Muhammad Abdullah Rehman F2019-541

CASE 2

what are the main motives behind the internationalization of SRK as a 'cult icon'?

The ‘cult’ prestige of Shah Rukh Khan is constructed on his career as an actor who has
regularly won various awards for his diverse character representations. His movies also turn
out to be popular outside India, mainly with the large emigrant Indian population in the
USA, the UK, Australia, the Middle East and to an extent in Europe. Most of these movies,
with their scenarios of the emigrant lives of Indians, appealed to the larger Indian diaspora
living across the sphere. Not only were these movies attractive to the Indian audience but
also to other Asian viewers such as the Pakistani and Bangladeshi publics, where usually
Bollywood movies have enjoyed good market. Some of these movies have been the major
revenue earners not only in India but also in the foreign markets. It’s SRK who realized the
world that there is Hollywood and there is also a Bollywood where films are made including
music and dance and emotions which are hardly a part of Hollywood.

what are the future avenues for widening international appeal of SRK?

These foreign viewers and markets created wider opportunities for the actor's success and
the broadening of the ‘cult’ status through media and entertainment events, such as
concerts, special appearances, award shows and film premiers overseas. These events
formed opportunities for his foreign fans to see him in 'live' shows and interact with him. His
success is also credited to his pleasant nature and willingness to reach out and interact with
his fans. The spread of Internet and mobile phone usage, coupled with the Indians'
everlasting passion for music, will ensure new media revenues grow for Bollywood. As
Bollywood grow, so will SRK’s popularity and reach to wider public. Social media platforms
also play a bigger part in the popularity of SRK in recent times as they are now more connect
to the star than ever before.