Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘FAN’ reveals more than one story

2nd November, Bandra, Mumbai : There is a sea of people standing outside Mannat. They are all in a frenzy, hoping to catch a glimpse of their idol on his birthday. Journalists are waiting impatiently for the security to let them in, and fans are staring at the balcony without batting an eyelid. A few minutes later, the crowd erupts in tandem as if Ronaldo has scored a 25-yard screamer in the Champions League final at the Bernabeu. Aryan Khanna (Shah Rukh Khan),The Badshah of Bollywood is standing in his balcony and waving at his fans below. He opens his arms to thank them. At that moment, the cheer from the many hundreds of fans is similar to a concord taking off.

This scene from Shah Rukh Khan’s latest movie ‘FAN’, proves his immeasurable stardom. Yes, he is a superstar. And for most people, this is where his story begins and ends.

The general perception of a star actor is so dazzling that it makes it almost impossible for anyone to look deeper into what their life is like in reality. But FAN allows you, if you will, to witness the inner circles of the life of a Superstar as big as Shah Rukh Khan. It debunks the belief that his world is always hunky-dory. To put this in perspective, a few turn of events in the film lead to Aryan (Khan) getting into a legal battle with Sid kapoor (an upcoming superstar). A news channel reports this news and compares the ageing Aryan Khanna with the young, fresh face of Bollywood, Sid Kapoor.

While this might seem like routine for those of you who are following the Kangana-Hrithik story, one can’t help but imagine how insecure Shah Rukh must feel when Ranbir Kapoor or Ranvir Singh or Varun Dhawan manage to pull in large audiences into the theatre. When you’ve ruled for 25 years and you aren’t getting any younger, it won’t take long for the world to foresee your reign coming to an end. Not your fall from grace, but someone else’s rise to fame might result in your downfall. These couple of scenes from the movie reveal a story that isn’t a part of the plot, but nevertheless, give you food for thought.

In India, and generally all over the world, actors and athletes are labelled ‘stars’ and ‘superstars’. It is a tendency that has forced people to believe that no matter how hard you work, you cannot possibly reach their level of achievement. Why? because they are stars. And stars are so far away that they cannot be touched. Sure there are people in this world who have achieved more than others, made a name for themselves and on the way, become global icons. But even if they enjoy the fame and adulation that they’ve earned, it does not make them a star.

I said to one of my friends the other day, “I want to become the best actor in India” and he laughed. He laughed as if there was never a chance, no hope for me to achieve the feat. It made me wonder how many times Bill Gates, Lionel Messi or Elon Musk must have been ridiculed before they became who they are. And after watching FAN, I realize not only do the greats see the world differently, but most people are gulled into seeing the greats’ world as uniquely different and special.