Shah Rukh Khan turns 57: What makes him the biggest Bollywood star?

Over the years the name Shah Rukh Khan, who celebrates his 57th birthday today, has become synonymous with Bollywood. But when he first appeared on the shores of Mumbai, home to the stars, he had just lost his mother and was in search of stability, fame and fortune. Here’s a look at the actor’s 30-year journey in the industry and why he remains an all-time icon.

King of romance Khan taught us how to love: Khan's iconic stance with his arms spread wide became popular through his romantic movies in the 90s. SRK has played the love interest of almost all the leading actresses in Hindi cinema including Kajol, Rani Mukherjee, Preity Zinta, Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai, Sridevi, Deepika Padukone, and Anushka Sharma among others.

Real life romance: His real life love story with Gauri Khan is also one for the books. These high school sweethearts are known for their romantic banter.

Producer, singer, actor: Name a role and he has played them all – the chiseled action hero, the villainous anti-hero and the love-struck lead. SRK is well known for the intensity and dedication he brings to each character. Not satisfied with his roles in front of the camera, Khan turned producer. His early productions - 'Asoka' and 'Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani' - weren’t successful, but slowly and steadily, Khan and wife Gauri managed to build one of the most profitable production houses in India. Films produced by him include 'Chennai Express', 'Main Hoon Na', 'Om Shanti Om', 'Happy New Year', 'Dear Zindagi', 'Raees' and 'Badla'.

Age no matter for this Bollywood hero: Superstar Shah Rukh Khan is 57, but that has not stopped him from taking on physically demanding roles, in the movie ‘Om Shanti Om’, he was seen with a ripped body and sporting eight-pack abs. Plus, it wasn’t just his gleaming torso that had everybody talking, he even did his own stunts for this film. On the occasion of his birthday, he rolled out a teaser of his upcoming film and had all the fans impressed. In it, he looked a million dirhams as he revealed his impeccable abs and toned body at 57.

Cricket, brands and business: Over the last decade, Khan's Kolkata Knight Riders has become a household name in T20 cricket. After establishing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2008 in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Knight Riders became owners of the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in 2015. Recently, the Knight Riders Group made a significant investment in Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA and intends to set up a franchise in the greater Los Angeles area. This investment by the Knight Riders Group, which is led by Bollywood superstar, Shah Rukh Khan, along with Juhi Chawla & her husband Jay Mehta, will establish their fourth T20 franchise around the world in IPL, CPL, MLC and now in UAE’s T20 league. He is also the brand ambassador for 'Visit Dubai'.

Global star Shah Rukh Khan is a global star in his own right and has fans across the globe – including in Hollywood. Did you know, Zayn Malik, former One Direction member, is a fan? He was featured on Netflix’s David letterman special as well. Titled ‘My Next Guest with David Letterman and Shah Rukh Khan’, Bollywood’s King Khan has shared his journey starting from his humble beginnings in Delhi to scaling new heights in the film industry on the show.

Sense of humour: Apart from charming the audience with his charisma on-screen, SRK is known to come up with the funniest one-liners! As he completes 30 years in the industry, let's take a look at some of his wittiest moments on social media that had people 'rolling on the floor laughing'! When he gave the secret to his long locks in upcoming film 'Pathaan': A fan recently asked SRK how much time it took him to grow hair for 'Pathaan' and he again had the internet in splits with his funny response. He wrote, "Bhai jab meri jaisi zulfein hon toh time nahi lagta...ghar ki kheti hai na!!"

Charity and philanthropy: The Bollywood star has been given an award for his philanthropic work advancing women's rights. His fan base runs into the billions and he says he wants to make the world a better place. This year, as COVID-19 wreaked havoc, Khan turned his four-storey home, which has been designed by his wife, into a 22-bed quarantine facility. The Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University PhD Scholarship is another initiative that promises a life-changing opportunity for an aspiring female researcher.

Struggles: Even mega stars feel low sometimes. Shah Rukh Khan has spoken up about his shoulder injury and how it affected his mental health. The fear of not being able to perform to the same level had him reeling, until he got back on stage. (Pictured: Khan with South Indian star Nayanthara at her wedding)

Dancing at weddings: Khan can do everything in the world – and that includes dancing at weddings. While star performances at weddings are a common fixture now, it was practically unheard of in the '90s when he started the trend of dancing at wedding for money. Monetising private function to his benefit worked wonderfully for this actor.

Ananya Panday wished Shah Rukh Khan by sharing a throwback picture with him and his children Suhana and Aryan Khan.

Suhana, SRK’s daughter, shared a throw back picture with her daddy dearest and wrote: “Happy birthday to my bestest friend I love u the mosttt.”

Dia Mirza shared a magazine cover along with her birthday wish to SRK.