Why Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan & Aamir Khan Are More Than Just Superstars

- February 14, 2012 | 11:35 AM IST

In the last two decades Bollywood has seen a new breed of star kids emerge, from promising faces to one-hit-wonders. But, one word which is most used in the Bollywood dictionary is ‘Khans’ – Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir.

These three actors made their debuts between the late ‘80s and the early ‘90s and even after two decades, they still rule the box-office as well as hearts of Bollywood fans. Apart from their surname, Khan, and the superstar status, Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman have some more things in common. And these qualities set them apart from their contemporaries.

Koimoi.com analyses what makes the three Khans more than superstars.

Consistency

Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan have had their share of bad luck and failures. While Aamir had few, Shah Rukh some and Salman had a number of flop films; they always made a brilliant comeback. They never let failure take over their minds but learnt from their mistakes and didn’t repeat them. When Aamir’s film Mangal Pandey: The Rising failed in 2005, he made a strong comeback with hits like Rang De Basanti and Fanaa in 2006. Before his hit film Wanted (2009), Salman had spate of flops. Even Shah Rukh had a couple of flops like Paheli (2005) and Billu (2009).

Adaptability

Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir have been in the industry from more than twenty years now, but they look more fresh and contemporary with every passing year. All the three have adapted and maintained themselves with the changing scenario in Hindi films. Especially Aamir Khan, who surprises everyone with his changing looks according to the characters he plays.

Popularity

While Shah Rukh is probably the most well-known Indian face abroad, Salman Khan rules the hearts of the Indian masses. Aamir is not behind and is a well-known face as an actor-producer in international film circuits. His film, Lagaan, was nominated for the Academy Award in 2002 in the Best Foreign Language Film category. Lagaan was also listed by Time magazine among 25 best sports films made.

Reaching Out To The Small Screen

While Aamir will soon make his debut on Indian television, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan have proved that they are not limited to a medium. Both Shah Rukh and Salman have hosted game shows Kaun Banega Crorepati and 10 Ka Dum respectively. On the other hand Aamir’s ads are always a treat to watch. Also, Salman and SRK have wide reach on television through their endorsements and stage shows that get televised. Not just that, Shah Rukh is also a highly entertaining stage show host, a skill that he has used to good effect in this year’s Filmfare awards.

Moneywise

Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir are among Asia’s highest paid artists. Be it films or advertisements, they are paid relatively more than their contemporaries. The fact is that it’s not easy to afford the Khans. But still, all three are also considerate when it comes to asking for their fees – they are all known to reduce their acting fees if they are co-producers on a particular project.

Social Work

Apart from their commercial success, all the three Khans are socially responsible citizens and use their star power effectively to help society. While Shah Rukh and Aamir are frequently seen in government campaigns, Salman is associated with a lot of charity work and his NGO, Being Human.

Entrepreneurs

All the three Khans are successful entrepreneurs. Shah Rukh owns a film production company called Red Chillies Entertainment. Aamir owns Aamir Khan Productions and Salman recently co-produced the film, Chillar Party.

We think these qualities differentiate the three Khans and make them more than just superstars.

Do you agree with us? Tell us in the comments box below.