SRK now lives amid stars
-By Bhaarati K Dubey

He’s clearly a superstar who shines the brightest among the rest. But being Shah Rukh Khan is not easy. For his millions of fans across the world, he’s had a legion of critics out to say why an Aamir, a Devgan or even a three-year-old in the industry, Hrithik is miles and miles ahead.

It’s no strange coincidence that among the many films, songs, dances credited to have catapulted him to a cult position, the luminous “star” has played a very significant role in his films.

Remember the time he points to a shooting star to Suchitra Krishnamurty in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa with childlike glee and innocence? He later wishes that the shooting star would fulfil his wish to unite him with her.

It’s evidently the stars that he aims for in Chaand taare tod laoon in Yes Boss, a line that immediately made him connect with young urbanites trying to fulfil their ambitions. The fact that SRK crooned those lines made all the difference since he was known to be young, ambitious and never made bones about his dreams to conquer the world.

The shooting star once again bailed an awkward Shah Rukh out in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, when he wanted to break the ice with childhood friend, Kajol who’s no longer the gawky tomboy that she was.

Then in his mid-30s, Shah Rukh reached out to innocence with the star that was so distant, luminous and elicited an unbridled childlike happiness. Now nearing his 40s, and called the biggest superstar in the world by Time magazine, (Hollywood and Bollywood put together), Shah Rukh Khan has become a shooting star himself, blazing a trail wherever he goes.

Just like people’s fascination with the shooting star is hard to define, so it is with country’s most loved Khan. There are some who are simply “blessed”, but when you also have a body of work to stand by, you can only say one thing: He deserves it.

Shooting star personified, SRK is now teaching the younger generation to count stars. After all, who knows better than him to reach for the stars and later, become one of them.