Why Bollywood mogul Shah Rukh Khan’s appeal resonates across generations

AT 60, Shah Rukh Khan (SRK), may not be the undisputed king of romance he once was. But even so, when the dimpled superstar spreads his arms in his trademark pose, fans of all ages swoon. Known to be one of the most intelligent names in what is loosely called Bollywood, Khan has smartly converted himself into a king of action in recent years, coming back after a dull patch with monster hits like Pathaan and Jawan, with the latter earning him a National Award. On any given day, there is a sea of people eagerly waiting to get a glimpse of him outside his luxurious sea-facing bungalow, Mannat, in Mumbai’s upscale Bandra suburb. If it happens to be Eid, or the megastar’s birthday, navigating through the promenade opposite his home is virtually impossible. For his fans, the joy of watching SRK wishing them Eid Mubarak from his balcony in his signature white pathan suit is something money could never buy. Brand SRK certainly doesn’t have a shelf life. His universal appeal resonates across generations. In David Letterman’s chat show, My Next Guest, on Netflix, SRK had said that he thinks he is mediocre as an actor and the only way he could maintain his fandom is by connecting with them, by showering love on them. A brilliant marketing strategy, too — after all, staying continuously connected with one’s target audience is the best way for any brand to build equity and longevity. No wonder SRK is considered the savviest brand India has ever seen. As per the Fortune India-Interbrand study of India’s Most Valuable Celebrities, SRK stands for ‘bespoke trust’. He holds a ‘mogul moat’ that protects brands associated with him from industry controversy. His brand, as per the study, is anchored in ‘reliable success,’ making him the primary choice for brands looking for stability. Brand SRK is valued at ₹3,017 crore. Khan’s debut this year on the Hurun Global Rich List has further cemented his brand equity and institutionalised it, according to the Fortune India-Interbrand study. Loved internationally owing to his global appeal (he is one of the best-known Indian actors across the world), Khan is now viewed as a ‘Global Corporate Entity’. This provides a level of safety, which allows him to anchor multi-million dollar industrial and infrastructure IP. Long-term relationships SRK’s friends and associates call him a marketing genius. “Not only is he a marketing genius, his attribute of connecting with people and building long-term relationships translates into his business deals, too. Most celebrities look at short-term monetary gains but SRK is all about long-term commitment,” explains a close associate. He narrates an anecdote of an in-film placement discussion SRK had with luxury watch brand, TAG Heuer, during the filming of Om Shanti Om. “The interval of Om Shanti Om (a film around the theme of reincarnation) happened with a poster of his. The second half started with SRK reincarnated and the opening shot was also a picture of him in a TAG Heuer watch. LVMH was excited about the association but took time to confirm, so SRK went ahead with the shoot. The deal never happened but Shah Rukh chose not to argue with the brand.” “Later, when the IPL [cricket league] started, TAG was on the cap for KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) and this time they paid. When you have a global luxury brand on the cap, it excites other brands to join the bandwagon, too. SRK always values relationships more than the monetary value he gets out of it,” he adds. When his cricket team KKR didn’t make it to the playoffs in the first season of the IPL in 2008, SRK is known to have gifted all the players and non-playing members of the team TAG Heuer watches. “This is what makes SRK different from the rest,” says the associate. The brand attribute of being connected with people irrespective of highs and lows and in the process building long-term equity clearly comes through from these gestures, adds a senior marketing professional. Be it Hyundai, Pepsi or TAG Heuer, the longevity factor of a deal is important for him. “SRK takes incredibly long to decide about brand partnerships and that makes most brands restless and uncomfortable. There are numerous occasions when he turns down a deal after deliberating for months, but once he commits, he wants to take it to its logical conclusion,” says a former KKR executive. SRK, he says, is a strategic thinker and is not about short-term tactical relationships. Ahead of the curve While a bulk of Indian celebrities are about brand endorsements and equity deals, SRK has built an empire. “When most celebrities partnered with large conglomerates to invest in IPL teams, SRK bought his own. He had a majority stake. He has always been ahead of the curve. His ideas are unique and he has put all his passion and energy into it,” says Afsar Zaidi, founder and CEO, Exceed Entertainment. The Fanatic Sports Hurun India Most Valuable Sports Teams 2026 report ranks KKR as the most valuable IPL franchise, with a valuation between ₹19,200 crore and ₹22,500 crore. “His earnings from the IPL will take care of his long-term equity. He is not making too many films now,” adds the former KKR executive. Yet another example of SRK building his own brand equity is the decision to buy the rights to the films he has produced and acted in, in entirety. He has built a catalogue of all his titles with Netflix. “He is making sure all his film assets are in one place so that his fans don’t have to wonder where to go to watch his films. That is typical SRK,” explains Zaidi. Monika Shergill, vice president, content, Netflix India, says SRK brings an incredible combination of instinct, intelligence, and generosity to everything he does. “He has an unmatched pulse on his audience, what they feel and what they aspire to.” “He is also one of the sharpest minds in the business... he continuously evolves without losing authenticity. Once he believes in something, he gives it his absolute 100%. Whether it’s a campaign, a creative idea, a production, or a partnership, he shows up fully invested and wants everyone around him to succeed, too,” she adds. Next-gen bridge SRK’s universal appeal across age groups is set to be further cemented with his next big action movie, King, slated for release in December 2026. Khan, who plays the lead, collaborates with his daughter Suhana in the movie. This father-daughter collaboration is further seen as cementing Khan’s inter-generational appeal, specifically with Gen Z audiences. From a brand perspective, too, this works beautifully for legacy brands, since it provides a rare ‘RoI bridge’, allowing such legacy brands to target both Gen X fans and Gen Z consumers, since Suhana Khan is also viewed as a youth style icon. This ‘family legacy’ strategy ensures that Khan’s appeal transcends his own generation into the next. Witty, super-smart, and with universal appeal. That, in essence, is what Brand Shah Rukh Khan is about. A brand that refuses to age with time.

Why Bollywood mogul Shah Rukh Khan’s appeal resonates across generations

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