Main article: Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan (born Shahrukh Khan, 2 November 1965), popularly called as SRK, referred to in the media as the "Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood", "King Khan", "King of Romance". He is a self made Superstar who entered Bollywood without any background and became successful. He is the most successful actor in Bollywood. He has appeared in several successful romantic love stories including Darr, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Dil to Pagal Hai, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Veer Zaara among others. He is also recipient of 8 Filmfare Best Actor in a leading role awards (tied with legendary Dilip Kumar) and won a total of 14 Filmfare awards. He has appeared in more than 80 Bollywood films. Described by the Los Angeles Times as perhaps "The World's Biggest Movie Star", Khan has a significant following in Asia and the Indian diaspora worldwide. He is one of the richest actors in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$600 million, and his work in Bollywood has earned him numerous accolades, including 14 Filmfare Awards.
Khan started his career with appearances in several television series in the late 1980s. He made his Bollywood debut in 1992 with Deewana. Early in his career, Khan was recognised for portraying villainous roles in the films Darr (1993), Baazigar (1993) and Anjaam (1994). He then rose to prominence after starring in a series of romantic films, including Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001). He earned critical acclaim for his portrayal of an alcoholic in Devdas (2002), a NASA scientist in Swades (2004), a hockey coach in Chak De! India (2007) and a man with Asperger syndrome in My Name Is Khan (2010). A forty-year old bachelor in Chennai Express (2013), a musical heist comedy movie Happy New Year (2014), a psychological thriller movie Fan (2016) and a crime thriller movie Raees (2017).
Many of his films display themes of Indian national identity and connections with diaspora communities, or gender, racial, social and religious differences and grievances. For his contributions to film, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, and the Government of France awarded him both the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Légion d'honneur.