The Baadshah of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan aka SRK turned 45 on November yesterday and he is going stronger and stronger. Going on strong at 45 is no wonder when Dev Anand goes strong on 82. What one wonders is what makes Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khan. You might be making certain guesses.

Like an astrologer you may say, Shah Rukh Khan is Shah Rukh Khan as he was born under the highly and mightily lucky stars of November 2, 1965.

But there must be so many persons in the world born under the lucky stars of November 2, 1965, and they did not grow up to become Shah Rukh Khan.

You may say, the reason is his doing his high school from St Columbus High School in New Delhi.

So many boys did their high school from St Columbus High School in New Delhi. They did not become Shah Rukh Khan.

You may say, Shah Rukh Khan captained his school teams of football and hockey and played cricket.

There are boys who are far better sportsmen in their school and college, they did not become Shah Rukh Khan. Playing cricket made him own Kolkata Knights, but Shah Rukh Khan had become Shah Rukh Khan before owning an IPL team.

You may say, as a student he was good in electronics and biology.

Being good in electronics and biology makes a person an engineer, biologist or doctor. It does not make him a star.

You may say, Shah Rukh Khan is highly educated. He got a degree in mass communications from Jamiya Miliya Islamiya of Delhi.

A degree in mass communication qualifies a person to be a journalist. A scribe in old days rubbed pen on paper or struck fingers on the typewriter, now he works on the computer and internet. He does not dance before the camera.

You may say, Shah Rukh Khan worked on the stage with Barry John.

There are so many actors who work on the stage and spend their lives in Prithvi Theatres. They don’t become Shah Rukh Khan.

You may say, the great director Lekh Tandon saw the spark in him and gave him a role in the TV serial Dil Dariya.

Lekh Tandon gave breaks to many actors on the small screen, and they remained small on the small screen.

You may say, Shah Rukh Khan is a born lover boy. When he was 19 he saw a 14 year old girl called Gauri Chibba. It was love at first sight. Despite the difference of religion he got what he wanted.

If being lover boy is a qualification, all the Street Romeos would have turned into Shah Rukh Khans.

You may say, Yash Chopra had offered ‘Darr’ to Aamir Khan, but he refused. Shah Rukh Khan accepted it and became Shah Rukh Khan.

There is some weight in this view. By refusing ‘Darr’, Aamir Khan remained Aamir Khan. But the acceptance of ‘Darr’ by Shah Rukh does not explain entirely the phenomenon of Shah Rukh Khan becoming Shah Rukh Khan.

You may say, Shah Rukh Khan is Shah Rukh Khan as he owns a heritage 23,400 sq ft sea facing bungalow called Mannat.

In modern times also there are kings and princes living in heritage palaces, but they don’t enjoy Shah Rukh Khan like mass following.

You may say, Shah Rukh Khan owns six luxury imported cars, Pajero, BMW, Audi and Mercedes.

There are many rich men and women owning fleets of cars, but they are nowhere near Shah Rukh Khan.

If you say, Shah Rukh Khan became Shah Rukh Khan because he ran a restaurant in Darya Ganj, Delhi, you are near the point. Dilip Kumar became Dilip Kumar because he was a canteen manager. Akshay Kumar became Akshay Kumar as he was a cook.

If you say, Shah Rukh Khan became Shah Rukh Khan because his father ran a transport company, you have hit the bull’s eye. From his childhood Shah Rukh Khan learnt the art of going places. He has been going, going and going and reaching places. No wonder he went to Berlin to celebrate his birthday.

Now that what’s make Shahrukh Khan Shahrukh Khan…..