When Dil Se… bombed, he said, ‘People are not in a mood for terrorism’ and when Devdas clicked, he said, ‘Seems like audience loves losers.’ He accepted Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam was a compromise and proved a generous producer be it Asoka, Chalte Chalte or Pahel.Post Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Kal Ho Na Ho and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, he was the undisputed king and the media called him Badshah. His critics were hard to please and complained that Shah Rukh only worked in feel good films. He combined Swades, Paheli, Veer Zara with Main Hoon Na, Om Shanti Om and silenced them all.
Another decade passed by. I was now heading a film weekly Screen and we met once a year at Screen Awards and we were polite. Shah Rukh owned a multistory office now, had launched a television production, endorsed brands and did movies when he felt like. Chak De India, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, My Name is Khan, Jab Tak Hai Jaan. He was older now, mellower, kinder. Maybe he was always like that only I never saw that side of him, probably because he made sure to disguise his vulnerable self.
The new millennium had many old and new superstars in the race but Shah Ruklh Khan remained the biggest draw overseas and his banner continues to produce entertainers, some good/ Don 2, some passable/ Ravan, Chenaai Express, some indifferent/ Happy New Year, some embarrassment/ Dilwale and his fans eagerly wait to watch him in Raees and Dear Zindagi. In recent times he has endured personal lows and failures/ Zero but the show goes on and in the movie business you are as good as your last film and all eyes are at the moment on Pathan!