From ‘Darr’ To ‘DDLJ’, A Look At Shah Rukh Khan’s Most Memorable Movies Amid ‘Jawan’ Success
Shah Rukh Khan is seen in his massiest avatar ever in Atlee’s ‘Jawan’. Amid the massive success of ‘Jawan’, we take a look at SRK’s top movies.
Shah Rukh Khan, often fondly referred to as ‘King Khan’ and the ‘Badshah of Bollywood’ by his fans, is one of India’s most iconic and beloved actors. Born on November 2, 1965, in New Delhi, India, he rose to fame in the early 1990s and has since become a superstar, as per Bollywood news update. SRK, equally famous for his off-screen persona, began his acting journey with hit television shows like ‘Fauji’ and ‘Circus’. Shah Rukh Khan, who is also popular for his witty comebacks and savage responses, marked his Bollywood debut with the 1992 film ‘Deewana’. Little did we know it was just the start of his successful film career.
As per Bollywood news update, he quickly gained popularity for his charming and versatile acting skills. Throughout his career, Shah Rukh Khan has delivered numerous blockbuster movies, including ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, ‘Devdas’, and ‘My Name Is Khan’, and now ‘Jawan’ which is SRK’s latest movie, among others.
‘Jawan’, SRK’s latest movie, which was released on September 7 in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, introduced SRK in his massiest avatar ever. Shah Rukh Khan’s ability to pull off such a massy entertainer at the age of 58 has impressed one and all. From SRK’s dialogues in the movie to his whistle-worthy action scenes and hook steps on catchy songs, ‘Jawan’ has been ruling social media like nobody’s business, as per Bollywood news update.
As per the latest Bollywood news update, the Atlee directorial has already earned over Rs 350 crore in India and crossed the Rs 600 crore mark worldwide. Before ‘Jawan’, SRK also delivered a hit in the form of ‘Pathaan’, which was released in January 2023 and marked his comeback to movies after his 2018 film ‘Zero’ tanked at the box office. ‘Pathaan’ became the highest-grossing Hindi movie of all time, and it remains to be seen if ‘Jawan’ can overtake the former at the box office.
Amid the massive success of SRK’s latest movie ‘Jawan’, I decided to revisit Shah Rukh Khan’s most memorable roles. SRK’s ability to portray a wide range of characters, from romantic heroes to complex anti-heroes has earned him critical acclaim and a massive fan following.
While everyone has their own favourites when it comes to SRK’s top movies, this is a list, which I feel covers the wide array of roles he has undertaken, and then pulled them off with much aplomb.
Let’s take a look at Shah Rukh Khan’s most iconic roles:
1. ‘Baazigar’: Haar ke jeetne wale ko Baazigar kehte hai – this is arguably one of the most popular dialogues of SRK. With the 1993 movie ‘Baazigar’, he made the antihero a legit leading man in Bollywood. This one is a powerful revenge drama, also starring Shilpa Shetty and Kajol. It tells the story of Ajay Sharma (SRK), whose father had been betrayed by Madan Chopra, a lowly employee who ousted Ajay Sharma's father and took possession of his growing empire, eventually becoming a wealthy business tycoon. What happens next? See it for yourself if you haven’t already as it is one of SRK’s top movies.
2. ‘Darr’: In ‘Jawan’, SRK’s character says, “Jab main villain banta hun na toh mere samne koi bhi hero tik nahi paata,” and I totally agree with it! If you don’t and still need some convincing, then watch ‘Darr’ and you will change your mind. In the 1993 film, SRK donned the hat of an obsessive lover, Rahul Mehra, and nailed it to perfection. ‘Darr’ also starred Juhi Chawla as the leading lady and Sunny Deol as the hero of the movie, but SRK as an obsessive lover managed to outshine the main cast. ‘Darr’, one of SRK’s top movies, gained rave reviews from critics and audiences alike.
3. ‘Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa’: This 1994 romance drama film broke the hearts of many SRK fans as his character didn’t get the girl he was in love with. Raj and Rahul almost always get the girl but even though Sunil lost her to his romantic rival, he won the viewers and critics over with his performance in ‘Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa’. Sunil (SRK) is hopelessly in love with Anna (Suchitra Krishnamoorthi), who has eyes only for Chris (Deepak Tijori). To make matters worse, Sunil’s father thinks he's a complete loser. How Sunil handles rejection forms the plot of this, one of SRK's timeless classics. Also, in case you haven’t watched ‘Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa’ and are planning to see it now, there’s a surprise in the end! And it is truly one of Shah Rukh Khan’s best movies.
4. ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’: I can’t write about SRK’s memorable movies and not include ‘DDLJ’, which remains a cult classic even today. The movie, which starred SRK with Kajol, released in 1995 and defined romance for the 90s kids. The film beautifully blended emotions, romance, high-end drama and heart-touching music. ‘DDLJ’ also gave us some of the most iconic dialogues, especially this one – “Bade bade deshon mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hai, Senorita.” Fans of ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ have watched it numerous times. After all, who can get enough of Raj’s dreamy eyes, Simran’s innocence and their insane chemistry? Writing this piece made me want to watch this movie all over again!
5. ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’: Karan Johar’s directorial debut ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji, released in 1998 and remains a fan favourite even today. From a playboy in college to a doting father when he gets older, Shah Rukh Khan effortlessly makes us root for him over Salman Khan, so he can end up with Anjali (Kajol). From giving friendship goals to fashion goals and even dialogues like “Pyaar dosti hai” and “Kuch kuch hota hai Rahul, tum nahi samjhoge,” several things from the movie live in our hearts rent-free. Its songs and characters are equally memorable. And not just the lead star cast, but the supporting actors also had memorable roles. The rom-com had several unforgettable characters like Rifat Bi, Dadi, Aman, Mrs Briganza, which makes it one of Shah Rukh Khan’s best movies.
6. ‘Devdas’: Devdas is the first name that pops up in my mind when I think of unrequited love and alcoholism. This is the OG hopeless and jilted lover-turned-alcoholic movie, and honestly Shah Rukh Khan nailed the role of Devdas Mukherjee, making it one of his most iconic performances till date. This Sanjay Leela Bhansali classic, which released in 2002, also starred Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit. The movie is a visual treat to the eyes, thanks to its beautiful cinematography, larger-than-life sets, stunning costume designs, and the amazing choreography, yes, we're talking about 'Dola Re Dola' – one of the most iconic Bollywood songs till date.
7. ‘Swades’: In the 2004 Hindi film ‘Swades’, Shah Rukh Khan showed a level of naturalism that is hard to witness in his other Bollywood movies, usually full of romance, drama and action. ‘Swades’ is definitely one of the most memorable movies in SRK’s filmography as it marked his first detour from mainstream Bollywood into realism. He played the role of Mohan Bhargava, a NASA project manager who goes to meet his elderly nanny in his native village in India. After realising that his talents are needed in his village, he decides to stay back with an aim to improve the quality of life in his native village.
8. ‘Don’ franchise: Arguably, one of the best SRK movies has to be the 2006 film ‘Don’, which saw him in a totally new avatar. Farhan Akhtar helmed the remake of the 1978 classic ‘Don’, which featured Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role. The 2006 remake starred Shah Rukh Khan in the lead along with Kareena Kapoor Khan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Isha Koppikar, Arjun Rampal and several others. The film introduced modern twists and action sequences while keeping the essence of the original intact. Shah Rukh’s portrayal of Don and his nemesis Vijay garnered praise from both critics and audiences. The second instalment of the film came out in 2011 with SRK and Priyanka reprising their characters. Ranveer Singh will carry forward the legacy of Big B and SRK’s ‘Don’ movies as he will star in the new ‘Don’ film.
9. ‘Chak De India’: Undoubtedly, one of Shah Rukh Khan’s finest performances came as Kabir Khan in 'Chak De India'. SRK played the role of hockey coach Kabir Khan, who fights for his country and converts a bunch of female hockey players into winners. SRK beautifully showcases the pain of a disgraced player of the men's hockey team, being called a traitor, the struggle of clearing your name and making people believe in you again, to making the women's hockey team win the World Cup at a time when everyone was against them.
The 2007 film gave us some of the most iconic dialogues. And one that we definitely can’t forget to mention is SRK’s powerful “Sattar minute” dialogue, which has been used and reused by fans ever since.
10. ‘My Name Is Khan’: Shah Rukh Khan delivered a breakthrough performance as Rizwan Khan in Karan Johar’s directorial ‘My Name Is Khan’. In the 2010 movie, he played an autistic man who due to certain circumstances gets accused of being a terrorist. In the wake of 9/11 attacks on the twin tower, he sets out on a journey to prove his innocence and tell the people and the President of the United States that his name is Khan and he's not a terrorist. The movie also starred Kajol as Rizwan’s wife Maya, whose son from her previous marriage gets brutally beaten on a football field for having a Muslim father.
11. ‘Chennai Express’: While some may question if ‘Chennai Express’ is one of SRK’s top films, I truly believe it was a fun watch and deserves a spot when talking about King Khan’s wide filmography. In Rohit Shetty’s 2013 directorial ‘Chennai Express’, Shah Rukh Khan’s Rahul spread his arms yet again as the hero of the movie, and Deepika Padukone packed a surprise as she played the daughter of a South Indian gangster. Critics criticised ‘Chennai Express’, but if you are a fan of Bollywood masala films, then you should watch it if you haven’t already. The movie also gave us a fun dance number, ‘Lungi Dance’, sung by none other than Honey Singh! I am already humming the peppy number while writing this piece – that is how catchy it is.
12. ‘Dear Zindagi’: We had to include this movie in our list because even though Shah Rukh Khan wasn’t really the main character, mental health as a focus in Bollywood is rare. And it's safe to say that this movie did a pretty decent job at representing the importance of mental health and therapy. What’s even more refreshing about the 2016 Gauri Shinde directorial? King Khan playing a cool, suave and free-spirited psychologist. The movie starred Alia Bhatt as Kaira, who seeks the help of Dr Jehangir Khan (SRK) to help her deal with her insomnia. However, through their therapy sessions, they discover more deep-rooted issues. The film deals with a number of issues from insecurities to abandonment. And SRK, as always, nailed the character with utmost charm.
13. ‘Raees’: Shah Rukh Khan delivered an intense performance as Raees, which performed well at the box office. Although we've seen him portraying an antagonist before, this time there was something more to the film. In the 2017 Bollywood movie ‘Raees’, SRK's gangster charm with a bit of romance made the film a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The movie also starred popular Pakistani actress Mahira Khan as SRK’s love interest. He played a bootlegger, involved in the liquor trade, in prohibition hit Gujarat. And Shah Rukh’s realistic portrayal won the hearts of the audiences and critics alike. The movie also featured a sizzling Sunny Leone dancing to ‘Laila Main Laila’.
14. ‘In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones’: I am sure of many you don’t know that SRK’s debut movie is ‘In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones’. Yes, you read it right. Even before he made his Bollywood debut with the 1992 film ‘Deewana’, SRK starred in this English-language film produced by Doordarshan. The film revolved around Anand ‘Annie’ Grover (Arjun Raina), an architecture student at Delhi’s School of Planning and Architecture, who is at loggerheads with his principal YD Bilimoria (Roshan Seth). The Pradip Krishen directorial was written by Arundhati Roy, who also starred as the film’s female lead Radha. Shah Rukh had a brief role in the film, playing a gay, effeminate senior. The film also featured Manoj Bajpayee, who was also a struggling actor at the time, in a blink-and-miss cameo.
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Wrapping Up
Shah Rukh Khan is also known for his philanthropic work and his business ventures apart from his impeccable acting chops. He co-owns the Kolkata Knight Riders, a team in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and has also ventured into film production through his company Red Chillies Entertainment. What’s next for SRK on the film front? He will be seen in Rajkumar Hirani's ‘Dunki’. It stars him with Taapsee Pannu for the first time. And after the massive success of ‘Jawan’ and ‘Pathaan’, we can’t wait to see what SRK has up his sleeve with ‘Dunki’.
