Is Shah Rukh Khan losing his charm?

When Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni took a playful swipe at King Khan with “How many times will I hear that same dialogue from Don and you selling the concept of ever-lasting love?”, the cricketer had unwittingly touched upon a raw nerve.

While Bollywood’s legendary charmer Khan pulled every trick in his book to entertain the guests at the IPL Gala dinner at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi this Tuesday, it was clear that the audience’s eyes were glued to the cricketers.

Some of the guests looked a tad bored as they waited for dinner to be served. The glittering event also saw a rare occurrence: Khan wasn’t the centre of everyone’s attention and it was the sporting legends that grabbed the spotlight.

Perhaps, the Khan-out-of-the-spotlight anomaly arose because he didn’t have anything new to offer when it came to his routine of winning over guests.

As always, the Kolkota Knight Riders owner’s gig began with the iconic dialogue from his blockbuster Don — in which he played a most-wanted criminal.

He was exuding that famous nervous energy and his moves were in earnest as he danced to his hits from Baazigar and Chennai Express.

But old beverage in a new bottle isn’t always enjoyable.

At the risk of alienating Shah Rukh Khan’s ardent fans, we believe the legendary charmer’s act needs a face lift.