The Decade of the Khans

Last week, I was on my way to Denver for a client meeting. I would have to travel about 60 hours for a single 60 minutes meeting! But that's life.

Due to the short notice, I was booked on Emirates (not on my customary Lufthansa:-)). This was the first time I was flying Emirates and also flying via Dubai. As I settled in my business class seat it was very apparent that this was best in class. The entertainment options were the best that I have ever seen. Plus food was also great. Service was great. There were a plethora of Indian newspapers and Indian magazines as well. I saw one which had Amir Khan's picture on the cover and said he was the greatest star - his last 5 movies grossing more than 500 crores - which is unprecedented.

We landed in Dubai at very odd hours and I started walking groggily to find my way to my next flight. Dubai airport is a very interesting airport - I had heard quite a bit about it before I saw it. I could not see my flight listed and it directed me to go to some other gates for all other flights (mine being one of the "all other flights"). As I walked from one screen to another I found my flight and my gate. Then I dragged myself to that and had to cross security.

I stood half sleepy in the security line and there was a guy right next to me in another line - just about 2-3 foot away - a guy who strangely seemed very familiar. I loooked at him - half sleepily and couldnt place him. He was a little shorter than me, wore a cap and had a jacket on - very fair and good looking. Suddenly I found that I was just looking at him and and he kept looking back - it was becoming awkward but my eyes were locked and my mind was trying to debug. Then enlightenment stuck. I just smiled sheepishly at the guy and said "Hi". Amir Khan smiled back and said "Hi". That was it. We stood side by side for about 10 minutes or so. No words exchanged. No glance exchanged. And then we went our way.

And I thought about the 500 cr guy. What a story! Being an avid movie guy, I wondered what is it about the Khans that made them dominate the movie industry -the last decade is clearly the decade of the Khans. But who is my Khan of the decade? A very difficult choice to make given the classy stuff that these guys have dished out to die-hard movie buffs like me.

Lets start with Amir. Dil Chahta hai (2001) was a cult movie. I have seen it a zillion times and it still has class and freshness that is umparalled. One of the all time best movies that I have seen. Then came Fanaa (2006) which was also racy and crisp. Kajol was fabulous. And also Rang De Basanti (2006) which was fabulous - great star cast and great music and crsiply done. Tare Zameen Par (2007) got everyone raving - and while I liked the movie, there was something that I didn't like. Don't know what - but there is. Ghanjni (2008) was interesting and a huge hit - but I didn;t quite like it - not my kind. Of course 3 Idiots (2009) is an all time great. No words can describe it.

Amir has a golden touch recently in picking his movies. Everything is meaningful. And he has had unprecedented sucess at the box office. But I cannot help but think that Amir cannot carry off a movie all on his own. He needs a supporting cast which is fabulous. Dil Chahta hai had the classy Akshay Khanna and Saif. Taare Zameen Par really belonged to the little boy. Rang De Basanti had a great star cast - and Amir was one of them - not even necessarily the best. Ditto with 3 Idiots - all other performances were equally strong. Fanna had Kajol coming out much better than Amir. So to me, Amir's success is more about choosing great scripts but he needs a lot of support to pull it through. Think about the last solo Amir Khan movie which was a huge draw. Its always a team effort. Nothing wrong with it. Just an observation.

Then Saif Ali Khan - a very interesting decade for him too. He has clearly cast himself a niche - which nobody else can occupy. Hum Tum (2004) was a cult movie - one of the all time bests and Saif was fantastic in it. He was also very impressive in Omkara (2006) in a role which was very contra to what he normally does - but he carried it off very well. And then Race (2008) was fantastic as well - but more of a director's movie than anyone elses. And I simply loved Love Aaj Kal (2009) - and I know most people don't find too many takers for it. Don;t forget he was one of the three in Dil Chahta hai as well. Kurbaan tanked - but Saif was very restrained and cool. To me Saif will only become better as time goes on. He has found himself and seems to be a lot more sure about himself now than he ever was. Plus he has also turned producer. I personally like him a lot.

Salman Khan - the less said the better. Stuff like Partner and Wanted are beyond me. All the other movies that he does are totally mind boggling and further beyond me. But he has a tremendous fan following which is again beyond me.

That brings me to SRK. He was cool in Devdas (2002) and was spectacular in Swades (2004) - in my opinion one of his best efforts. He totally rocked for me in Don (2006) - although Don was more of a Farhan Akhtar movie than anybody elses. Kabhi alvida Na Kehna (2006) - love it or hate it - I would simply pass it. Om shanthi Om (2007) is hard core bollywood and I just loved it. One of my all time favorites. Of course it was as much the other Khan;'s movie as well - Farah Khan. That was followed by Chak De (2007) - a cult movie and to me Shah Rukh's best. Totally awesome. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi was a big hit in India and I cannot understand why - to me its one of the worst movies that SRK has done. I am looking forward to My Name is Khan.

All said and done, this has been the decade of the Khans. From a pure numbers perspective, Amir Khan is king but then as Farhan Akhtar says in Luck By Chance, "Numbers are for accounts, I am an actor". So Numbers are for accounts, I am a diehard movie fan - and for me the Khan of the Decade, in the decade of the Khans is Shah Rukh. He tugs at our hearts in a way that nobody else does (in my opinion).

And the number two for me is actually Saif!