Bring it on King!

Fan hasn’t really set the box-office on fire. Maneesh Sharma’s film that has Shah Rukh Khan playing a double role after ages, created ripples initially, yet it hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations. Quite justifiably, a die-hard SRK fan is disappointed. After the 'debacle' of Dilwale (by his standards), Shah Rukh desperately needed a blockbuster.

But then, there are some positives Shah Rukh can take home from Fan. It may have failed to rake it in, but Shah Rukh, as an actor has rediscovered himself. Both critics and audiences cannot stop praising his performance in the film. In one sense, Fan’s failure could be a blessing in disguise for King Khan. There is a reason why. If we look back, SRK has always chosen the conventional path to success i.e. box-office glory.

Fans have been enamoured of his larger-than-life image which at times seems to have overshadowed his potential as an actor. Trained under the famous theatre personality Barry John, Shah Rukh comes from a different school of thought unlike his peers like Salman Khan and Aamir Khan. Yet, time and again, his superstar image outshines his acting. The writer recollects a speech by SRK, probably at an awards ceremony, where he in his own way took on people who never took him seriously as an actor. But isn’t he himself to be blamed?

Films like Duplicate, Chamatkar, English Babu Desi Mem, Om Shanti Om, Happy New Year and Chennai Express are forgettable ones though some of them did well at the box-office. Even a Kuch Kuch Hota Hai failed to bring home the point that here is a megastar who is an accomplished actor as well. But ironically even within the stereotyped mainstream format, Shah Rukh has explored variety, be it the anti-hero in Baazigar, Darr and Anjaam or the romantic hero in Dilwale Dulhanya Le Jaayenge and Dil Toh Pagal Hai. Unfortunately, these films too cashed in on SRK, the megastar. He hasn’t really explored his full acting potential, has he?

Three films have looked beyond his stardom: Swades, Veer Zara and Chak De! India. The mannerisms missing, the audiences bumped into an unknown Shah Rukh. The movies may not have earned him crores, but when he looks back, they would figure on his Top 5 list for sure. Fan’s average showing should be an alarming call for Shah Rukh. Competing with the other Khans is not going to work. Let us admit that there is a Salman wave. Anything he does is working at the box-office. SRK has a different image than Salman’s and he certainly is aware of that. Fans would like to see him in roles that would do justice to his acting prowess.

Perhaps, he is seeing the writings on the wall. And this is the reason why he has picked directors like Rahul Dholakia (Raees), Gauri Shinde, Anand L. Rai and Imtiaz Ali. Rai’s film will have him playing a dwarf, a role rejected by Salman, as per reports. These makers are known to make films with substance. The fact that they have zeroed in on a megastar like Shah Rukh raises hopes for his talents being fully explored. SRK has reached the zenith of stardom. It is now time for him to start a new innings. It is also time to bid adieu to those outstretched hands and focus on métier roles. Substance should matter and not size.

Amitabh Bachchan during the height of his superstardom did films many of which could be rejected by the current crop of moviegoers. That was the seventies when the concept of middle-of-the-road cinema wasn’t even born. With time, Big B has changed tracks doing films like Black, Paa and Piku. Gone are the days of pathetic duds like Toofan, Jaadugar, Lal Badshah, Aaj Ka Arjun, Akayla, Insaniyat and Indrajeet in the eighties and nineties.

Look at Ajay Devgan! He has also experimented with Zakhm, Raincoat, The Legend of Bhagat Singh and Drishyam that catapulted him to the status of a versatile actor. Even Akshay Kumar rediscovered himself in phases with Sangharsh, Special 26 and Airlift that had powerful stories to boast. The obsession with BO glory may boomerang on Shah Rukh. Even a King Khan fanatic wants him to take a different route.

Yes, he still remains a big star (if not the biggest star in the country) whose aura is unprecedented. But beyond that, there is an actor who deserves to attain greatness. If his hardcore critics are busy writing his obituary, hold it. You may love him, hate him, but you can never ignore a SHAH RUKH KHAN. Fan has opened a new chapter in SRK’s career. He must reap the benefits out of it.