Why Shah Rukh Khan still rules millions of hearts

The King of Hearts turns 60

What is it about Shah Rukh Khan that makes people cheer, cry, and sometimes even travel halfway across the world just to see him wave from his balcony? Maybe it's his "chocolate boy" charm, maybe it's his incredible journey, or maybe it's just the way he makes everyone believe that no dream is too big to come true.

From millennials who watched 'DDLJ' in the '90s to Gen Z who discovered him in 'Pathaan', SRK's fan base spans generations; there's something about SRK that speaks to people, no matter their age or where they're from.

Every year on his birthday, the crowd outside Mannat swells past midnight. Fans sing, dance, and hold up banners that read "King Khan Forever".

This year was no different. People came dressed in SRK T-shirts, some holding heart-shaped balloons, others recording every second on their phones. A few fans had even flown in from Indonesia just to catch a glimpse of him.

"We've come all the way to India to see him," one fan told ANI. "We really love you, Shah Rukh, and we hope to meet you someday." Among them were fans who had flown in from Indonesia just to catch a glimpse of their idol. "We've come all the way to India to see him," one fan told ANI. "We really love you, Shah Rukh, and we hope to meet you someday."

That kind of love can't be manufactured. It's not just about fame or fortune; it's about connection. And Shah Rukh has built that connection over decades, brick by brick, smile by smile.

Long before the red carpets and blockbusters, he was just a boy from Delhi with big dreams. With no family ties in the industry, he started out on television in the late '80s with 'Fauji' and 'Circus'. But it was his big-screen debut in 'Deewana' (1992) that made people sit up and notice. The film, in fact, earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. Just a few years later, 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' turned him into the "King of Romance". As Raj, the boy who made love look effortless, Shah Rukh became more than just a character.

However, what truly set Khan apart, though, wasn't just his good looks or his performances; it was his relatability. He was the everyman who made audiences feel seen. Whether as a lover, a friend, or a flawed hero, Shah Rukh made people believe he was one of them.

The kind of fan following SRK has today doesn't just happen. It's because he always believed in himself, right from the start. Even when he was just starting out, making his way to stardom, he had this confidence that he was meant to be a "superstar".

Viveck Vaswani, one of his oldest friends, once told ANI, "The first time I met him, he said, 'I'm a superstar.' I said okay, and he made it true." (ANI)

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