This debate has been going on for years, who is the best Khan in the Bollywood? Is it the methodical Aamir Khan or the Charming and dramatic Shah Rukh Khan, or perhaps Salman who is the most eligible bachelor and whose fans are crazy about him, consider him a ‘larger than life’ phenomenon. But Who is the best of them all? So today we’re going to settle this once and for all.
End Of Khan Debate! Salman, SRK or Aamir: Who Is The Best?
1. Background
Shah Rukh Khan
His father was an Indian independence activist. He belonged to an ordinary middle class background. He was exceptionally good at studies and spots. He used to imitate his favorite actors Dilip Kumr, Amitabh Bachchan when he was in the college. After his parents died, he took care of her sister. Shahrukh learnt acting acting under the mentorship of theatre director Barry John at Delhi’s “Theatre Action Group”.
Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan was born into a filmy family to film producer Tahir Hussain. Khan is the eldest of four siblings: has one brother and two sisters. He appeared on screen in two minor roles when he was a child, in his uncle directed film Yaadon Ki Baaraat and in his father’s production Madhosh. He excelled in sports, he played tennis in state level championships. His parents wanted him to be an engineer or doctor, not an actor. Later he joined a theatre group Avantar. After high school, he worked as an assistant director to his paternal uncle.
Salman Khan
He is the eldest son of Salim Khan. His father is renowned scriptwriter who has written many hit movies like Sholay. He was not good in studies, he left his studies after completing 12th. He has two brothers He has two brothers, Arbaaz and Sohail, a biological sister Alvira Khan, and an adopted sister Arpita Khan.
2. Career Debut
Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan started his career with television, Fauji released in 1988 was his debut serial. He then went to star in Aziz Mirza’s television series Circus (1989–90) and Mani Kaul’s miniseries Idiot (1991). He made minor appearances in Khan also played minor parts in the serials Umeed (1989) and Wagle Ki Duniya (1988–90), and in the English-language television film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones (1989). Hema Malini’s directed Dil Aashna Hai was supposed to be his directorial debut, but due to production delays Deewana (1992) became his debut film. The film earned him his first Filmfare award for the Best Male Debutant.
Aamir Khan
His film debut was at the age of 8, Nasir Hussain’s Yaadon Ki Baraat. He made his professional acting debut after 10 years in Karan Mehta’s Holi (1984), but the film was not a success. His first success came from the tragic romance Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988). Then he starred in thriller Raakh (1989) which earned him a special mention at the National Film Awards. From then it was no stopping for Aamir.
Salman Khan
He made his acting debut with a supporting role in the 1988 film Biwi Ho To Aisi. His first leading role in Bollywood was in the romantic family drama Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). The film became one of the highest-grossing films, it brought Salman to the limelight. He then starred in some moderately successful films in 1991, Patthar Ke Phool, Sanam Bewafa, and Kurbaan. His big success came the same year in Saajan (1991).
3. Box Office Performance
Shah Rukh Khan
Over the period of 24 years, Shah Rukh has appeared in 57 movies, excluding his cameos and guest appearances. The total collection of all his movies is 2100 crore, with a net average of 36.84 crore per film performance.
Disasters – 0
Flop – 19
Below Average – 3
Average – 2
Above Average – 4
Semi Hit – 0
Hits – 14
Super Hit – 4
Blockbusters – 5
All Time Blockbusters – 3
Success Ratio (Above average or better) – 55.5%
Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan’s 28 years long career has seen many ups and downs, he has starred in 39 movies, excluding his cameos. His total films collection is 1497.7 crore, net average of 38.4 crore per film.
Disasters – 3
Flop – 10
Below Average – 5
Average – 3
Above Average – 8
Semi Hit – 0
Hits – 1
Super Hit – 5
Blockbusters – 0
All Time Blockbusters – 5
Success Ratio (Above average or better) – 48.7%
Hit Ratio (Hit or better) – 28.2%
Salman Khan
Salman’s 25 years has been full of hits, blockbusters, flops, average films. The total collection of his 73 movies is 2648 crore, with an average of 36.27 per film.
Disasters – 3
Flop – 29
Below Average – 3
Average – 3
Above Average – 6
Semi Hit – 1
Hits – 11
Super Hit – 5
Blockbusters – 7
All Time Blockbusters – 5
Total Films – 73
Total Failures – 38
Total Success – 35
Hit or better – 28
Blockbuster or better – 12 (most for any actor)
Success Ratio (Above average or better) – 47.94%
Hit Ratio (Hit or Better) – 38.35%
4. Versatility
Shah Rukh Khan
- Acted in TV serials in supporting roles, starred in short film written by Arundhati Roy
- Played the character of an anti-hero and a villain in the beginning of his career.
- Played a romantic hero in most of his movies which were blockbusters.
- Earned the title of ‘King of Romance’.
- Portrayed the character of the protagonist who suffers from Asperger syndrome in My Name Is Khan.
- Portrayed the tragic character of King Ashoka which was nothing short of brilliance.
- Highlighted the social issues of the country in Swades and in Chak De India.
Aamir Khan
- Starred in romantic drama films in the beginning of his career.
- His character of ACP Ajay Singh Rathod in Sarfarosh received praised by the critics.
- His performance in film Earth was called the performance of his life.
- He has done many patriotic films like Rang De Basanti, Sarfarosh, Mangal Pandey, Laagan.
- He Played negative roles in 2004 super hit Fanaa and in 2013 blockbuster Dhoom.
- Aamir is known for experimenting with his roles, his roles in Ghajini, 3 Idiots, PK are an example of his dedication.
- Made his directorial debut with Taare Zameen Par, the movie explores the issue of dyslexia.
Salman Khan
- Started his career with romantic family drama, romantic love stories.
- He is known to be trend setter with his roles. His fans crazily follow his hairstyle, clothes, and accessories.
- Many critics consider his Tere Naam to be his best film with critically acclaimed performance.
- He is popular for his masala entertainers which are among the top grossing Indian films.
- He might play a negative role in YRF’s upcoming project DHOOM 4.
5. Popularity
Shah Rukh Khan
- He is often referred to as “King Khan”, “The Baadshah of Bollywood”.
- According to a popularity survey, 3.2 billion people around the world know Shah Rukh Khan, more than who know Tom Cruise.
- He topped the Forbes India’s “Celebrity 100 list” in 2012, 2013 and 2015. One of the wealthiest celebrities in India.
- After Aishwarya and Amitabh, Khan became the third Indian celebrity to have his wax statue installed at London’s Madame Tussauds museum.
- According to the BBC, CNN, Time Magazine and Newsweek, Shahrukh Khan is the the biggest movie star on the planet.
- He is the most popular Indian actor to be known worldwide.
- He is one of the highest paid Bollywood endorsers, he has endorsed brands like endorsed brands including Pepsi, Nokia, Hyundai, Dish TV, D’decor, LUX ,TAG Heuer and a lot more.
Aamir Khan
- He was invited to have a wax imitation of himself put on display at Madame Tussauds, but he declined.
- Khan also endorsed famous brands including Coca-Cola, Godrej, Titan Watches, Tata Sky, Toyota Innova, Samsung,Monaco Biscuits and Snapdeal.
- He is often referred to as “Mr. Perfectionist” for his courageous and different roles, he take up only those roles which make any sense to him. He always try to justify his character.
- In 2013, he became the fourth Bollywood star to appear on the cover page of Time magazine after Aishwarya Rai Bachachn and Parveen Babi. He’s the only actor who featured on the TIME magazine cover twice and both on the basis of his work in 2012 and 2013.
Salman Khan
- Salman Khan was ranked seventh in Forbes’s first global list of highest-paid actors in the world, higher than Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Leonardo Dicaprio, Dwayne Johnson.
- A leading magazine declared him “The Most Attractive Personality” in India in September 2015.
- He’s the only actor to collect over 5.00 billion domestic net in a single year in India.
- He was ranked the second “Most Googled Indian of 2015”.
- His lifelike wax statue was installed in London’s Madame Tussauds Museum in 2008 and again in 2012 in New York’s Madame Tussauds Museum.
- He was declared as India’s Most Searched Celebrity Online in 2013.
- Forbes ranked him at 71st in the list of ‘Celebrity 100 : The World’s Top-Paid Entertainers 2015’.
- In 2011, 2012 and 2013 he was ranked at #2, #1 and #3 in Times of India’s Most Desirable Man.
- People Magazine India ranked him the Sexiest Man Alive in 2010.
- In 2016, IOA appointed him as the Indian Olympic contingent’s goodwill ambassador for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
6. Controversies
Shah Rukh Khan
- SRK was involved in a brawl and heated altercation with a security guard and the MCA officials following an IPL game. MCA had banned SRK from entering the Wankhede stadium for 5 years in 2012. However the ban was lifted in 2015.
- In 2012 during an IPL match SRK was seen smoking inside the stadium, in front of thousands of spectators. A Jaipur court summoned him for smoking at the stadium to which he pleaded guilty.
- The time he slapped Shirish Kunder who had criticized and made fun of Ra-One on a microblogging site at the Sanjay Dutt’s party.
- In 2008 at Katrina Kaif’s birthday party where SRK and Salman had a quarrel when SRK made inappropriate comments about Salman’s ex-girlfriend Aishwarya.
- The infamous intolerance debate of 2015 which became a trending topic again when SRK shared his views on the subject.
Read more at Shah Rukh Khan Controversies
Aamir Khan
- Aamir Khan’s intolerance comment had sparked a controversy across the nation. The entire nation was outraged when Aamir said in a conference that her wife feels unsafe in the country and wants him to leave India.
- Aamir Khan’s fought his father for the custody of his brother Faisal Khan. Rumors has it that Aamir wanted to heir his father’s property all alone by proving his brother to be mentally ill.
- Reena Dutt, Aamir’s first wife filed for divorce in 2002. The reason behind the divorce was that Aamir fell in love with Kiran Rao during the filming of Lagaan.
- Aamir was accused of having a love child with British journalist Jessica Hines. Aamir met Hines on the sets of ‘Ghulam’. They were involved in a live in relationship.
Salman Khan
- Salman Khan was accused of ramming his car into the American Express Cleaners at Bandra, running over four people and killing one in the process in a drunk state. He was acquitted of all charges in 2015.
- Actors Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam are accused of poaching two blackbucks during the shooting of the film ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’.
- In 2003, Vivek Oberoi called a press conference claiming that Salman Khan had abused him and threatened him.
- During the shooting of Aishwarya Rai’s “Kuch Na Kaho”, Salman Khan landed on the sets, had a loud fight with Aishwarya. It is reported that Salman pushed Aishwarya on the ground. Salman kept harassing Aishwarya. It was so bad that Aishwarya Rai’s parents had to lodge a police complaint against him.
- Salman is infamous for his bad-boy image, losing his cool easily. He had slapped his fans who were accused of invading his privacy, his bodyguards for mistreating the fans. A rumor has it that Salman Khan had once slapped Ranbir Kapoor publicly at a party.
- A FIR was lodged against Salman for his ‘rape’ comment, which he gave to an entertainment website.
7. Awards
Shah Rukh Khan
- He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2005.
- The Government of France has awarded him the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2007).
- The Government of France has awarded him its highest civilian honour, the Légion d’honneur (2014).
- He has received 14 Filmfare Awards from 30 nominations and special awards, including eight for Best Actor.
- Shah Rukj Khan was granted the honorific Datuk title by the head of state of Malacca in Malaysia.
- He was honoured with an honorary doctorate in arts and culture from Britain’s University of Bedfordshire in 2009.
- He was honored with L’Etoile d’Or by Mohammed VI of Morocco, the King of Morocco during the 11th International Film Festival of Marrakech.
- He became the first Indian actor to be given the rare honour of signing the guest book at Berlin’s Town Hall.
- He was honored with the Unesco Pyramide con Marni award in 2011.
- Shah Rukh Khan was honored with the Chubb fellowship at Yale University in 2012.
Read more at Shah Rukh Khan Awards and Nominations.
Aamir Khan
- He has Khan received 2 Filmfare Awards from 16 nominations.
- He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2003.
- He was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2010.
- He received the Honorary Doctorate by Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) for his distinguished contribution to the Indian cinema in 2013.
- He won the National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare in 2008 for Taare Zameen Par.
Read more at Aamir Khan Awards and Nominations.
Salman Khan
- He won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1999 for Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
- He has received 14 Filmfare nominations.
Read more at Salman Khan Awards and Nominations.
8. Conclusion
So you guys have seen all the facts and figures regarding the careers of the three Khans. I think we can now put the ‘Khan Debate’ to rest now.
And the best Khan is_____________________________
Well that’s for you to decide. Who do you think is the best? Post your answer in the comments.