Shah Rukh Khan's Flawless Achievement in 2023: A Pivotal Moment in Bollywood History
From Pathaan's box office success to the launch of Aryan Khan's new brand, SRK has had a year to remember.
Following a three-decade career, Shah Rukh Khan's flawless achievement in 2023 will be remembered in Bollywood folklore as a pivotal moment in Hindi cinema history. The Telegraph Online provides a brief summary of the events that made Shah Rukh Khan the most talked-about figure in Indian entertainment this year as he celebrates his 58th birthday.
Pathaan: the dawning of a new era
This January, Shah Rukh made a comeback to regain his position with Yash Raj Films's Pathaan, four years after Aanand L. Rai's disastrous commercial Zero in which he played a short man. He simply turned everything upside down. From its opening day, Siddharth Anand's action-adventure film, which starred Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in pivotal roles, broke numerous box office records. In addition to ending the protracted slump at the Bollywood box office, it also gave Shah Rukh his first full-fledged action hero role, showcasing him in a never-before-seen avatar. Seeing Shah Rukh in his element at Pathaan's post-release press conference and waving at the sea of fans outside his Juhu home, Mannat, was a sight to behold after all these years.
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Jawan: the clamor grew louder
If Pathaan started Shah Rukh's box office juggernaut, then Atlee's action film Jawan broke all previous records for collection, sending Shah Rukh to unprecedented levels of popularity. Jawan, a homegrown Shah Rukh film that also starred Vijay Sethupathi, Nayanthara, and Deepika Padukone, was released as a pan-Indian movie in a number of languages. After being released on September 7, Jawan became the highest-grossing Hindi film in the history of cinema in just 50 days (original language). With a girl gang army to reinforce the message, Shah Rukh's dad-son double role act allowed him to speak his mind on a variety of socio-political issues without holding back, which is what made it so exceptional.
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the YRF spy universe's formal debut
The official logo of Yash Raj Films (YRF), a shared universe of spy action movies starring RAW agents, was revealed ahead of the release of Pathaan. Pathaan was the first crossover movie in which Salman's Tiger came to help his old friend Pathaan, following the success of Salman Khan's Ek Tha Tiger and Tiger Zinda Hai and Hrithik Roshan's War.
Salman Khan's Diwali blockbuster Tiger 3, which is helmed by Maneesh Sharma and also stars Katrina Kaif and Emraan Hashmi, is the next entry in the YRF spy verse. Fans are incredibly excited to see Salman and Shah Rukh light up the screen once more in Tiger 3, following their incredible train sequence from Pathaan. The production banner hosted a fan-only YRF Spy Universe Film Festival from November 3–5 in the lead-up to its release. Tiger vs. Pathaan and War 2 are anticipated to be released in 2026 and 2025, respectively.
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Launch of the Aryan Khan project
After several years of planning, Dyavol X, the limited-edition luxury streetwear brand that Shah Rukh's 25-year-old son Aryan spearheaded and launched, sold out in a matter of hours upon its April launch. Shah Rukh Khan's first child led the project from the front, helping to design the product and oversee the digital marketing campaign.
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Suhana Khan's first role on screen in The Archies
Suhana, the 23-year-old daughter of Shah Rukh, will be making her acting debut on December 7 in the teen musical comedy film The Archies, which will be available for streaming on Netflix. Agastya Nanda, the grandson of Amitabh Bachchan, and Khushi Kapoor, the younger daughter of Sridevi, are among the many upcoming actors who will be making their screen debuts alongside Suhana in Zoya Akhtar's direct-to-digital film Veronica Lodge.
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Twenty-five years of Dil Se, Duplicate, and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Shah Rukh produced three iconic movies in three distinct genres in 1998: Duplicate, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and Dil Se. The mesmerizing depiction of unfulfilled love by Mani Ratnam starring Shah Rukh and Manisha Koirala resonated with AR Rahman's soundtrack. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, directed by Karan Johar and starring Shah Rukh, Kajol, and Rani Mukerji, became a movie that set a precedent for everything hip. In addition, Mahesh Bhatt's Duplicate featured catchy duets like Ek Din Aap Yun Humko Mil Jayenge by Alka Yagnik and Kumar Sanu, as well as some hilarious scenes starring Shah Rukh, Juhi Chawla, and Sonali Bendre.
Dunki: Rajkumar Hirani and Shah Rukh Khan's joint venture
Dunki, Shah Rukh's most anticipated film with Rajkumar Hirani, the man behind films like 3 Idiots, Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., and Lage Raho Munna Bhai, is likely to close the eventful year on a high note for him after the overwhelming response from the audience to Jawan and Pathaan.
Dunki's plot, though little is disclosed, is said to center on an illegal immigration pathway that Indians use to enter the US and Canada. The social comedy, which is produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, Rajkumar Hirani Films, and Jio Studios, also features Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Boman Irani, and Satish Shah in supporting roles. After working so hard this year, Shah Rukh announced during a #AskSRK live session on his X handle that he would take a break.
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Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
