Veteran actor Anupam Kher recently shared his thoughts on Shah Rukh Khan's enduring stardom, echoing a statement the latter made years ago about being the "last superstar". Kher, who is currently promoting his directorial venture "Tanvi The Great," reminisced about the close-knit relationships that characterized the Bollywood industry in its earlier days.
In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Kher reflected on how the industry has evolved, noting the shift from genuine camaraderie to a more isolated environment marked by vanity vans and mobile phones. He recalled a moment from his talk show where Shah Rukh Khan declared himself as the "last superstar," a sentiment Kher now fully agrees with.
Kher elaborated on the "timeless" stardom of actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan. He particularly praised Amitabh Bachchan for his ability to overcome challenges and emerge stronger, setting an example for others. Kher also acknowledged the contributions of Anil Kapoor, recalling how Kapoor supported him during his difficult times.
Kher emphasized that relationships in the film industry were more genuine in the past. He illustrated this point by mentioning that actors didn't have vanity vans or mobile phones; instead, they fostered real bonds. He admires Shah Rukh Khan for remaining grounded and showing genuine interest in others, despite his massive stardom. Kher also played a role in Shah Rukh Khan's early career, recommending him to Yash Chopra for the film "Darr" after Aamir Khan left the project.
Shah Rukh Khan, often called SRK, indeed had a successful run in 2023 with "Pathaan" and "Jawan". Looking ahead, he has several projects lined up, including "King" and "Pathaan 2". "King" is expected to be an action thriller where SRK will share screen space with his daughter, Suhana Khan. The film is directed by Siddharth Anand and is slated for release on October 2, 2026. It will also feature Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukerji, and Abhishek Bachchan. "Pathaan 2," also directed by Siddharth Anand, is in development and promises bigger action sequences and a deeper exploration of the YRF Spy Universe.
In addition to his acting ventures, Shah Rukh Khan is also supporting his son, Aryan Khan, who is making his directorial debut with a web series titled "The Ba***ds of Bollywood". The series is a Netflix project that was launched in February 2025.
Anupam Kher's upcoming directorial, "Tanvi The Great," features an ensemble cast including Jackie Shroff, Arvind Swami, Boman Irani, Pallavi Joshi, Karan Tacker, Nasser, and Iain Glen. The film boasts the creative talents of Oscar winners M.M. Keeravani and Resul Pookutty, with cinematography by Keiko Nakahara. It was released globally on July 18.