Shah Rukh Khan in a still from Pathaan
A tweet from an American journalist describing Shah Rukh Khan as "India's Tom Cruise" has caused a measure of outrage on Twitter today. Scott Mendelson, who writes for The Wrap, shared a link to an article he wrote with the headline: "India's Tom Cruise Shah Rukh Khan May Have Just Saved Bollywood With His Blockbuster Pathaan." The headline also forms the text of the tweet, the comments section of which has gone up in flames. "He isn't Tom Cruise, he is Shah Rukh Khan, the one and only," read an outraged reply to Scott Mendelson. "SRK is SRK. He isn't Indian Tom Cruise but rather a national treasure, he is a man beyond his films" read another. One tweet said simply: "The disrespect."
Other replies attempted to break it down for Mr Mendelson. "SRK is King, the multidimensional greatest actor with attitude, style, craft, drama, romance, action etc. No one is even closer to him. Do not ever compare him with any other person," wrote one SRK fan. "Sorry, have to agree with everyone. There is just no comparison. Shah Rukh Khan is Shah Rukh Khan! He is known and loved globally, not just India. He is more than an actor. He is an inspiration to fans around the world," read another.
Some went further, writing: "How about Tom Cruise is Hollywood's Shah Rukh Khan?" and "India's Tom Cruise? Tom Cruise if Hollywood's Shah Rukh more like."
Shah Rukh Khan fandom transcends racial identities. "I know you're just trying to provide context but as a white American who hadn't seen a single Bollywood movie until 2019, Shah Rukh is so much more than Tom Cruise. There is no Hollywood equivalent," read a tweet from a fan account run by, as the tweet explains, a white American.
Read Scott Mendelson's tweet here:
A sample of the comments:
In his article, Scott Mendelson writes: "Shah Rukh Khan just reclaimed his status as one of India's biggest b**ts-in-seats draws after a four-year absence from movies."
Pathaan, directed by Siddharth Anand, has been demolishing box office records since releasing on January 24. At last count, it was heading to Rs 700 crore worldwide (gross). "The immediate success both reaffirmed Khan's bankability and provided a much-needed jolt to a struggling Bollywood industry," Me Mendelson wrote.
Pathaan, set in YRF's Spy Universe, stars Shah Rukh Khan as a RAW agent who teams up with Deepika Padukone's character to tackle a terror threat from Jim, played by John Abraham.