Summary
India’s superstar actorShah Rukh Khanexplains why he has never been in a Hollywood movie during his entire career. Khan has had a prolific career in Hindi-language movies and TV,beginning with the television seriesDil Dariyain 1988. Since then, Khan has acted in over 100 projects, most recently including the hitfilmsJawan,Pathaan,andDunki. His upcoming projects includeKing,Operation Khukri, andTiger vs Pathaan.
Speaking withVariety, Khan explained why he has never acted in a Hollywood movie throughout his 36-year career. While admitting that Hollywood is “the world’s greatest and biggest cinema in terms of reach,” he asserted that he wants to take a role “worthy of the status the Indian audience has given” him. Without risking seeming “flippant” or “uppity,” the actor confirmed how much he appreciates the quality of projects. Rather than acting in Hollywood,Khan’s ultimate goal is to “get that one Indian film to be seen"with a Hollywood-level high profile. Khan elaborated below:
I think it’s the world’s greatest and biggest cinema in terms of reach and how people watch it. I don’t think I’m in a position to choose and put conditions, but yes, when an opportunity arises — I hope I can speak English well enough. And, I don’t want to sound uppity, but it should be a role worthy of the status the Indian audience has given me. It should not let down.
I come across as very flippant and happy-go-lucky, but I fully respect and realize the amount of adulation I have, how people adore me. People look up to what I do. People have given me too much respect. People have given me and my family everything that I have, people of India and all around the world, Indians and people from the subcontinent. And there’s a respect that I need to keep when I play a role in any film, whether it’s a Hindi film or a South Indian film or a Marathi film or a French film or a Hollywood film. So I don’t think anybody’s offered me that kind of role, yet. I don’t have an agent there. I’ve not also gone looking for it, to be honest.
My dream is to get that one Indian film to be seen with the kind of audience that a big Hollywood film is seen, whether I’m part of it as an actor, as a light man, as a producer, as a writer, as a presenter. I just want an Indian story to be accepted worldwide, and hopefully I can be a small part of it.
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Khan’s absence of Hollywood roles is not for lack of opportunities. Given his extremely high profile in Bollywood, Khanhas been approached to star in some Hollywood films in the past. This includes theDanny Boyle filmSlumdog Millionaire, for which Khan was offered the role of Prem, the host of the Indian reality show. The actor ultimately declined the part due to his existing involvement with the Indian version ofWho Wants To Be A Millionaire(Kaun Banega Crorepati?), and the part went to Anil Kapoor.
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Given his status as a Hindi cinema darling, it is somewhat surprising that Khan has not yet crossed over into Hollywood film. Other popular Indian actors have done so in the past, including Priyanka Chopra Jonas,Slumdog Millionaire’s Kapoor, and the late actor Irrfan Khan, who was also inSlumdog Millionaire, along with titles such asLife of PiandThe DarjeelingLimited.Bollywood actor Tabu also starred inLife of Pi,and will soon appear in a major English-language TV series with her role in Max’s upcomingDuneprequelDune: Prophecy.
However, it sounds like Khan is highly intentional in what parts he selects across the board, and he will not take a Hollywood role until the right opportunity comes along.
With all these Hindi cinema stars crossing over to English-language works, Khan’s career could have involved a Hollywood debut by now. After all, the actor is beloved in his home country andhas won and been nominated for countless Filmfare awards(an Indian equivalent of the Oscars), including for his recent filmJawan. However, it sounds likeKhanis highly intentional in what parts he selects across the board, and he will not take a Hollywood role until the right opportunity comes along.
