Biography of Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan is an Indian actor, film producer and television presenter. The already middle-aged actor is often called the “King of Bollywood.” And deservedly so - Khan has starred in more than 100 Indian films, received many awards, and his advanced age does not prevent him from winning the hearts of women around the world. Even if you are not a big fan of Indian cinema, you could still see Shah Rukh in the films “Karan and Arjun”, “The Unkidnapped Bride”, “Everything Happens in Life”, “Both in Sorrow and in Joy”, as well as in the drama “Me name is Khan,” which became an event in world cinema.
In the photo: Shah Rukh Khan
The pinnacle of acting
At the time of 2002, the film “Devdas” became the most expensive in the history of Indian cinema, which not only paid off, but also received a well-deserved first place in box office receipts. The film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Film. Shah Rukh Khan played the main role in this film. The artist’s filmography is also famous for the romantic story called “Vir and Zara,” which was demonstrated at the Berlin Film Festival. In addition, in 2004 it became the top box office film in India.
Shah Rukh Khan's filmography includes dozens of films that were presented at international film festivals. “The Riddle” is one of these films. In 2005, this work was honored to participate in the Sundance Film Festival.
The year 2007 marked itself with the high-profile premiere of the expensive film “Om Shanti Om,” in which debutant Deepika Padukone and Shah Rukh Khan played the main roles. The actor's filmography also contains a social masterpiece of Indian cinema - "My Name is Khan."
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Childhood and youth
Shah Rukh Khan was born on November 2, 1965 into a Muslim family settled in the Indian capital of New Delhi.
Shah Rukh's father, Meer Taj Mohammed Khan, was an activist in the Indian National Liberation Movement. He moved to New Delhi in 1948, after the partition of India, where he met Shah Rukh's mother. Latif Fatima was the daughter of a senior government engineer. After the wedding in 1959 and the birth of their son, the future actor’s parents moved for five years to the coastal city of Mangalore, where Khan’s grandfather served as the chief engineer of the port.
Shah Rukh Khan in infancy
When the family returned to Delhi, the father went into business and the mother became a public judge. Although the family owned a restaurant, they did not have much money; parents and their son lived in a small rented apartment.
Young Shah Rukh with his father
At school, Shah Rukh was one of the most popular students: he excelled in studies, played hockey and football, and managed to receive the highest school award, the Sword of Honor. Classmates called the teenager “Mail gadda” because he was a champion in the 200 and 400 m races. Khan was going to become a professional athlete, but due to a shoulder injury he had to abandon this idea.
Shah Rukh Khan during his school days
Instead of sports, the teenager switched to school theater. Khan enjoyed trying on flashy outfits, dancing and singing on stage, imitating Bollywood stars, and he did it quite well.
Although, at the insistence of his parents, after school Shah Rukh went to study economics, the young man spent all his free time at the Delhi Theater Studio. After completing his bachelor's degree in economics, Khan enrolled in the Faculty of Mass Communications, but dropped out to pursue an acting career.
Shah Rukh Khan in his youth
Khan's early years in Bollywood were marred by family drama: his father died of cancer in 1981, and his mother soon died from complications of diabetes. After the death of her parents, Khan's older sister Shahnaz Lalarukh (born 1960) fell into severe depression, but her brother surrounded her with care and love, and the girl began to recover. Shahnaz continues to live with her brother and his family in his mansion in Mumbai to this day.
Shahrukh Khan
KHAN Shah Rukh Khan (b. November 2, 1965, New Delhi, India) is an Indian film actor, screenwriter, film producer and TV presenter, an honored figure in Bollywood.
Khan's career began in the late 80s with participation in several television series, the first of which was the series "The Rookie" (Fauji, 1988). His film debut was the film “Crazy Love” (Deewana, 1992). This film laid the foundation for countless commercially successful films, many of which received rave reviews from film critics.
For his film roles, Khan received fourteen Filmfare Awards, eight of which were in the Best Actor category. In 2005, the Government of the Republic of India awarded him the high state award “Golden Lotus” (Padma Shri), the fourth highest award in India, for his contribution to the development of Indian cinema. He received two other government awards: the 2002 Rajiv Gandhi Award for Excellence in the Field of Entertainment and the 1997 Best Indian Citizen Award.
Khan's films such as "The Unkidnapped Bride" (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, 1995), "Everything Happens in Life" (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, 1998), "Go India!" (Chak De India, 2007), Om Shanti Om (2007) and God Made This Couple (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, 2008), are still considered the best films of Bollywood. And his work in the films “Both in Sorrow and in Joy” (Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, 2001), “Whether Tomorrow Comes or Not” (Kal Ho Naa Ho, 2003), “Veer and Zara” (Veer-Zaara, 2004) , Never Say Goodbye (Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, 2006) and My Name Is Khan (2010) turned them into successful Indian blockbusters abroad, making Khan one of India's most successful actors.
Since 2000, Shah Rukh began producing films and television shows. He is the founder and owner of two film companies: Dreamz Unlimited and Red Chillies Entertainment. It is believed that today Khan is a world-class film star with millions of fans around the world. According to some estimates, his fortune is estimated at 540 million US dollars. In 2008, the authoritative Newsweek newspaper included him in the list of the 50 most influential people on the planet.
Khan was born in New Delhi into a Muslim family. His father, Taj Mohammed Khan, originally from Peshawar, is a famous Indian human rights activist and an active fighter for Indian independence. According to Khan, his paternal grandfather is from Afghanistan. His mother Latif Fatima came from Rawalpindi, British India (now Pakistan) and was adopted by Major General Shah Nawaz Khan from the Janjua Rajput clan (a clan of royal warriors in central and northern India), who served in the Indian National Army of Subhash Chandra Bose. Khan's father moved to New Delhi from Peshawar before the partition of India. Khan has an older sister, Shehnaz.
Shah Rukh Khan grew up in New Delhi's Rajendra Nagar. He attended the elite educational institution St. Columba's School, where he studied sports, drama and academics. He received the school's highest award, The Sword of Honor, which is given to the student who best exemplifies the spirit of the school. After graduation, Khan entered Hansraj College (1985–1988), where he received a bachelor's degree in economics. Later he continued his studies at the University of Delhi for a master's degree in Mass Communications.
After the death of his parents in 1991, Khan moved to Mumbai. On October 25, 1991, he marries Gauri Chibber, a girl from a Hindu family. From his marriage, Khan has two children - son Aryan (born in 1997) and daughter Suhana (born in 2000). As Khan himself says, he truly believes in Allah, but he also values and respects his wife’s religious feelings. In their home, the children practice both religions, where the Koran and images of Hindu deities can be seen side by side.
In 2005, Nasreen Munni Kabir released a two-part documentary about Shah Rukh Khan called The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan. The following year, the book Still Reading Khan was published, telling the details of his family's life. Another book about Khan was written by Anupama Chopra in 2007 and was called “King of Bollywood: Shahrukh Khan and the seductive world of Indian cinema.” In her book, the author tried to describe the world of Bollywood through the prism of Khan's life achievements.
Actor career
For the first time on screen, Shah Rukh Khan appeared in television series, including the 13-episode drama “The Rookie.” Khan's breakthrough work was his role in the film Mad Love (1992). After the release of this musical comedy, people started talking about the young talented actor not only in Bollywood, but throughout the world.
Still from the movie “Mad Love”
Khan achieved enormous success early on as an anti-hero in the films Playing with Death (1993) and Living in Fear (1993). In these films, the actor managed to create his own version of the villain, which the viewer liked.
Shah Rukh Khan in the movie "Game of Death"
Quite soon, Shah Rukh had the opportunity to try on the image of noble heroes. His dramas The Unkidnapped Bride (1995), Karan and Arjun (1995) and Crazy Heart (1997) received high marks from critics and viewers.
Shah Rukh Khan in the movie The Unkidnapped Bride
Shah Rukh also excelled in comedies - his roles in the films “How the Boss Was Wiped” (1997), “The Double” (1998) and “Chennai Express” (2013) were commercial successes and won the hearts of viewers.
Noteworthy is Khan as Emperor Ashoka in the film Emperor (2001). Shah Rukh's hero is a prototype of a real person, an ancient Indian prince who made a huge contribution to the transformation of Buddhism into a world religion.
Emperor - Trailer In 2005, Khan was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors. By 2012, the actor had received 15 Filmfare Awards in various categories, mainly for Best Actor.
Shah Rukh Khan on the red carpet
Many young Indian actors have been lucky enough to work with such a respected person as Shah Rukh Khan. Model and actress Priyanka Chopra, Miss World 2000 and wife of musician Nick Jonas, has starred with Khan in four films, including both parts of the action thriller Don. Head of the mafia" (2006, 2011).
The green-eyed beauty Aishwarya Rai was even luckier - their successful creative tandem delighted the audience in six films (“Lovers”, “Devdas”, “The Thrill of Love”, etc.).
Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai
The actor has not only a working relationship with his namesake Irfan Khan (they starred together in the successful comedy “Billu” (2009), but also a warm friendship. When Irfan suffered a serious illness in 2020, Shah Rukh provided his friend with invaluable financial and moral support.
Still from the film "Billu"
The Indian-American drama “My Name is Khan” (2010) about a man suffering from Asperger syndrome who, for the sake of his wife (Kajol), undertakes a journey across America, gained particular popularity. Shah Rukh played the main role. Trailer of the film “My Name is Khan” He is a Muslim, she is a Hindu. Their marriage was happy until a dark date for the whole world arrived - September 11, 2011. The friendly attitude towards the Khan family gave way to suspicion and aggression. All this led to discord in the family. The man had to go through a lot of difficulties to say one phrase to the US President: “My name is Khan, and I am not a terrorist.”
Still from the film “My name is Khan”
Personal life of Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Chibber met in 1984 at a party of mutual friends. The young man immediately noticed the spectacular girl, for a long time he did not dare to talk to her, and when he finally plucked up the courage, he heard: “Sorry, I’m waiting for my boyfriend.”
Shah Rukh and his wife
Shah Rukh's heart and self-esteem were broken. But he soon found out that the "guy" was actually Gauri's brother. And in the end, the stylish and funny Shah Rukh won the girl’s heart. They started dating. The period of “grinding in” was long; due to Khan’s jealous nature, he set conditions for her that the freedom-loving Gauri could not accept. For example, he demanded that people not go out with their hair down. The couple broke up several times, then got back together again, because they both understood that they could no longer live without each other.
When Shah Rukh proposed to Gauri and she said yes, the young couple's ordeal was not over. The fact is that the girl’s father belonged to the Brahmin caste (the highest religious class in India). He was against his daughter’s marriage to a man, firstly, someone else’s faith, and secondly, who had not yet achieved anything in life.
Shah Rukh Khan family
Gauri had to hide her relationship with Khan for 5 years. Finally, in October 1991, the lovers got married.
In 1997, the couple had a son, Aryan, and three years later, a daughter, Suhana. In 2013, Shah Rukh and Gauri became parents for the third time - their son Abram was born from a surrogate mother. Khan's children follow both religions; in his home the Koran is placed next to images of Hindu deities.
Shah Rukh Khan now
Khan's older children are also involved in the film industry; Aryan is studying at the School of Cinematic Arts in California and plans to become a writer-director. Suhana has already worked as an assistant director on the set of one of Khan’s films, and now the girl is going to study acting in the USA.
Personal life
The only woman in Shah Rukh Khan's life was the artist's wife Gauri Chibber. The couple met when the guy was 19 years old, and the boy’s lover was 14. The actor assures that Gauri is the first girl with whom the boy danced, not to mention the rest. Feelings were born instantly, but the young people had to fight for the relationship. The fact is that Shakrukh Khan’s wife belongs to both a different nationality and a different religion - Hinduism. And the bride’s parents were categorically against their daughter’s communication with a Muslim.
Shah Rukh Khan with wife Gauri
Moreover, it was not just a matter of verbal prohibition: the mother threatened the girl that she would commit suicide if she went against the will of her parents. For about seven years, the lovers met in secret, but in 1991, Shah Rukh received the blessing of Gauri's father and married the woman he loved. The girl's mother did not approve of this marriage, and even put on a mourning outfit to show her attitude.
The woman’s heart thawed a little only when children appeared in Shah Rukh Khan’s life. In 1997, Gauri gave birth to her husband's son Aryan, and three years later their daughter Suhana was born. Later, Shah Rukh Khan and his wife resorted to the services of a surrogate mother, who gave the couple a third child in the late spring of 2013. The boy was named Ab-Ram, combining in one name the two national cultures of the artist’s parents.
Shah Rukh Khan with wife Gauri
The actor is actively involved in charity work. He promoted polio vaccinations, then invested money in an AIDS organization and helped people with disabilities. Shah Rukh, at his own expense, implemented a project to provide 36 Indian villages with electricity and paid for the treatment of orphans affected by a terrorist attack. For his social activities, Khan was the first Indian citizen to be awarded a special UNESCO prize.
Fans of the artist are interested in the life and work of their favorite celebrity. Millions of subscribers follow Shah Rukh on the social network Instagram. The artist regularly updates the microblog with fresh photos and videos. Khan also shares posts on his personal Twitter, which is followed by an army of millions of readers.
Shah Rukh Khan with his wife and children
Before the man became a famous artist, the young man's first fee was 50 rupees. Khan then went to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Few people know that at the beginning of his career, Shah Rukh ran a restaurant in Delhi.
In 2020, the Bollywood star was ranked sixth in the list of the richest actors in the world. At that time, Shah Rukh even overtook the famous Tom Cruise. In 2020, Khan rose to second place in the rankings, and Cruise to third.
Shahrukh Khan
Throughout his career, the artist only played a negative character twice. The actor got such roles in the films “Living in Fear” and “Game with Death”.
Shah Rukh Khan now
Shah Rukh Khan is one of the most sought-after actors of our time. At the moment he is involved in at least five projects. After the success of the film “Zero” (2018), which became Khan’s most expensive film, the actor is preparing to shoot the third part of the film “Don. Head of the mafia." In addition, Shah Rukh wrote the script for the film "Operation 'Khukri'", which will tell about the multinational operation to free hostages in Sierra Leone in 2000. Presumably, Khan himself will play one of the main roles in the film.
Shah Rukh Khan in the movie Zero
The actor will be seen starring in Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, a biographical drama about the life of Nambi Narayanan, a scientist and aerospace engineer accused of espionage. Another of Khan's "space" films will be a biopic about Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space.
In 2020, Khan's son Aryan voiced Simba in the Hindi version of Jon Favreau's Hollywood animated film The Lion King. Shah Rukh himself also took part in the project: Mufasa, Simba’s father and former ruler of the pride lands, spoke in his voice. Fans couldn't help but notice that the voices of father and son are very similar. Because of these similarities, the superstar was forced to dub certain scenes again and again, but the inconvenience only made him smile. “For any father, this is a nice comment, something very special and heart-warming,” he added.
The actor voiced Mufasa in The Lion King.
However, the choice of dubbing actors has received significant criticism. Angry comments have appeared online that Shah Rukh's voice is ruining the cult film, as the actor reads the text without expression. The actor has not yet commented on the statements of fans of the Disney classic.