Earlier this year, when Bollywood action hit “Pathaan” made waves at the North American box office, there was a brief firestorm of internet backlash against a description of star Shah Rukh Khan as “India’s Tom Cruise.” The comparison was centered around how both actors had returned to the big screen after four years with a blockbuster that breathed life back into an ailing box office: “Top Gun: Maverick” in Cruise’s case, and “Pathaan” in Khan’s.
But fans of Shah Rukh Khan took issue with the comparison.
Some quipped that, if anything, Tom Cruise is “America’s Shah Rukh Khan.” Others took the position that “Shah Rukh Khan is Shah Rukh Khan,” and that he transcends comparison to any other actor.It’s true that it’s hard to name an American actor comparable to Srk, especially in a time when movie stars are on the decline.
And perhaps that’s why this past…
Read full article