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{{Short description|Biography by Anupama Chopra}}
{{good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox book
| name = King of Bollywood
| image = King of Bollywood cover.jpg
| caption =
| author = [[Anupama Chopra]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series =
| release_number =
| subject = [[Shah Rukh Khan]]
| genre = Biography
| set_in =
| publisher = [[Grand Central Publishing]]
| published = 9 August 2007
| media_type = Print
| pages = 250<ref name="book" />
| isbn = 978-0-446-50898-8
| isbn_note =
| oclc = 1020446918
| dewey =
| congress =
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| notes =
| exclude_cover =
}}
'''''King of Bollywood''''' is a biography by the film critic and journalist [[Anupama Chopra]], chronicling the life and career of [[Shah Rukh Khan]]. The book describes his personal life such as his birth in 1965 in [[New Delhi]] and his marriage to [[Gauri Khan|Gauri Chibber]] in 1991. The book also outlines his career as an actor, film producer, and television presenter. It was published by [[Grand Central Publishing]] on 9 August 2007 and became a commercial success. Its critical reception was positive, with Chopra's writing garnering appreciation.

Chopra came up the idea of the book while writing for ''[[Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (book)|Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge]]'' (2002), about the 1995 film of the [[Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge|same name]]. In the summer of 2003, she told him about the project; although his initial reaction was reluctant, Chopra tried to persuade him for around six months and Khan eventually changed his mind. The book took three years to complete, with Chopra meeting Khan's close friends, school teachers, and collaborators in her writing process.

== Summary ==
The book opens with the information of the background of [[Shah Rukh Khan]]'s parents, the [[List of Indian independence activists|Indian independence]] activist Meer Taj Mohammed Khan and his wife Lateef Fatima. Khan was the couple's second child and was born on 2 November 1965 in [[New Delhi]]. He grew up in the [[Rajendra Nagar, Delhi|Rajendra Nagar]] neighbourhood and was raised in a Muslim household. He made his acting debut on television with ''[[Fauji (TV series)|Fauji]]'' in 1989, which features him as an army officer. Two years later, following a six-year courtship, he married [[Gauri Khan|Gauri Chibber]], a [[Punjabi Hindu]]. Their children, Aryan and Suhana, were born in 1997 and 2000, respectively. Khan's first film role came with ''[[Deewana (1992 film)|Deewana]]'' (1992), in which he starred alongside another newcomer [[Divya Bharti]]. The film was a commercial success and won him the [[Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut]]. In 1993, he portrayed villainous roles in the financially and critically successful thrillers ''[[Baazigar]]'' and ''[[Darr (1993 film)|Darr]]''. He won a first [[Filmfare Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] trophy at Filmfare for his performance in the former, and a nomination for the [[Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role|Best Performance in a Negative Role]] from the same ceremony for the latter.

In 1995, Khan starred as a young [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|non-resident Indian]] in the romantic drama ''[[Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge]]''. Co-starring [[Kajol]], the film turned to be a success at the box office and became the longest-running film in Indian cinema history. The film also won him a second Best Actor award at Filmfare. Other commercial successes of the decade include ''[[Karan Arjun]]'' (1995), ''[[Pardes (1997 film)|Pardes]]'' (1997), ''[[Dil To Pagal Hai]]'' (1997), and ''[[Kuch Kuch Hota Hai]]'' (1998). In 2000, along with the actress [[Juhi Chawla]], Khan established the production company [[Red Chillies Entertainment|Dreamz Unlimited]] (later renamed as Red Chillies Entertainment in 2003), and its first release was ''[[Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani]]'' (2000), which failed to garner wide attraction. After playing the leading roles in ''[[Mohabbatein]]'' (2000) and ''[[Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...]]'' (2001), two films co-starring [[Amitabh Bachchan]], he portrayed an alcoholic protagonist in ''[[Devdas (2002 Hindi film)|Devdas]]'' (2002), India's most expensive film at the time. The book ends with describing how Khan hosted the third season of ''[[Kaun Banega Crorepati]]'' in 2007.

== Development and writing ==
[[File:Anupama chopra book launch.jpg|thumb|[[Anupama Chopra]] conceived the book while writing another book on ''[[Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge]]'' (1995)]]
The idea of ''King of Bollywood'' arose when [[Anupama Chopra]] was interviewing Khan for a [[Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (book)|book]]—published in 2002—about the production and analysis of the 1995 film ''Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge''.<ref name="Rediff.com" /><ref name="YRF" /> Calling herself a "die-hard" fan of Khan, Chopra said that his fascinating personality, his personal life, and his status as one of the most prominent actor of India were her motivation to write the book. She observed of him, "He is a complete entertainer, on and off screen. And that's what makes him endearing. He's articulate, funny, and surprisingly normal. No starry ''nakhras'' (tantrums/attitude)."<ref name="The Hindu" /> In an interview to the entertainment portal [[Bollywood Hungama]], she described the book as "an attempt to look at Hindi cinema and at India" through the actor's life and work.<ref name="brief interview" />

Chopra came to Khan with the idea during the summer of 2003.<ref name="book" /><sup>:vii</sup> According to her, he was embarrassed at first knowing that someone would write a book about and spend much time with him. He asked Chopra, "Why me?".<ref name="The Hindu" /><ref name="The Tribune" /> Khan also spoke of his initial hesitation of the project by saying that he did not feel he deserved it.<ref name="book" /><sup>:vii</sup> Yet, feeling that his life would be interesting to be a book, Chopra continued to convince him for six months, after which Khan accepted the idea.<ref name="The Hindu" /><ref name="The Tribune" /> She revealed that in this process, she had conversations with the actor for around 30 hours, and would send [[SMS]]s and [[e-mail]]s when he was shooting for the fantasy film ''[[Paheli]]'' (2005) in [[Jaipur]].<ref name="Rediff.com" />

The development took three years, during which Khan also wrote his unfinished memoir, ''20 Years to a Decade''.<ref name="Rediff.com" /><ref name="DNA" /> The book begins with a brief biography of Khan's fan Bhavesh Sheth, who appeared in the documentary of Khan titled ''[[The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan]]'' (2005). With help from her research associate Leo Mirani, Chopra tracked down Sheth to interview him as a part of the book's research and found him in [[Ahmedabad]] while he was visiting his family. Chopra also met around 80 other people as well, including Khan's close friends, school teachers, and directors (including [[Harry Baweja]], [[Karan Johar]], and [[Aditya Chopra]]). Asked by the journalists of [[Rediff.com]], Anupama Chopra chose the chapter about his parents as her favourite because of their interesting life story, especially that of his father.<ref name="Rediff.com" />

== Release ==
''King of Bollywood'' marked Anupama Chopra's third book after ''[[Sholay: The Making of a Classic]]'' (2000) and ''Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge'' (2002).<ref name="Rediff.com" /> It was released by [[Grand Central Publishing]] (previously Warner Books) at an event held by the [[Indo-American Arts Council]] and the [[South Asian Journalists Association]] in the United States on 9 August 2007, marking the first book on Indian cinema to be published in the country.<ref name="release01" /><ref name="first" /> The book was distributed by Om Books International in India on the same day, while its [[Marathi language|Marathi]]-language version was distributed by Ameya Prakashan in the first week of September. Distribution for other countries was done by Westland Books.<ref name="release02" /> It was also translated into [[Hindi]] and [[German language|German]]. The English version sold more than 10,000 copies after ten days, while the Marathi version went on to sell 900 copies in the week following the release.<ref name="selling" /> On 2 October, the book was released on [[Amazon Kindle]].<ref name="Amazon Kindle" /> Penerbit Hikmah published its [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]]-language version titled ''Shah Rukh Khan: The King of Bollywood'' in August 2008.<ref name="Indonesian" />

== Critical reception ==
''King of Bollywood'' was met with a positive reception from critics, most of whom singling out Chopra's writing for praise. Reviewing for Bollywood Hungama, Faridoon Shahryar called her writing "simple, informative, [and] engrossing" and found that she did not try too hard to grab attention from the book's readers. Shahryar, however, was disappointed by the way she translated the titles of Hindi-language films to English, such as ''Dil To Pagal Hai'' to ''The Heart is Crazy'' and ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'' to ''Something is Happening''.<ref name="Bollywood Hungama" /> Chandan Mitra of ''[[India Today]]'' believed the book is not only about Khan but also a "broad canvas" depiction of Hindi cinema, concluding that the book successfully targets a broad international audience.<ref name="India Today" />

Meghna Desai from ''[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]'' magazine said Chopra had made the book readable and lauded her straightforward writing style, adding that it was not like other books on Hindi cinema which she thought were boring and filled with gossip.<ref name="Outlook" /> ''[[The New York Times Book Review]]''{{'s}} Charles Taylor described it as a "sprightly" and "brilliant" book.<ref name="The New York Times Book Review" /> An [[Indo-Asian News Service]] critic wrote, "Anupama Chopra's ode to Shah Rukh's spellbinding stardom is far more intimate and compact, crisp and to the point, punctuated by bouts of humour occasionally directed at the star." The critic appreciated her for not turning the book into a boring academic discussion as well as her ability to choice suitable words for describing the subject.<ref name="Indo-Asian News Service" /> In an article published in ''[[The Hindu]]'', Savitha Gautam noted Chopra's writing was simple and "easy-to-read", stating that the readers would start to admire Khan when they read the book.<ref name="The Hindu" /> Similar views of the same aspect were given by ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'', who asserted that it made the book to be a "bizarrely-fun read".<ref name="Publishers Weekly" />

== References ==
{{reflist|refs=

<ref name="book">{{Cite book |last=Chopra |first=Anupama |url=https://archive.org/details/kingofbollywoods0000chop |title=King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema |date=9 August 2007 |publisher=[[Grand Central Publishing]] |isbn=978-0-446-50898-8 |location=New York City, United States |author-link=Anupama Chopra |url-access=registration}}</ref>

<ref name="Rediff.com">{{Cite web |last=Ashraf |first=Syed Firdaus |last2=Kulkarni |first2=Ronjita |date=8 August 2007 |title=What you didn't know about SRK |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/chopra/20070807.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605130126/https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/chopra/20070807.htm |archive-date=5 June 2021 |access-date=6 June 2021 |website=[[Rediff.com]]}}</ref>

<ref name="YRF">{{Cite web |date=31 December 2002 |title=Book on 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' Released |url=https://www.yashrajfilms.com/news/detail/2016/05/19/Dilwale-Dulhania-Le-Jayenge-BFI-Film-Classic |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205023633/https://www.yashrajfilms.com/news/detail/2016/05/19/Dilwale-Dulhania-Le-Jayenge-BFI-Film-Classic |archive-date=5 December 2020 |access-date=7 June 2021 |website=[[Yash Raj Films]]}}</ref>

<ref name="The Hindu">{{Cite news |last=Gautam |first=Savitha |date=5 August 2007 |title=The Khan story |work=[[The Hindu]] |location=Chennai, India |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/the-khan-story/article2275472.ece |url-status=live |access-date=6 June 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210605125109/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/the-khan-story/article2275472.ece |archive-date=5 June 2021}}</ref>

<ref name="brief interview">{{Cite web |last=Shahryar |first=Faridoon |date=31 July 2007 |title="I think SRK is done with Raj-Rahul" – Anupama Chopra |url=http://indiafm.com/slideshow/2007/07/31/82/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016200422/http://indiafm.com/slideshow/2007/07/31/82/index.html |archive-date=16 October 2007 |access-date=6 June 2021 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]}}</ref>

<ref name="The Tribune">{{Cite news |last=Sen |first=Ashik Kumar |date=5 August 2007 |title=Face of a new India |work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]] |location=Washington, D.C., United States |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070805/spectrum/main5.htm |url-status=live |access-date=7 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605130523/https://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070805/spectrum/main5.htm |archive-date=5 June 2021}}</ref>

<ref name="DNA">{{Cite news |last=Rakshit |first=Nayandeep |date=23 May 2017 |title=Shah Rukh Khan breaks silence on his long-pending book, '20 Years in a Decade' |work=[[Daily News and Analysis]] |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-shah-rukh-khan-breaks-silence-on-his-long-pending-book-20-years-in-a-decade-2447384 |url-status=live |access-date=7 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901113318/https://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-shah-rukh-khan-breaks-silence-on-his-long-pending-book-20-years-in-a-decade-2447384 |archive-date=1 September 2020}}</ref>

<ref name="release01">{{Cite web |last=Adarsh |first=Taran |author-link=Taran Adarsh |date=15 August 2007 |title=Anupama Chopra's book on SRK launched in U.S. |url=http://www.indiafm.com/news/2007/08/15/9922/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071118212039/http://www.indiafm.com/news/2007/08/15/9922/index.html |archive-date=18 November 2007 |access-date=7 June 2021 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]}}</ref>

<ref name="first">{{Cite news |last=Chopra |first=Parveen |date=13 August 2007 |title='Diverse roles prod SRK's creativity' |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |location=New York City, United States |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/diverse-roles-prod-srk-s-creativity/story-sHSWz5gHbwb0LQYYPXThVI.html |url-status=live |access-date=8 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608092928/https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/diverse-roles-prod-srk-s-creativity/story-sHSWz5gHbwb0LQYYPXThVI.html |archive-date=8 June 2021}}</ref>

<ref name="release02">{{Cite web |last=IndiaFM News Bureau |date=3 July 2002 |title=Anupama Chopra's book on Shah Rukh Khan |url=http://indiafm.com/news/2007/07/03/9679/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016145039/http://indiafm.com/news/2007/07/03/9679/index.html |archive-date=16 October 2007 |access-date=7 June 2021 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]}}</ref>

<ref name="selling">{{Cite web |last=Adarsh |first=Taran |date=7 September 2002 |title='King of Bollywood' well received in Marathi |url=http://indiafm.com/news/2007/09/07/10068/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071119054727/http://indiafm.com/news/2007/09/07/10068/index.html |archive-date=19 November 2007 |access-date=7 June 2021 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]}}</ref>

<ref name="Amazon Kindle">{{Cite book |last=Chopra |first=Anupama |title=King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema |date=2 October 2007 |publisher=Grand Central Publishing |location=New York City, United States |id={{ASIN|B00FORPJBY|country=us}}}}</ref>

<ref name="Indonesian">{{Cite book |last=Chopra |first=Anupama |title=Shah Rukh Khan: The King of Bollywood |date=August 2008 |publisher=Penerbit Hikmah |isbn=978-979-114-213-7 |location=South Jakarta, Indonesia |language=id}}</ref>

<ref name="Bollywood Hungama">{{Cite web |last=Shahryar |first=Faridoon |date=10 August 2007 |title=Book review: 'King of Bollywood Shahrukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema' |url=http://indiafm.com/features/2007/08/10/2931/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016154348/http://indiafm.com/features/2007/08/10/2931/index.html |archive-date=16 October 2007 |access-date=8 June 2021 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]}}</ref>

<ref name="India Today">{{Cite news |last=Mitra |first=Chandran |date=11 September 2007 |title=The making of a star |work=[[India Today]] |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/story/20070813-the-making-of-a-star-733977-2007-09-11 |url-status=live |access-date=8 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210606094845/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/story/20070813-the-making-of-a-star-733977-2007-09-11 |archive-date=6 June 2021}}</ref>

<ref name="Outlook">{{Cite news |last=Desai |first=Meghnad |date=6 August 2007 |title=The Man Who Would Be King |work=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]] |url=https://outlookindia.com/magazine/story/the-man-who-would-be-king/235232 |url-status=dead |access-date=8 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161017082312/https://outlookindia.com/magazine/story/the-man-who-would-be-king/235232 |archive-date=17 October 2016}}</ref>

<ref name="The New York Times Book Review">{{Cite news |last=Taylor |first=Charles |date=7 October 2007 |title=Star of India |work=[[The New York Times Book Review]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/books/review/Taylor3-t.html |url-status=live |access-date=8 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605123033/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/books/review/Taylor3-t.html |archive-date=5 June 2021}}</ref>

<ref name="Indo-Asian News Service">{{Cite news |date=21 August 2007 |title=King of Bollywood-an intimate and crisp account of SRK's life |work=Hindustan Times |agency=[[Indo-Asian News Service]] |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/king-of-bollywood-an-intimate-and-crisp-account-of-srk-s-life/story-gbJnpDXv3en9YIIaFKuMHI.html |url-status=live |access-date=8 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608092920/https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/king-of-bollywood-an-intimate-and-crisp-account-of-srk-s-life/story-gbJnpDXv3en9YIIaFKuMHI.html |archive-date=8 June 2021}}</ref>

<ref name="Publishers Weekly">{{Cite news |date=21 May 2007 |title=Nonfiction Book Review: King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema |work=[[Publishers Weekly]] |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-446-57858-5 |url-status=live |access-date=8 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605123032/https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-446-57858-5 |archive-date=5 June 2021}}</ref>

}}

== External links ==
* {{Google Books|id=Cbk4AQAAQBAJ|title=King of Bollywood}}

{{Shah Rukh Khan}}

[[Category:Shah Rukh Khan]]
[[Category:2007 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Biographies about actors]]
[[Category:Indian biographies]]
[[Category:American non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Grand Central Publishing books]]

King of Bollywood (book) - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article