The Shah Rukh Khan Phenomenon
Few days ago I came across an ad of BYJUs featuring the mega star Shah Rukh Khan. Co-incidentally, last month SRK completed his 29 years in the Hindi film industry. For a has been star, who delivered his last good film close to 15 years ago ie Chak de India, I sometimes wonder how SRK has managed to stay relevant. Why he still is the favourite of brands and for that matter why startups like BYJUs and Big basket choose him as their ambassador over any new age star who is making good films in today’s time. Here is my understanding of this SRK phenomenon.
Face of post-liberalisation India:
SRK started his career in the 90s with anti-hero roles in Deewana, Darr and Bazigar. At that point India was changing very rapidly because of the fruits of 1991 economic reforms were reaching the people. This change was much more prominent in the metro cities. The creed in our society was no longer socialism. SRK became the star of this post-liberalisation India. In every way, in the kind of roles he did, in the way he carried a global persona and appealed to an NRI audience, in the kind of brand endorsements he did. He makes the transition of Hindi cinema where the hero changes from a Hindi speaking, non-anglophile person from the cow-belt to an English speaking person from the metropolitan city with all the brand consciousness and sophistication of an urban male. The scenes in DDLJ were from Europe and India signalling the era of globalisation. These created an amazing cocktail where you could be western and cool and yet be rooted in Indian culture. The brands in Kuch kuch Hota hai, Polo and Tommy Hilfiger were all on SRK’s chest. Individualism rose in society and so did individual ambitions. In Baazigar, the hero pursued revenge purely based on individualistic reasons. Not for a patriotic cause or for a social cause or a community cause.
SRK as a brand:
He was one of the first stars to do advertisements. From Pepsi to Fruity, from Nerolac to Hyundai, from Dishtv to Fair and Lovely, from Axis Bank to Hewlett Packard and now Vimal Pan masala to BYJUs; SRK is the child of consumerism. While doing all that he built a brand for himself also. His charm and effective style of communication, with a dose of humour attracts eyeballs. This is complemented by the fact that he is a well-read man and most importantly a self-made man. He has a rags to riches story to tell. All that makes him an icon for the aspirational youth of today’s day and age.
Touch of femininity:
Anything which was considered unmanly or pansy earlier became the traits of this new male symbolised by SRK. I mean can a Sanjay Dutt or a Salman Khan do an ad for LUX in bathtub and talk about what is their khoobsurti ka raaz? But SRK does that. He drops into feminine spaces so comfortably and confidently. You would see him cutting vegetables in the kitchen in Kal Ho na ho, going to temple in Kuch kuch Hota Hai, crying for a woman and wearing his heart on his sleeve in Veer Zara, dealing with insecurities and infidelity in marriage in Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna etc. He does all that so effortlessly and confidently. So it is longer that mard ko dard nahi Hota for him. Why would women not fall for him?
Appeal to children and their parents:
SRK in his intellectual persona displays a great regard for academics and sports. He was a sportsman in his teens. Listening to his convocation speeches and interviews, one can figure out that he is a very well read man too. His association with shows like KBC, Kya App Panchvi Pass se Tez Hain, TED Talks reveal his regard for education and knowledge. That’s why I believe BYJUs chose him over anyone else. Above all of that, SRK is known as a family man who enjoys spending most time apart from work with Gauri and his children. All this makes parents also to like him.
Style of communication and confidence:
Brands know very well that if SRK is going to be on television, whether in advertisements, award shows or chat shows, people are going to watch and listen to him. His style of communication appears genuine and authentic. However, it does not mean he sounds like Arun Govil from Ramayan. He supplements his genuineness with a heavy dose of wit and humour. He balances these two very very effectively. So he neither appears boring nor like a jerk. His ability to make fun of himself shows his confidence. His admission about his not so good looks, not so perfect acting, not so right choice of films and still how managed to succeed despite all that shows his honesty and lack of any complex or insecurity. He not just achieved moderate amount of success but super duper stardom, the kind of stardom we might not see for long. He is not apologetic about his success and money. His philosophy is that he came to Bombay with nothing, he didn’t have a godfather and now that he is successful, he wants to enjoy his success.
SRK’s rise mirrors the story of a nation coming of age and embracing the opportunities of the new world. He symbolises the intelligence of new India, he symbolises the energy of new India, he symbolises the confidence of new India. He represents the liberal India both in the social and economic sense.
Source: Discovery Documentary on SRK
