Superstars in the shadows

Despite making their debuts nearly a decade apart, Shah Rukh Khan stormed into the film scene with the 1992 commercial hit, Deewana while Hrithik Roshan turned into an overnight superstar with his very first film, Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai in 2000.

Ever since then, the two superstars have enthralled audiences with a vast number of hits, superhits and blockbusters. While Shah Rukh has been more prolific with 70-odd films as a leading man, Hrithik Roshan has been ultra selective with only 20 odd films to his credit. But when they came together to star in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, the results were outstanding as audiences grabbed the Karan Johar family drama with both hands and turned it into a blockbuster.

Of late though, audiences are waiting with bated breath to see what the duo has to offer even as Shah Rukh Khan is yet to sign his next film while Hrithik Roshan also hasn’t been seen on the big screen for over two years now.

The long wait

Shah Rukh Khan was last seen in Zero, more than a year after Jab Harry Met Sejal but unfortunately, both films were commercial disasters despite coming from directors of repute, Aanand L. Rai and Imtiaz Ali respectively. Hit by these disappointments, Shah Rukh has since been way too cautious about what he picks up next. He in fact, even let go of Saare Jahaan Se Achcha. Though it has been over four months since Zero hit the screens, Shah Rukh is yet to announce his next film.

When it comes to Hrithik Roshan, the scenario is even more curious. He is a superstar in his own right but typically, there is a long wait between his films, especially in present times. That can be gauged from the fact that in the current decade, he has been seen in just 8 films. That doesn’t even average one film a year! His last film Kaabil was actually back in January 2017 and that pretty much tells the tale.

Their brand value

Better known as King Khan, Shah Rukh Khan as a brand is a force to be reckoned with. However, as a Bollywood superstar, his brand value would only accentuate further with his films emerging as major successes. After all, as a film star he has seen much better times considering there was hardly any competition around him. Of course he has his various endorsements (especially the most visible one, Dubai) and the ownership of an IPL franchise (KKR) that keep his flag high but delivering a Rs 200 or a Rs 300 crore success is expected of him now.

Meanwhile, Hrithik Roshan’s last blockbuster was Krrish 3. Considering the fact that he is a superstar to be reckoned with, it is surprising that a biggie has eluded him, though Kaabil did hit a century. Perhaps it’s because he does very few films, and the huge gap between his last and latest release doesn’t help the cause much. He has been keeping himself occupied with promotion of his fitness brand HRX but audiences love to see their superstars on the big screen and one hopes that would happen with Hrithik’s cinematic outings soon.

The right script

There was a time when Shah Rukh Khan’s presence spoke more than just the script. However, with audiences exposed to the best of entertainment in not just cinemas but also the digital medium, they have been ruthless in rejecting anything that is substandard. No wonder then that Shah Rukh Khan has been extra cautious and though he had earlier mentioned that he would be announcing his next film in June, he has recently admitted that his heart is not into signing anything new and he would rather spend time with his children. One just hopes that the wait is not too long. Hrithik, on the other hand, is already engaged with Super 30 which was earlier supposed to release on Republic Day weekend but has now been pushed to July. His yet untitled film action film with Tiger Shroff, which is directed by Siddharth Anand for Yash Raj Films, is expected to be an out and out mass affair though. Still, after these two films, it’ll be interesting to see that perfect script which Hrithik picks next. Considering his long breaks, one hopes that he finalises something later this year so that a film of his releases in 2020.

The competition

Meanwhile, there are six actors in the film industry who have been around for 20-30 years — the three Khans [Salman, Shah Rukh, Aamir], Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and Hrithik Roshan. Amongst these actors, Aamir Khan also does very less films, although he has already announced his Lal Singh Chaddha. Salman Khan’s Bharat is set to release and Dabangg 3 would arrive later this year. As for Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn, they have five to six floors in different stages of production at any time of the year.

Somehow, they either end up attracting some of the most interesting scripts or they take a leap of faith and keep chugging along with a film every quarter of six months. At least when it comes to delivering a Rs 100 crore club success, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn are consistent. While a Rs 200 crore or a Rs 300 crore success certainly comes with its own perks, one just hopes that Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan pick up more films and that too soon. Rest assured, they have an audience waiting to catch them on the big screen, and the moolah will flow by itself.

King Khan had earlier said in an interaction with the media that he would decide his next act by June, but the Zero hero seems to have given it the pass for the time being.
“I have no plans to act at the moment. I had said earlier that I will try and decide by June, but I think that will have to wait. Normally when I finish one film, I start off planning on another one and I am on in it three four months. But this time, I did not feel like it. I felt that I should take out time and watch films, listen to scripts and read books. My children are in college. Suhana is studying and this will probably be Aryan’s last year in college. Hence, I want to spend more time with family,” said Shah Rukh Khan in an interaction.

The actor added that he would work only when he feels like it again. “I am not feeling like it again. I am hearing many stories. I have heard over 15 to 20 scripts now and I have liked two or three of them. But I have not decided when I will do them. But whenever I do take a decision., I will start off immediately. I have not taken a decision, emotionally as yet though mentally I know what I want to do,” he added.