Whether you are a Bollywood buff or someone who does not watch Hindi movies, it is more than likely that Indians living in the country or even abroad have heard of the famous trio of Khans – Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan. These three mega stars have ruled the Hindi film industry for almost three decades and continue to reign.
The Khans foothold in the industry is still as strong as it was in the 1990s. Their movies continue to make the most money and majority of the tourists love to visit ‘MANNAT’ (SRK’s Home) or ‘GALAXY’ (Salman’s Residence) during their trip to Mumbai. During their birthdays, scores of people love to stand outside their respective houses to catch a glimpse of their favorite star. The actors too oblige, and wave and acknowledge fans on their special day.
So what makes the three of them unbeatable superstars considering they have already blown over 50 candles on their birthday cake?
Hard Work
What is the secret of their success? First and foremost, it is hard work. The Khans have struggled a lot to enjoy the position they are in now. They were not overnight superstars even though a lot of their early films did exceedingly well. Salman Khan and Aamir Khan had a somewhat easier entry into Bollywood as they were industry kids but Shahrukh Khan had to make inroads from scratch to become ‘King Khan’.
Musics
Music plays a huge role in making Bollywood movies as popular as it is. For years, Shahrukh Khan songs, Salman Khan songs and Aamir Khan songs have been regular chart busters, and till today these numbers are memorable and iconic. Even their new movies have songs that easily top the charts. It is known that good music with great tracks has the potential to drag people to the big screen. With music streaming apps gaining popularity, a new young-gen user can discover Shahrukh Khan songs or Salman Khan songs through these services. It will only help to increase their popularity amongst youngsters.
Versatility
They are great at adapting to changing times. They have realized that they cannot be playing the same roles they played 20 years ago. Aamir Khan, for instance, played a father to two grown up girls in the movie Dangal. It showed that he is willing to play his age and not restrict himself to be the chocolate boy he was as a 25 year old. Shahrukh Khan did not shy away from playing villain roles at the start of his career and then he gradually moved on to play romantic roles. He is also excellent in playing dramatic roles like the ones in Chak De India or Swades. People love going for Salman Khan movies to watch him play himself. But even he has experimented with varied roles that are unlike him, like his recent movie Tubelight.
Strategizing
When you’re planning a career in Bollywood, it is important to have a good script sense and be aware of the pulse of the audience. Aamir Khan, in particular, is known for his impeccable script sense. The perfectionist actor has the gift of evaluating a great script. This is why, after the year 2000, most of his movies went on to be blockbusters and are immensely memorable with great repeat value. ShahRukh Khan and Salman Khan choose their movies well too and that’s why they are box office monster hits as well.
Currently, even with the strong competition coming from the younger generation, it is next to impossible to dethrone the Khans. The newcomers may have hit movies but it’s difficult for them to create the mass hysteria and fanatical fan base that the three Khans enjoy.
