Meet Shah Rukh Khan — King Of Bollywood And David Letterman's 'My Next Guest'
He's called "The King of Bollywood."
Instagram Shah Rukh Khan, or SRK, may not be all that well-known to American audiences but in India, he's the biggest star of them all. Often called the King of Bollywood, Khan is an actor, film producer, and television personality. He has appeared in more than 80 Bollywood films. The 54-year-old has received many awards and accolades including the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest Indian civilian honor, the Government of France the Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, the second-degree of the honor, and the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, the fifth degree of the honor. He is the most recognizable film star in India and Asia and is often called one of the most successful film stars in the world. He's also David Letterman's latest guest on Netflix's My Next Guest. Who is Shah Rukh Khan?
1. His family
Shahrukh Khan was born November 2, 1965, into a Muslim family in New Delhi, India. He prefers his name to be written out as Shah Rukh Kahn and is commonly called by the acronym SRK. His father passed away in 1981 from cancer and his mother died in 1991 from complications of diabetes. After the death of their parents, SRK's older sister Shahnaz Lalarukh suffered from severe depression. He became her caretaker. She lives with him and his family to this day. Shah Rukh Khan married Gauri Chibber in October 1991 after six years of dating. They have three children: sons Aryan and AbRam and daughter Suhana. Aryan is a student at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts and Suhana is studying drama and acting at New York University. His family practices both his Muslim and his wife's Hindu faiths.
2. He basically stalked his wife
During his interview with David Letterman, Khan recounted the early days of his courtship of his now-wife Gauri. Specifically, he spoke about how at one point in the early days of their relationship she moved to Mumbai to get away from him. He was too possessive. So what did Khan do? He got together a group of friends and went to Mumbai to find her. He basically stalked her.
3. He is incredibly wealthy
Bollywood is huge and there's no bigger star than Shah Rukh Khan. He has a net worth of $600 million. Books have been written about him and a 2005 two-part documentary called The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Kahn was produced by Nasreen Munni Kabir.
4. One billion fans
In 2011 the Los Angeles Times called him "the biggest movie star you've never heard of ... perhaps the world's biggest movie star, period. He is called "The Baadshah of Bollywood," "The King of Bollywood" and "King Khan." He gets an enormous amount of media coverage in India thanks to starring in two or three films a year, appearing in television commercials, print ads and on billboards. He has a fanatical fanbase that is estimated to be more than one billion strong.
5. Reaction to the David Letterman interview
Shah appeared on David Letterman's Netflix show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction on October 25th. He is the first Indian actor to be interviewed on the American television show. Fans erupted on Twitter in reaction to the high-profile U.S. interview. One Twitter user wrote: "There’s stardom and then there is Shahdom. A man who needs no introduction and who has stolen hearts across the globe! Love you Shah bhai! @iamsrk The king of television hosting, with the king of Bollywood. Couldn’t get any better! Can’t wait to watch this!" Another Twitter user wrote: "I have watched the program for the fourth time!! Just don't stop talking @iamsrk What a beautiful words SRK sir, hope they do another interview together. #SRKOnLettermanShow."
6. What's next for Shah Rukh Kahn?
Shah Rukh Kahn will next be seen in the film Rocketry: The Nambi Effect in 2020. IMDB describes the film as: "Based on the life of ISRO Scientist Nambi Narayanan who was falsely accused of being a spy and arrested in 1994. Though free, he is still fighting for justice, with those police officials alleged to have falsely implicated him, still free."
Amy Lamare is a Los Angeles based writer and editor covering entertainment, pop culture, beauty, fashion, fitness, technology, and the intersection of technology, business, and philanthropy. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook.