Hollywood actor and comedian Kumail Nanjiani has sparked a fascinating cross-cultural conversation by placing Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan on a pedestal far above traditional Hollywood icons. During a candid discussion on fellow comedian Hasan Minhaj's YouTube channel, Nanjiani, who was promoting his new stand-up special 'Night Thoughts', delivered a profound analysis of stardom, comparing the Indian and American film industries.
Shah Rukh Khan vs. Tom Cruise: A Divine Comparison
When Hasan Minhaj posed the direct question, "Who is a better movie star, Shah Rukh Khan or Tom Cruise?", Nanjiani's response was immediate and revelatory. He stated, "Shah Rukh Khan is a God, he is not a movie star." The Pakistani-born actor elaborated that comparing the two was like comparing apples to oranges, citing Khan's unique position that blends immense superstardom with a palpable sense of humility.
Nanjiani highlighted the distinct public personas of the two legends. He observed that while Tom Cruise embodies the classic, sunglasses-wearing Hollywood movie star, Shah Rukh Khan often presents himself with a disarming modesty. "Shah Rukh Khan will come out and say, ‘Oh! I’m nothing’. Obviously, he knows that’s not true, but that he is so confident in his movie star-ness that he actively downplays it," Nanjiani explained, pointing to a cultural difference in how stardom is performed and perceived.
The Cultural Power of Indian Cinema
Nanjiani delved deeper into the heart of why figures like Shah Rukh Khan command such reverence. He argued that people in America often fail to grasp the cultural significance of movies in India. "There, it is such a big part of the culture, the people who are movie stars are gods, they are kings," he said. He contrasted the cinematic experience, noting that a Bollywood film is often a day-long event, creating a level of reverence that America has never witnessed.
Further explaining the essence of Indian masala cinema, he praised its all-encompassing nature. "It’s about entertaining people. If you look at a normal masala movie, it has action, drama, romance, comedy, songs. Every movie is everything," he remarked, acknowledging the unique formula that caters to a wide spectrum of emotions in a single sitting.
Khan's Versatility and Nanjiani's Bollywood Inspiration
The conversation also touched upon Shah Rukh Khan's artistic courage. Both Minhaj and Nanjiani noted that as a leading man, Khan was never afraid to take on negative or morally complicated roles in films like Darr and Baazigar. "He was also the first lead actor to start playing complicated bad guys," Nanjiani said, applauding Khan's versatility long before anti-heroes became a global trend.
This admiration for Bollywood isn't new for Nanjiani. In Marvel's Eternals, he played Kingo, a character who is a Bollywood star. For the role, he drew inspiration from actors like Hrithik Roshan to capture the essence of a larger-than-life Indian action hero. The film notably featured the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first full Bollywood-style song-and-dance sequence, a testament to the genre's global influence.
Kumail Nanjiani's insightful comments bridge a gap between two of the world's largest film industries. They underscore that while Hollywood sells celebrity, Bollywood, embodied by icons like Shah Rukh Khan, often cultivates a form of divinity deeply woven into the social and cultural fabric of the nation.
