Thursday, September 8, 2011

Number 1 Bollywood Actor-Salman or Shah Rukh Khan

Often called King Khan and the Number One Bollywood actor, Shah Rukh Khan is facing the heat from arch rival Salman Khan, who fans claim is the real number one star of Bollywood. Salman has proved it time and again that he can whip up a frenzy like no one, with back to back blockbusters. He started it with Wanted (2009), created box office history with Dabangg(2010), hit another big one with Ready(2011). The  sky high collections of Bodyguard has only made Salman Khan invincible.


Shah Rukh Khan had scored with My Name is Khan(2010) but since then, he had disappeared from the scene. Of late, he was nursing a knee operation as much as Salman Khan who had gone for the treatment of his nerve disorder. Now SRK is ready to roll the dice with what is going to be his biggest release ever, Ra.One, a science fiction and superhero film. After Ra. One comes another expensive, much talked about movie Don 2, directed by the ever-dependable Farhan Akhtar.

It goes without saying that Shah Rukh Khan wants to beat Salman Khan in his Bodyguard run. These days, an actor considers himself lucky if a film runs for three days and Salman’s movies including Bodyguard has been going to packed houses for weeks. Will Shah Rukh khan be able to weave his DDLJ, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai magic again, where he hypnotized the box-office with his charisma? Hmmm, remains to be seen...

Though both Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and even Aamir Khan says that number one tag does not mater to them, they are lying because it does matter to them, big time. Else they won't be looking at getting their movies and moves right from production to marketing with microscopic precision. Shah Rukh Khan, himself is known for his business acumen and will definitely take no chances with Ra. One.

If you look at both Salman Khan as well as Shah Rukh Khan, their popular films are not necessarily their best films. For instance, Shah Rukh Khan’s best film is Swades (one of the best, if you may say so) but it does not hold a candle in front of Om Shanti Om which created history. The same goes for Salman Khan;  Ready and Bodyguard had bad scripts and bad execution but the bottom line is, they are blockbusters. Aamir Khan is the only actor who manages to give movies high on content as well as popularity


Shah Rukh Khan felt the heat when 3 Idiots of Aamir Khan became a cult film. He managed to hit back with My Name is Khan and thought that that If Aamir had managed to score in 2009, he would do so in 2010. But little did SRK know that he would be Dabangged, when Salman Khan hurricane (nothing to do with Hurricane 'Katrina') swept the box office and threw every other forthcoming release out of its sight for months  Salman ‘everyone’s bhaijaan’ showed that he is the emperor of box office, with two back to back hits-Ready and Bodyguard. But then all is not lost, not at all for Shah Rukh Khan, and his fans because Ra. One is heading for an unprecedent release, this Diwali.

One thing is for sure, Salman Khan whose movies were meant for masses, has now been welcomed with open arms in multiplexes too. Ditto for Aamir Khan, whose movies are well received in multiplexes as well as single-screens. Shah Rukh Khan has always been able to penetrate both the terrriroties, the single screen as well as multiplexes but the job is tougher this time because he has to go out and win the whole of the country, in a ‘Chak De India’ like fervor.

 It is not just competition from Salman Khan and Aamir, that Shah Rukh Khan has to worry about. Who can forget the most consistent performer, since the last 20 years, whose popularity has only risen by every passing year-a certain Mr. Ajay Devgn? He scored his biggest hit a few days ago in Singham. Hrithik Roshan surged ahead with a Rs. 90 crore collection from Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara. With Agneepath around the corner, SRK’s best friend from Bollywood, Hrithik Roshan is going to cover a lot of lost ground.

As a game changer, Shah Rukh Khan will reinforce his number one position in Bollywood with  superb marketing for Ra.One that will spread in the next 50 days up to the release of the film on Diwali. Marketing wise, this genius will not leave any stone unturned. If Bodyguard recorded the biggest opening release in Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan has to ensure an explosive release on Diwali that surpasses Bodyguard on the first day itself. Since Bodyguard opened with 20 crores on the first day, Shah Rukh Khan has to ensure that his film opens to 25 crore collection on that very day.

It is evident that these Khan have taken the three big festivals of India as their release dates for their premium ventures, yep they have booked it. Salman khan books the Eid slots and gives hits like Wanted, Dabangg and Bodyguard; Shah Rukh Khan books Diwali to release films like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Om Shanti Om and Ra. One.; and Aamir Khan books Christmas to release movies like Taare Zameen Par, Ghajini and 3 Idiots.

In those days of Chak De India and Om Shanti Om; ie ; 2007 and years before Shah Rukh khan was the undisputed number one star of Bollywood. He was the original risk taker in tinseltown, who took on roles that Salman Khan had rejected (Baazigar, 1993) and Aamir Khan had declined (Darr) to became the darling of millions. He took on characters that other lead actors would not even touch with a barge-pole. Life has come full circle for him now as the very two Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan are back in the ring, trying to push SRK to one side. Will Shah Rukh Khan get up, swing into action,  emerge winner and reinforce his status as the number one star of Bollywood or will Salman Khan continue to relish it for years to come? You guys will decide...





2 comments:

Prajwol said...

Ajay is no 1 actor not SRK or Sallu

Anonymous said...

SRK's Ra One has barely managed to become a clean hit, what no. 1 now? Top actors are Salman and Aamir. SRK is not the original risk taker of Bollywood! He had to take whatever was offered to him back then, also don't forget that Aamir Khan did a film like Raakh which was a dark and depressing film with the hero turning an assasin and having a tragic end. It was a huge risk for an actor who had become popular playing a lover boy a year back in QSQT! He may not have won the box office with it (since it was a small art film) but he did win the National Award for it.
SRK was undisputed no. 1 star in 2007? In 2006, Hrithik had become #1 with mega successes Krissh and Dhoom 2 in a single year and in 2007, Akshay Kumar was being called new king because he gave 5-6 hits in one year!

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