It’s not news that Shah Rukh Khan enjoys a massive fandom not just all over India but also the world. Throngs of fans gathering outside his palatial Bungalow Mannat in Bandra is a sight that everyone has been treated to since the last many, many years. Known to be an epitome of humility by many, he has time and again invited his admirers and loyalists home to make them a part of his birthday. From cutting cakes and signing autographs to engaging in a tête-à-tête and sharing anecdotes over an elaborate lunch, he leaves no stone unturned to make November 2 the most memorable day for his fans.
The last one decade might not have been the rosiest for Shah Rukh with Raees, Jab Harry Met Sejal (both 2017) and Zero (2018) having an underwhelming performance at the box office, it hasn’t stopped his fans from supporting and showering their unwavering love on their favourite star. As he turns 57 tomorrow, his fans from various nooks and corners of the country and the globe have once again flown in to Mumbai with the hope of spending the day with him. And with Shah Rukh promising to make up for his absence from the screen with three big-ticket projects like Pathaan, Jawan and Dunki, his admirers are all the more exhilarated to celebrate the day with great pomp and gaiety.
“His birthday is a day of hope, love and togetherness for us, it’s almost like a festival. We, fans, prepare for this day for over half a year,” says Shrin Azmi, a Shah Rukh Khan fan from The Netherlands. Much like every year since 2016, barring the last two due to the pandemic, she has flown down to Mumbai this time as well to celebrate the superstar’s birthday.
Shirin jetted off to Mumbai on October 22 and is gearing up to meet the Badshah of Bollywood. “I’ve met him personally in 2016 in Mannat. He was generous enough to invite me in and I had a long conversation with him. He makes you feel so special. It was an amazing experience. If an SRK fan meets him, they come out becoming an ever bigger fan. He’s a man who has inspired an entire generation. He’s fantastic. He’s a global megastar. He’s known all over the world. His films are big hits overseas including his last few releases,” she grins.
Shirin explains that his 57th birthday is extremely special for his fans for more reasons than one. She elaborates, “We haven’t celebrated his birthday with him since the past two years. So, this year’s celebration will be special. What makes it more special is the fact that his film Pathaan is also releasing soon. I hope to meet him and all the loving hearts who came to India from really far-off places to celebrate the day with him.”
Talking about his popularity in her home country, Shirin, who fell in love with the actor right since his debut film Deewana (1992), says, “Even when he came to The Netherlands and shot movies there, there was a mad frenzy. There were fans waiting for him. He’s the most respected and known actor at the international level. His films do release in The Netherlands on the big screen across many cities with multiple shows.”
Zurich-based Monika Bucher holds a special position in Shah Rukh’s virtual fandom. She’s the admin of the Swiss branch of his biggest fan club on social media, SRK Universe. Along with her girlfriend, she landed in Mumbai recently and hopes to meet him for the third time.
She says, “Since November 2017, I’ve been the admin of SRK Universe Switzerland. The first time I came to Mumbai for his birthday was in 2018. I met him that same year. It was an unforgettable moment for me and my girlfriend. We also saw him live after the trailer presentation of Zero. He brought his fellow actors Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif on stage for a performance, which was a very big highlight for us.”
Monika adds, “The second time I met him was in 2019. We were surprised by SRK Universe with a meet and greet, followed by a photo session. That was almost unbeatable.”
Shah Rukh’s popularity in Switzerland isn’t unheard of. He shot for Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995) and Darr (1993) in the country and made it one of the most sought-after tourist destinations for Indians, especially Bernese Oberland, Vevey, Lucerne, Sion, Zweisimmen and Gstaad. With his signature pose with arms wide open and impish charm as he serenaded his female co-stars in the snow-clad Alps, he made many a woman drool, thus setting the temperatures soaring.
And Monika reveals that she has brought together a group of SRK fans in Zurich, who religiously catch up to watch his films and exchange stories about their love for him. “There’s a small fan group that we have in Switzerland meets regularly at a Bollywood lounge to watch his films,” she says.
So, how did she become a fan of the actor? “I got introduced to him when his film Kal Ho Na Ho (2003) was shown on German-language television for the first time. After that, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) and DDLJ were also aired,” she remarks.
Though not sure about meeting him tomorrow, Monika remarks, “I’m just happy knowing that I’ll be close to him on his birthday. The fact that we’re here shows that he has fans all over the world.”
For Marie-Amandine Fouqué from France’s Toulouse, this is her visit to Mumbai. Unlike most, her love for Shah Rukh grew exponentially during the pandemic. She spent the lockdowns getting acquainted with him through his films and eventually, falling in love with him.
“I’ve never met him. This year is the first time that I’ve come to India for his birthday. With the pandemic happening, I could make no plans to meet lot of his other fans. I came to Mumbai early enough to try to connect with them. I think I’ll be at his birthday party with them and maybe even perform in front of Shah Rukh. I started enacting his monologues and movie dialogues over the internet a year ago,” says an excited Marie.
Shedding light on how she discovered him during the pandemic, she recalls, “During the first lockdown in France, Netflix became like a best friend for most of us and since I was watching a lot of musicals, movies in various languages and searching for colours and deep feelings, it offered me many Bollywood movies to watch. After a few weeks, in April the 16th, I surrendered and watched Asoka (2001), Fitoor (2016) and then Jab Harry Met Sejal. After Jab Harry Met Sejal, I was literally obsessed with him. After three weeks, I officially started to learn Hindi. I watched all his 65 movies, including cameos and special appearances, under six months – I call it my SRKathon.”
But it was filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas (2002) which introduced her to Shah Rukh for the first time. “I first watched Devdas six years ago, approximately. I had seen some stills from the movie when it was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and was mesmerised. It was much later that I gave it a try. I fell in love with it but it also broke my heart in pieces. But the colours and the music stayed deeply anchored in my heart,” she states.
Much like Monika, Marie feels that he enjoys a generous stardom in Europe and though it took her time to truly become an SRK loyalist, she’s in for the long haul. “Some communities in France definitely know him since their childhood like the Indian diaspora, South Asians and people from Algeria and Morocco. As for me, I’ve lived my whole life without hearing his name even once but I was the very first in my whole entourage to watch one and then dozens of Bollywood movies and know his name,” she expresses.
With November 2 just a day away, preps for Shah Rukh’s birthday are in-full swing among his fans from Nepal, Belgium and UK, among other nations, who are looking forward to meeting their idol. They are already gung-ho about coming together for a soiree, which is slated to take place this evening in the city by one of the fan clubs that go by the name SRK Chennai FC. And the rest are busy preparing putting together videos and virtual cards and collages to express their love for their favourite actor. “People have different ways of showing their appreciation for him. Some convey their love through edits, some through pictures and some by writing,” Shirin wraps up.
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