Over a generation spanning three-decade Shah Rukh Khan Salman Khan and Aamir Khan have stayed strong in Bollywood, even as many other actors came and went.
Earlier, people watched their movies merely because they were big stars, but now things are different. Audiences today quickly reject films that don’t connect with them, no matter who the actor is. Imran Khan, Aamir Khan’s nephew, says it’s time for that generation of stars to accept their age and take on roles that match where they are in life. As he said “You cannot be playing the lead after a certain age”.
In a conversation with Imran reflected on the Khans’ longevity in the industry. He recalled
as a leading man, actors also start to age out. There are certain years where you can work as a leading man, and then there comes an age where you are not able to play those roles. All three Khans are well into their 60s now. They have had 30 years of stardom, the likes of which are hard to conceive or parallel. Imran thinks a part of it is simply organic, an inevitable part of any actor’s journey, that as you age, you start to transition the kind of roles you play.
He went on to call how stardom naturally transforms with time. and further saying that stardom also starts to transition because there is an audience that knows you and grows with you, and then there is a whole new younger generation that begins to attach itself to people closer to them in age and experience. When we watch films or shows, first and foremost, we are trying to see ourselves in those stories and characters.
That’s what resonates with you. Instinctively, you connect with someone who is closer to your age and life experience. The younger generation might not want to watch the story of a
70 year old man.
The conversation means more when viewed against recent box-office patterns. After ‘Zero’, Shah Rukh Khan took a four-year hiatus before making a grand comeback with two major hits ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’. However, his third release that same year, ‘Dunki’, didn’t perform as well as expected at the box office.
Similarly, Aamir’s ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ didn’t do well at the box office, while ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ was praised mainly for its strong supporting cast, instead of showing Aamir as a typical star hero. Meanwhile, Salman has also had a tough run since 2018, with most of his films not performing well, except for ‘Tiger 3’, which turned out to be a rare success.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”
News Edit KV Raman