Rise & Rise of Shahrukh Khan - episode 1

Before starting today's show we'll show an asana to those lost in Love
using which they can find Love easily.
So watch carefully. First distance your feet a bit.
Bend one leg, raise your head and extend your arms.
Now just bring a killer smile on your face.
Extend your arms like this and stand properly.
We don't know how much this will benefit you.
But our today's superstar has zillions of girls swooning over him
whenever he does that. This simple asana is called SRK asana.
Our star in focus today is K K K King Khan!
We mean Shahrukh Khan.
I never really believe that I'm the best, I just believe I'm Shahrukh.
I always say, my tombstone shall say: he died trying
hoping that he got it right.
you have an extraordinary
mesmerizing talent like Shahrukh Khan
who still continues to kind of scintillate
the screen.
Scores of men have tried to conquer the world and left too.
But if you want to win the world with your dimpled smile and flamboyance,
no one can beat the SRK magic.
His popularity that breaks the boundaries of cast, creed, gender
and nationality can be gauged by
the n=international pop icons and divas who come to meet him.
Neither do you need to see his wax statue at Madame Tussaude's
Legend has it, SRK was spotted at a mall in the U.K
where ace footballer Beckham also shopped with his family.
and it wasn't the soccer superstar but Bollywood's Badshah(King)
who got mobbed by hundreds of over enthusiastic fans!
Then we found out that Beckham inquired from people
who was this celebrity who was bigger than him?
So, that's the magic of our superstar.
Huge international stars are nothing compared to him.
But as they stay, every story must have a beginning.
So this is how this superstars super-life began.
Delhi lad SRK was born to a Loving couple
Taj Mohammad Khan and Latif Fatima on 2nd November 1965.
SRK believes he inherited his Loverboy charm from his dad
while his go getter attitude came from his mom's side.
He wanted to be an actor many years ago which I got to know later
but he acted so poorly he was advised not to do so.
Instead you give birth to an actor.
But that's when Shahrukh Khan wasn't the Shahrukh Khan we know.
He was still a schoolboy studying in St. Colombus New Delhi.
A prankster, a sports whiz and a leader of a gang called The C-Gang!
It was called C-Gang since all members were from division C.
A big blow came in his life when his father lost his life
fighting cancer on 19th September 1981.
Shahrukh was just 16 at that time.
But he still managed to learn something from the shattering moment
which he recalls now almost 30 years after the incident.
But where life taught this youngster such brutal honest lessons,
it also gave him new hopes to smile and chase dreams of young adulthood
His first crush: which would soon become the driving force of his life
Gauri Chibbar. Their Love story sounds like a romantic mushy story.
And one of the invariable questions asked by thousands of girls madly
in Love with SRK is: How did he meet Gauri?
SRK saw Gauri at a party
but somehow they couldn't gel then.
When Shahrukh asked Gauri for a dance through a friend,
Gauri answered: she was waiting for her boyfriend.
Shahrukh's dreams were shattered for a moment.
But go getter Shahrukh wasn't disheartened.
and soon it turned out: she was waiting for her brother!
Shahrukh still jokes how he and Gauri had a brotherly sisterly relation.
Thanks to his perseverance, he secretly started courting Gauri.
Shahrukh was in St. Stephens college Delhi university by now.
And his over confidence was misunderstood for arrogance.
Soon he left the college to join Hansraj college
to pursue his bachelor's degree in economics.
He studied and tried to get a break in professional acting.
After graduation he enrolled for a masters degree in mass communication
But once bitten by the acting bug, you are bound to act.
Soon he dropped out of his course to pursue full time acting.
He took admission in National School of Drama at his mom's behest
but he wanted a more professional acting course.
So he soon joined Barry John's acting studio
to learn the nittigrities of acting for the camera.
He got his first break in acting soon.
The year was 1988 when retired Lt. Colonel Raj Kapoor
picked him to play Abhimanyu Rai
in a first TV series based on the Indian Army: Fauji.
He was a very simple man, he was young too.
He wasn't too experienced. He came and
he had such a face.. many don't have such features,
but he had a likeable personality.
he has a pleasing personality, like you want to get to know him better.
he's nice, like you would want to be friends with him.
So he had that appeal.
Along with Fauji, his character as ABhimanyu too was quite popular.
When I took him initially to play the role of a commando,
there were 6 commandos and I didn't know which is the main character.
I had 6 commandoes and all 6 were heroes.
But the camera chose him! When I saw the rushes,
and saw him on the monitor, he stood out.
He was also seen as a senior college role in a small tele film.
Arundhati Roy who not just wrote the movie but also acted in it
went onto win a National Award that year for best screenplay.
Now brimming with new found confidence,
SRK planned to enter Gauri's house for her birthday party.
So that there was no scene regarding his name and religion,
Shahrukh immediately took on a different name in true Bollywood style
Now for Gauri's parents he was Abhimanyu.
Helping everyone, winning hearts and collecting compliments.
Gauri's parents also told him innocently
that he looked like a distant relative of Dilip Kumar.
Not bad for starters, you might think.
Just as the hero is soon exposed in films,
Shahrukh was no exception.
But he had to win his Love!
How did Shahrukh achieve this mission impossible?
We will see, right after this break.
I still remember how he used to passionately follow Gauri
I'm very happy that they finally got married.
I'm No. 1 darling, period. Don't categorize me.
Welcome back! We're talking about the romantic super-life of Shahrukh.
Gauri's family created problems in Shahrukh and Gauri's Love story.
After all he played the role of Raj in "Dilwaale Dulhaniya le Jayenge"
While Shahrukh was busy sorting out things step by step, 120 00:07:36,480 --> 00:,000 0: 4: 0 it was difficult for Gauri. 121 00:07:41,920 --> Lo:e,000 :n :ne hand and the family restrictions on the other.
She decided to take a break and without informing him
she left for Mumbai with one of her friends.
It was a big blow for SRK.
And he made his first trip to Mumbai to get Gauri back.
To the City of Dreams.
SRK and his friend looked for her all over Mumbai.
They ran out of money and had to spend nights on the footpath.
Shahrukh even had to sell his camera.
But everything was alright in the climax.
He found Gauri at a beach. For her it was hard to believe that
how Shahrukh found her in a new city?
But for Shahrukh, it was a trip of a lifetime.
While spending his night on the city's streets,
he must've never thought that he'll rule the city one day.
Shahrukh returned to Mumbai leaving Gauri at Delhi.
But this time he was here to make his mark in Bollywood.
He made a lot of friends while doing his TV serials
like Circus, Doosra Kewal ald Idiot.
These friends made entry for Shahrukh easier.
And in 1991, he was signed for Hema Malini's venture "Dil Aashnaa hai"
Along with this happiness, there was sadness too.
His beloved Mother's sad demise.
Now Shahrukh was all alone.
His career just began and he really needed some emotional support.
Meanwhile he also signed 3 more movies.
Deewana, Chamatkaar, Raju ban gaya gentleman,
besides Dil Aashnaa hai, which meant he could support a family now.
SRK decided to tie the knot. As this was an inter religion marriage
court marriage was really important for him.
Using a fake address, SRK and Gauri somehow kept marriage a secret
Once married, they informed Gauri's parents first.
At first it was impossible for them to accept.
But when people and also Shahrukh convinced them
they finally agreed, but on one condition.
that Shahrukh and Gauri also needed to marry in Hindu style.
I still remember how he used to passionately follow Gauri
I'm very happy that they finally got married.
But Shahrukh himself wouldn't like his life without dramatic twists!
There was a twist in the marriage too. As SRK remembers
Normally the groom comes on the horse
and he isn't supposed to see the bride till the holy rituals are done.
Well, Shahrukh got married and came back to Mumbai.
And he was busy with his movies as soon as he returned.
A chapter was about to begin in Shahrukh's life
which would make him from almost unknown to most sought after!
The road was long but Shahrukh too was determined.
How? We'll see after the break.
He was.. not only was he talented as an actor,
he was very funny.. and he would even help Azizji
to write the scenes come up with ideas
improvise, make things better
I mean he was a very good artiste to work with.
Welcome back. We are talking about King Khan.
But of the time when he was just Shahrukh
and waiting for his films to release. Deewana was his first release.
This musical blockbuster released in June 1992
the trade pundits immediately predicted him as the next big thing.
He was very unhappy with Deewana. He did not like the film.
He was angry about it, said this should not be his first release
I said it should.
Dil Aashna hai was finally released in October 1992.
And was a complete washout thanks to its outdated storyline.
But Shahrukh's magic worked again in his next release.
This was Aziz Mirza directed Raju Ban Gayaa Gentleman.
A modern take on Raj Kapoor's Shree 420.
Shahrukh and Juhi's everlasting friendship started here.
It's still the same!
I still remember: he was very new to the film industry.
I was in the industry for about 2 to 3 years.
But not for a moment did I feel that he was new.
Even then he was a very competent actor,
He was.. not only was he talented as an actor,
he was very funny.. and he would even help Azizji
to write the scenes come up with ideas
improvise, make things better
I mean he was a very good artiste to work with.
Raju.. also had a successful run at the box office.
His brilliant chemistry with heroines Juhi, Urmila and Divya Bharati
and natural lover-boy looks made him poster boy of romantic movies.
He also went on to win the Best Newcomer Filmfare trophy.
This success train was the result of a combination of
all the movies he did at that time.
These movies made Shahrukh Khan a star.
His back to back successes got him a lot of offers from all over.
But Shahrukh wanted to experiment now.
He only signed movies in which he could do different things.
In his first release in 1993, King Uncle, he played Jackie's brother.
A comic family drama, made an average profit at the box office.
He amazed all with his next movie: Kabhi haa, Kabhi naa.
Straight out of an Archie comic, Kundan Shah's Kabhi haa, Kabhi Naa
is still considered one of Shahrukh's best performances.
SRK also quite liked this movie.
Though it wasn't such a big commercial success,
it has attained cult hit status. Shahrukh won best performer
critics trophy for the movie as well.
After playing a loser in Love in Kabhi Haa Kabhi Naa,
he was seen romancing a married older lady in Maya Memsaab.
Because of the much talked about intimate scenes and lip locks,
hyped this movie but this didn't do well at the box office.
But as Shahrukh would say: One who makes a comeback is a true winner!
After Maya Memsaabs failure he had 2 back to back hits.
The first was Abbas Mustan's Baazigar
in which he played an anti hero's role for the first time.
Something which almost all actors in Bollywood shied away from.
Besides he was acting opposite Kajol for the first time as well.
The pair that was about to be Bollywood's most successful pair.
Baazigar ws a huge hit giving Shahrukh a superstar status.
a Filmfare for best actor and also an offer he couldn't refuse.
Shahrukh was offered Yashraj's ambitious movie Darr.
I sent Shahrukh a message: I would like to meet you.
He met me. I said this is a negative character.
He was very excited to play the character.
He wanted to do different roles.
A role which Aamir Khan rejected, but SRK wanted to play a negative
character after Baazigar and as it is obsessive, possessive Lover Rahul
wasn't new for him.
He has passed through the same in his personal life as well.
His histrionic stammering became the epitome of obsessive romance for years
While Sunny won Juhi in the climax,
Shahrukh won public sympathy big hit and best film nomination
The combination of Baazi and Darr coming together and big hits
made him a superstar in my opinion.
He played those with such combination of vulnerability and aplomb
that turned the villain into a hero.
With one of the best success rates as compared to his peers,
and real great offers coming his way,
Shahrukh was on his way to becoming Box Office King.
But Shahrukh who continuously experimented with his image
was soon to get an everlasting image.
We shall see you again in the next episode.
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