King Khan has turned 59 and like clockwork his ever-growing sea of fans have assembled outside of Mumbai landmark Mannat, to catch a glimpse of the evergreen superstar. SRK's stardom needs absolutely no introduction. But we can definitely dwell on it for a bit in awe, given it's the affable actor's big day today.
Though indirect, the Academy may just have come out as an SRK stan. Are we surprised? Not really. Are we delighted? Absolutely! Just a few hours before the clock struck 12 in India turning the day to November 2, the official Instagram handle of the Academy shared, arguably one of the most iconic sequences to have ever been filmed in Bollywood. Of course we're referring to SRK's heart-swelling entry in Karan Johar's cinematic gift which just keeps giving, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...(2001). All of K3G is a masterpiece (and this is not up for debate), but Rahul Raichand's magnanimous entry, right from when his feet jump off the helicopter onto the gravel, up until where he cheekily walks up to a teary-eyed Jaya Bachchan to get his tika, is high art. And the Academy agrees. Though they didn't reference SRK in the caption, instead playing on how Jaya's Nandini Raichand just sensed Rahul's pending arrival — "A mother’s intuition is always right.✨", it read — the many Indians and Bollywood fans thronging the comment section are beyond convinced that the clip is in fact, an indirect tribute to the birthday boy.
If you're still getting over this very public shoutout to SRK from the Academy, know that the esteemed body is also a verified DDLJ fan. A true SRK fan wouldn't possibly be able to pick between K3G and DDLJ and neither could the Academy, evidently. Earlier this year in January, the Academy had shared a clip from DDLJ's evergreen shaadi track, Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna. The comment section, much like the K3G clip, was an emotional safe space with many reflecting on how indelible and undeniably monumental SRK's contribution has been, in establishing Bollywood on the global map of cinema.
{{/usCountry}}If you're still getting over this very public shoutout to SRK from the Academy, know that the esteemed body is also a verified DDLJ fan. A true SRK fan wouldn't possibly be able to pick between K3G and DDLJ and neither could the Academy, evidently. Earlier this year in January, the Academy had shared a clip from DDLJ's evergreen shaadi track, Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna. The comment section, much like the K3G clip, was an emotional safe space with many reflecting on how indelible and undeniably monumental SRK's contribution has been, in establishing Bollywood on the global map of cinema.
{{/usCountry}}We wish the king of hearts, a very, very Happy Birthday!