evolve without turning one darn stone? Let’s dive in and try decrypting.

Shah Rukh Khan’s fan base, affectionately monikered the “SRK Universe” comprises lads and lasses from all walks of life. The belief system of this clan is divided into two strict halves – blind devotion and objective rallying.

The blind devotion is a sentiment residing in the younger lot, less journeyed, fervorous more than factual, mostly the heart and soul of this brigade. The objective lot encapsulates all the folks who’ve been fanatics for decades, people for whom endorsing everything Khan does is a part of their lifestyle rather than a motif. Their goal is to get the promotional job done.

Nobody’s alien to the fact that Khan had a string of mis-hits in the decade that passed by. Whilst most of his releases recovered the costs, the wider audience base was left wanting for more.

That “more” nobody could point a finger at.

Within the timeline, Khan’s passion-project Fan was panned for an overboard post-interval – no songs and his experimental outing Zero had very few takers. Nobody, not even Khan himself could decode what precisely was going amiss all these years.

Add the fact that Khan had no substantial sounding boards beyond his immediate circles, to assess the situation or be the voice of reason to clear the possibility of clouded judgement. Even his legion isn’t to blame in such a predicament. For fans, by design, are conditioned to have a bias – expected to cushion their favourite with care and empathy when the chips are down. 

To try decrypting this facet, one needs to zoom out, take a birds-eye view and glance over the general audience. The less passionate-yet more diligent movie goer. Those who might not necessarily ape Shah Rukh’s look, gait and fashion but love him as much – The Hindi film audience.

The demographic that has grown feeding off potboilers and mad-capers. To whom, Khan always seemed like that everyday man from amongst them, with a relatable and inspiring backstory that reached the pinnacle.

Chart back to Khan’s body of work through the 90s – mid 00s and you’ll trace the reflection of the evolving middle class Indian, in a stream that Khan had literally monopolised – The middle cinema.

In early 90s, he was the rebel every enterprising Indian connected with amidst rapid globalisation. Mid to late 90s he was the template Mr. Goody Two Shoes, a wholesome energy everyone either wanted to replicate or find in their close ones.

A nation traumatised for centuries by enslavement, partition and poverty, India was in a recuperative space, in dire and regular need of heroes who made the unthinkable seem attainable. It began with our freedom fighters, all the way to Kapil’s Devils igniting our hopes in sport.

An angry young man in Amitabh Bachchan represented every disgruntled Indian that raged against the machine. Across decades, the nation found it’s beacons of hope in commoners who took the plunge and disrupted the norm.

Khan’s type of disruption was more cognitive than tangible. Here was this mid looking TV actor trying to get a foot into the door with roles rejected as leftovers by bigger stars. The predicament was designed for this lanky Delhiite to fail and fizzle into obscurity.

But within the next few years, the chap was a heartthrob, the nation’s sentimental favourite. Was it his fresh take on the bad guy shtick? Or did his films disrupt the norm? Neither. It was his cocksure attitude. The testicular fortitude to bill himself better than the greatest. A demeanour that’d shape the attitude of a generation that was to follow.

Gone were the virtuous men next door. India had found the perfect foil for its time. India had found it’s antihero.

A cocky, upstart unabashedly taking over tombs and pillars of the establishment was the tailor-made template India enroute globalisation needed. A new hero for a brand new level of the game. Henceforth, anything Khan touched forged gold.

People rallied behind him for they wanted their favourite underdog to reach atop the food chain. His films became gospel for the youth and his ascension, a movement. The audience, within a few years were successful in anointing Shah Rukh Khan as the undisputed king of the entertainment megapolis.

The pinnacle was attained, fever pitch hit and a mission accomplished. The disruptor was now the dynasty. The invader had now become king.

This coronation was immediately followed by an inevitable polarisation. The legion was now divided into fanatics, viewers and critics. Fanatics and viewers would still crusade for every release of his with an emotional obligation to help his outings sail. The ones bereft of any solid cause to uplift the now-uplifted King gradually turned into critics.

Unable to fully relate to a ridiculously talented actor draped in fame and fortune, Khan didn’t seem like the same old, vulnerable underdog they could vouch for. Their favourite star had achieved practically everything and then some more. They sought what seemed non-existent – a challenge.

Hence rose their foolish outcry to rope more projects like Chak De! India. They wanted Khan to put something at stake, his acting chops and mettle to say the least – in an otherwise fairly easy career of a bulletproof, financially immune Superstar. Then broke the floodgates of expectations, where Khan fell short most of the times.

Cos for his legion – Shah Rukh Khan’s 10% = Everybody else’s 90%.

What ensued next is a flurry of disappointments despite of solid revenue spin and growing grandiose on each occasion until a global health emergency intruded and detoured Khan’s halt into a hiatus. For almost half a decade, the King went incognito.

And in these 5 years, the division of the legion – Diehards, fans and critics began dissolving. Mostly for all these folks were now growing into the most crucial and defining years of their lives.

While Khan was on his sabbatical, his fanbase went from parental guidance to being parents themselves; either kids or pets. People now in their 30s – 40s, hardened by realities of life and grappled into selflessness by their personal series of losses, for them, little and simpler things in life brought joy; glory got swapped with gratifying experiences, success became a choice and not destination.

The yearning for their long-absent star was now less for box office triumph but more for the warmth of his presence. And then, close to 5 years out, Khan was ready to return. Not without a final bump, an arm shot to his personal life where his grace and dignity outplayed all incoming vices and exemplified his character – a survivor. The one who outlives all.

Perhaps why a strictly mediocre film like Pathaan ripped the global box office into shreds. His return was a celebration for people whom he’d been inspiring for decades, obviously helped grow up into sane beings ready to give back to their unassigned mentor.

And Khan being the visionary he’s always been chose to nosedive into a trajectory where he could just have fun and let it be.

A look at the Jawan prevue and his loyalists are grinning at the smartness of their hero who’s always known how to play with the market’s optics’ fascination. A man who’s tasted every media frenzy from Doordarshan to Netflix, an elusive style neither AI nor human can replicate (see actors failing to emulate the king of romance shtick in recent releases), Khan has somehow regularly managed to pioneer the media & communications space and the golden run continues.

The gall to launch Jawan‘s teaser in 4K HDR proves how confident and ready Red Chillies VFX team is with the visuals. Simply put, it’s proven, the man knows his shizz, ahead of time.

The relationship between Khan and a nationwide, oft worldwide legion has transcended the realms of success, glory, dominance and parked itself neatly in the laps of oneness. A legion and their star who now intend to and are growing old together.

A Star – Fan relationship is quite familial where the latter feels like a parent, in front of whom the star is born. And a parent-child dynamic is akin to that of a bow and arrow. The closer you pull an arrow, the farther it moves away from you.

For decades, the “SRK Universe” has pulled Shah Rukh close to the soul, protected his legacy. Now, it’s a point in time when the little star is all grown up. And, it’s time for the parent to let loose of the strands, time to let go. Woh ab bada ho gaya hai. Khud sambhaal lega. 

Interesting times to be a Shah Rukh Khan fan. Now, immune to payoffs, attuned to love.