Pathaan, Jawan, And Dunki: How Shah Rukh Khan Ruled Bollywood In 2023

2023 will be best remembered as the year when superstar Shahrukh Khan not only saved Bollywood but also reaffirmed his status as the true blue Badshah of the silver screens.

After two blockbusters (Pathaan and Jawan), King Khan ends the year with another winner with Rajkumar Hirani's Dunki. Riding high on his hat-trick of hits, Khan, often defined as an emotion by fans, brought audiences back to the near-empty theatres in droves.

Trade Analyst Sumit Kadel calls him the last mega superstar: "The level of stardom this man has, I doubt we'll ever see its like again. His appeal transcends geographical borders and age."

He set the cash registers ringing and created a new benchmark, the 1000 crore club. He also reinvented himself at age 58 as an action hero, and those of us who yearned for his embrace lapped up his washboard abs and chiseled avatar.

"For someone to be down for five years and make a comeback at age 57, as the hero, delivering one blockbuster after the other, it's unprecedented," says Film Specialist Joginder Tuteja. "People may speculate about strategies, but ultimately, things fall into place. If strategies worked, we'd have seen more successful comebacks. Even SRK would say this is a classic case of destiny, hard work, and faith."

In Rajkumar's Dunki, he's back again as a soldier, his third patriotic role after Jawan and Pathaan. It's a reminder that our beloved Rahul (his favorite screen name) is now an unstoppable force. He'll no longer be a scapegoat for conflicting ideologies; instead, he's willing to speak his mind and even address contemporary politics.

From his "Bete Se Phele Baap Se Baat Karo" in Jawan, he now chides people saying he is no danger in his own country. He is trying to make those who see their lives in their nation as one of constant struggles and poverty, forget that life in a foreign land does not beget one freedom or fields of gold.

Dunki, meaning "Donkey" in Punjabi, also refers to illegal immigration. The film bears Rajkumar Hirani's signature blend of satirical drama with a deep-rooted message.

Here, he plays Hardyal Singh Dhillon, aka Hardy, the catalyst who gets the Laltu threesome of Mannu (Taapsee Pannu), Buggu (Vikram Kochhar) and Balli (Anil Grover) across the treacherous terrain across Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, to their City of Joy, London.

This journey comes across as an awakening of sorts as the three who cannot wait to get out of their small town in Punjab are not only homesick but their friendship, beliefs and ideologies get a rude jolt.

Nearly three hours long the film could have well been shortened by a good half hour, but no one seems to be complaining it is Shahrukh Khan's show through and through. Vicky Kaushal in his cameo emerges as the scene stealer and we wonder why he didn't have a larger role.

In their first collaboration, Rajkumar Hirani and Shahrukh Khan give us a simple and heartfelt narrative.