Shah Rukh Khan – the King Khan, the Badshah, the face of Indian cinema. The more said about him, the less it is. From a dreamy eyed Delhi boy with no Godfather in the industry to one of the most influential men across the globe – Shah Rukh Khan's awe-inspiring journey has set an example for the Indian youth. While SRK may be synonymous to solely ‘commercial success' today, if you were to look back at his journey, you'd agree that he really is an incredible actor before a ‘superstar', and there can be no denying that. He is also one of the few actors Bollywood has ever seen who have won the hearts of critics and the masses alike. Here are 11 performances by Shah Rukh Khan that proves he deserves every bit of success he has achieved!

1. Darr (1993)

In a time when most leading actors wouldn't want to experiment with their roles with the fear of getting rejected by the audience, Shah Rukh Khan stepped out of his comfort zone and played an antagonist in the film. He played Rahul Mehra, the obsessive lover with such finesse, the audiences loved hating him.

2. Baazigar (1993)

Breaking the ‘lovestruck chocolate hero' image of his, Shah Rukh Khan took vengeance to a whole new level with ‘Baazigar'. He played his part so well, effortlessly switching from Vicky to Ajay. So, it can be easily touted as one of best performances. 

3. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)

DDLJ is the only Bollywood film to have complete 1000 weeks in a theatre, and it wouldn't have been even half as awesome, if it was not for Shah Rukh Khan's superlative performance. Even though there are a couple more romantic films SRK won many accolades for, like ‘Mohabbatein', ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' and ‘Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham', ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' was the one that changed Indian cinema forever! Be it the drama, or the romance, SRK aced every bit of the emotional spectrum like he was born to play Raj. If romance exists in Bollywood today, Shah Rukh Khan is the reason. 

4. Dil Se… (1998)

One of the most underrated films in Bollwyood, ‘Dil Se…' proved SRK was not all about the Yash Raj glamour and candyfloss romance. ‘Dil Se…' was dark and gritty, and SRK cast himself in a completely different mould for this one. The film speaks volumes about the sincerity with which it was made. SRK's performance as Amarkant Verma was sheer brilliance. Sadly, the film never got its due.

5. Devdas (2002)

If Bimal Roy's ‘Devdas' (1955) has to be remade, it had to be done with Shah Rukh Khan as the new lead hero. No one else could have played the alcoholic lover better than this man. Sanjay Leela Bhansali's love for detail and Shah Rukh Khan's heartfelt performance made ‘Devdas' the iconic film that it is.

© SLB Productions

6. Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)

That Shah Rukh Khan has a goofy side to him was pretty evident in all the blockbuster romantic comedies he delivered previously. But with ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho', he literally mastered the art of comedy and took entertainment to a whole new level. His comic timing was simply impeccable in the film. And not to forget those tear-jerking moments towards the end. SRK is one man who can make you laugh and cry at the same time.

7. Veer Zaara (2004)

An India-Pakistan love story at its tender best, ‘Veer Zaara' showed ‘Shah Rukh Khan' as a brooding lover in an unforgettable performance. He captured the old world charm of romance so brilliantly well, the film transported the audiences to a different time altogether. With due credit to the director and the dialogue writers, SRK owned ‘Veer Zaara', one of the most epic Bollywood romances ever.

8. Swades (2004)

SRK played Mohan Bhargava in ‘Swades', an NRI who visits his village and is taken aback by the state it is in. One of the most revolutionary films of all times, ‘Swades' had SRK five up his superstardom and step into the shoes of a common man. The sincerity in his eyes was enough to have us know the emotions were coming straight through his heart.

9. Don – The Chase Begins Again (2006)

To remake a film that made Amitabh Bachchan the megastar that he is today was a huge feat and only Shah Rukh Khan could have made it possible with his performance. There were a lot of speculations about whether SRK would be able to fit in to the Amitabh Bachchan's shoes. But not only did he bring certain freshness to the character, he shut all the critics up with his outstanding performance. Also, considering how he was never known to be an action hero, he did a splendid job in ‘Don'.

10. Chak De India (2007)

Undoubtedly one of the best performance of his entire career, Shah Rukh Khan showed an entirely new, authoritative side to his otherwise happy, charming personality in ‘Chak De India'. He was controlled, affirmative and powerful. The famous ‘sattar minute' dialogue is one of the most inspiring scenes in Bollywood films! Need we say more?

11. My Name Is Khan (2010)

Shah Rukh Khan as a man suffering with Asperger Syndrome was so unbelievably nuanced; it proved his calibre as an actor like never before. He set the standard so high; it was unthinkable to imagine someone else playing even a remotely similar role. Watch the film and you will know there is no end to this man's talent.

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Photo: © Yash Raj Films (Main Image)