A staggering 1,314 kilometers separate Chennai from Mumbai’s legendary Maratha Mandir cinema, where the iconic romantic saga Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, celebrated its 30th anniversary on October 20, 2025. While DDLJ enjoys an almost mythical run, it’s a perfect moment to reflect on Shah Rukh Khan’s profound connection with the city once known as Madras.
This deep bond was recently reinforced when Shah Rukh earned his first National Award for Best Actor for his role in Jawan, a blockbuster helmed by Chennai’s own director, Atlee. Rewind to 1993, and Baazigar had already taken Madras by storm, propelling Shah Rukh into the spotlight.
Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Darr’
His follow-up, Darr, saw him embrace a character with a darker side, yet audiences in movie halls roared with approval at his screen presence. Theories emerged about Shah Rukh’s magnetic appeal at the Madras box office, often attributing it to the Tamil audience’s penchant for villains who transform into beloved heroes.
Past analyses often cited the career trajectories of stars like Rajinikanth and Sathyaraj, who successfully transitioned from anti-hero roles to leading men. In this context, Shah Rukh’s soaring popularity felt like a natural fit. It also echoed a recurring trend of Bollywood actors captivating southern audiences every decade.
Shah Rukh Khan in Jawan
Before Shah Rukh, actors like Anil Kapoor (in Tezaab) and Jackie Shroff (in Hero), and their collaboration in Ram Lakhan, had already made significant inroads. Intriguingly, magazine features often highlighted how these two stars sported moustaches, a departure from many of their clean-shaven northern contemporaries. This specific look was believed to resonate strongly in the southern market, where heroes traditionally sported moustaches.
Yet, Shah Rukh, much like Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, found immense success with a clean-shaven appearance. He skillfully transitioned from portraying obsessive stalkers to the iconic lover, arms outstretched, captivating hearts across India. Aamir Khan himself experienced a phenomenal run on Mount Road in 1988 with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak at the Safire complex. As Shah Rukh’s star power grew, major corporations even arranged bulk bookings for their employees, a privilege usually reserved for movies featuring local legends like Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan.
A still from Chennai Express
When DDLJ premiered in Madras, eager crowds flocked to cinemas, and Shah Rukh’s entry on screen was met with a joyous fervor typically reserved for beloved regional stars. The film’s emotional climax, with Kajol running towards him, elicited ecstatic screams. It now seems almost prophetic that he would eventually star in a movie titled Chennai Express. As Chennai continues its evolution, Shah Rukh Khan remains a magnetic force, consistently drawing audiences who have embraced him across his diverse acting roles.