2018 - The Year Of Dwindling Returns For The 3 Kings Of Bollywood

Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan have dominated the Bollywood landscape for the past three decades. In the 80s, with the star of Bollywood’s one-man industry Amitabh Bachchan on the wane, the industry was looking for its next big star to carry the load. The showbiz Gods were kind. In 1988 Aamir Khan hit the stage with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, a Bollywood take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The film was a huge hit. One of the three stars who would rule Bollywood for the next three decades had arrived. In 1989, Sooraj Barjatya’s Maine Pyar Kiya introduced us to Salman Khan’s Prem (Love) and the whole industry fell in love with him, especially after he followed it up with hits like Baaghi, Sanam Bewafa, and Saajan. In 1992, Shah Rukh Khan hit the screen with Deewana and joined the other two Khans in the ranks of megastars with 1993’s revenge drama Baazigar. Since then the three Khans have ruled over Bollywood. Alternatively, one’s star has waned while another’s has risen but one or another of the three has been at the top of the heap in Bollywood. 2018 changed all that. First Salman Khan’s Race 3 disappointed at the Box Office and was panned on Social Media. Next, Aamir’s Diwali offering Thugs of Hindostan was ridiculed as a second-rate copy of Pirates of The Caribbean and also underperformed at the Box Office. And finally, SRK’s Christmas/New Year offering Zero failed to light up the Box Office. For the first time in years Bollywood is facing up to the reality that it may no longer be able to bank on the three Khans at the Box Office. In 2019, I still expect big things from Salman’s Eid offering Bharat, but if that too fails then alarm bells will well and truly start ringing. In the late 80s when Amitabh Bachchan was abdicating his throne as the King of Bollywood, three Kings rose up to take his place. Today, who will take their places? This uncomfortable question hangs over Bollywood…