Shah Rukh Khan: Legend, Icon, Star review: Biography dives into the making of a demigod

The seemingly existential question leaps up in journalist Mohar Basu’s well-crafted biography, Shah Rukh Khan: Legend, Icon, Star. Published by HarperCollins India, it is not the first book, and will definitely not be the last to be written about the 59-year-old superstar who we have grown up with and identify so many of our personal milestones with. His first foray into public consciousness with the tele drama Fauji could bring back memories of one’s own baby steps in professional career. His rocking Chaiya Chaiya atop a chugging train could transport some of us to a period when we ourselves were on a roll. We tend to remember our past with famous Shah Rukh Khan movies and iconic songs that mapped out those periods.

That being the importance of Shah Rukh, it is understandable that Basu’s book does not traverse unchartered territory. Much of what she narrates and details is already in the public domain. Of course, we already know that Shah Rukh is a self-made Delhi boy who made dreams come true in Mumbai. We also know that he is immensely intelligent and articulate, who hasn’t let his stardom consume him. He remains grounded, affable, and consistently radiates hope — qualities that resonate deeply with people from all walks of life.

The King of romance

But the beauty that Basu startles us with in her well-researched book are the little nuggets of fascinating details that shaped SRK. Courtesy her, we get to know that the star we know as Shah Rukh Khan was first named Abdul Rahman by his doting grandmother. But then, a few years later, his father stepped in and changed the name, giving birth to Shah Rukh Khan as we now know him.

For a SRK fan — not a die-hard enthusiast fanatically tracking every facet of his life —Basu’s book is a veritable treasure trove. It reveals interesting facts that might surprise even longtime admirers. It also raises an intriguing existential question: would a more common and less glamorous name like Abdul Rahman have evoked the same adoration and emotional connection as Shah Rukh Khan does?

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However, Basu’s racy narrative does not allow the reader to ponder over any single thought for too long as more interesting details emerge one after another. My favourite though is the story of the courtship and eventual marriage of Shah Rukh’s parents — no less filmy than what their son essays with aplomb now. Shah Rukh’s father, Meer Taj Mohammad Khan, had his eye on Fatima, but his attempt to win her over was making little headway. But one day, Fatima met with a road accident near Delhi’s India Gate and needed blood transfusion. By sheer coincidence, Meer — just like it happens in a Hindi movie — happened to be nearby, and even more fortuitously, his blood group matched hers. He donated blood, saved her life, and soon after, their romance blossomed. The two then got together, ultimately giving the world Shah Rukh Khan.

It is the making of Shah Rukh Khan that Basu helps piece together, taking us through the sweat and struggle of an actor originally not known for his conventional good looks. But his expressive eyes and an attractive dimple accentuated his acting skills, ultimately setting Shah Rukh apart. As the book recounts, destiny and chance encounters also played a part. Unsure of himself, Shah Rukh initially experimented with being an anti-hero — as he did in Darr and Baazigar — dying before the movies ended. ‘Why do you always die?’ asked an elderly woman fan early on in the sets. It made Shah Rukh change course. And the king of romance came into being.

A loftier pedestal

But prolonged procrastination apparently preceded the phenomenon that continues to hold us in awe. Basu’s book tells us that Shah Rukh Khan kept filmmaker Aditya Chopra waiting for no less than six months before agreeing to star in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ). The magic that they created together in 1995 still wows audiences, with the film running for decades at Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir.

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The appeal of Basu’s book lies in its ability to unravel the magic of Shah Rukh, narrating in fine detail everything that went into the making of his movies and the money they made. However, beyond a point, it gets repetitive and occasionally feels overindulgent. Essentially a hagiography, it elevates Shah Rukh to an even loftier place than he already occupies. While it’s not particularly original, it’s a painstakingly comprehensive compilation of all that Shah Rukh Khan has said in his many interviews over the years, which ends up deifying a star who already occupies the status of no less than a demigod.

For those who are fans, but not die-hard devotees, the unquestioning adulation that the book lavishes on Shah Rukh Khan might seem somewhat disconcerting. For example, the star comes out unscathed for his alleged misbehaviour with a journalist in the early years of his stardom, and an opportunity is missed to size him up as a man made of flesh and blood with his share of follies. Similarly, gushing praise is showered on the star’s recent releases such as Jawan and Pathaan. Though blockbusters, SRK’s not-fanatic fans would have struggled to stay awake through these inane movies. But with the nation collectively choosing to dance to Jhoome Jo Pathaan, any contrarian view on Shah Rukh is certain to be drowned out. Basu does her bit in adding to the lustre. Shah Rukh Khan shines bright — and possibly brighter — in her book.