The Khans Who Rule Bollywood
As night follows day and Eid al-Fitr follows Ramadan, so too is there another certainty for India’s Muslims marking the end of the Muslim month of fasting: the release of an action-drama extravaganza starring Salman Khan (pictured), one of the nation’s most beloved and bankable stars. “Sultanâ€, about a down-and-out wrestler, will be released worldwide on July 6th. Mr Khan, who likes to play the beefed-up good guy with near-superhuman fighting powers, a way with women and a mischievous sense of humor, has won a huge following, especially among India’s 180m Muslims. He represents one of Bollywood’s triumvirate of stars, all called Khan (unrelated to each other). Each dominates a different annual holiday. Shah Rukh Khan, a favourite of the middle classes, is the hero of the Diwali weekend. Aamir Khan, more highbrow, dominates Christmas. Between them, the trio have released a film on 14 of the past 15 big festive weekends, occasionally switching around. Other actors and their producers must release their films at other, less profitable times, such as Independence Day—or await an off-year for the Khans.
