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“I’m an employee of the myth of Shahrukh Khan. So, I work for that myth.” – Shahrukh Khan

We love Shahrukh Khan. And we love a good movie. Hence, we love movies with Shahrukh Khan in it. From heart-warming dialogues to hilarious plot twists, the actor has given us many unforgettable moments in films and TV. But one thing that’s guaranteed to instantly shake things up on screen? When King Khan pops up out of nowhere — especially when he’s the last celebrity you were expecting to see (or not see, as the case may be). Sometimes, these surprising cameos are like hidden Easter eggs, which makes the viewing experience all the more fun.

Through many cameos from early in his career, he has propagated love and ambition and also preached against the perils of both. Lighting up the screen with his own tweaks, Shahrukh has ensured his presence leave a more lasting impact than just friendly appearances. On the occasion of the superstar’s birthday, we have rounded up the best of his cameos. Some of these cameos are pretty lengthy while others are blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments that are over before you know it.

Gudgudee (1997)

Appearing as the narrator in Basu Chatterjee’s film featuring Jugal Hansraj, Anupam Kher and Pratibha Sinha, Shahrukh introduces the audiences to the tale they are in for – a cautionary anecdote about an ambitious man getting swayed by Mumbai’s temptations.

Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye (2005)

Throughout the film, we see a passenger at the airport (where the story unfolds) sleeping with his face covered right from the beginning. The climax reveals it to be none other than the King of Romance – Shahrukh Khan – who eventually charms the disapproving parent to bring two passionate lovers together.

Luck By Chance (2009)

One of the most iconic cameos in the superstar’s acting journey is the Farhan Akhtar starrer Luck By Chance where he shares his deepest insights of being the business of entertainment. He tells the budding actor from Delhi that he sees a lot of himself in Vikram, and essentially cautions him that as intoxicating stardom maybe, one must not abandon his friends for a chance to spend more time with celebrities or in the glitz and glamour – to never forget one’s friends who were there when one was ‘nothing’.

Shahrukh Bola “Khoobsurat Hai Tu” (2010)

One thing the actor knows is when to smile from the shadows. Playing an integral role in the film directed by Makarand Deshpande, King Khan sets in motion a narrative leading to the main character, a roadside flower girl (played by Preetika Chawla), having to spend a long time in making people believe her dream actually came true.

Love Breakups Zindagi (2012)

Having been a part of a bouquet of love stories, the actor has a way with confused souls. Playing himself in the Dia Mirza and Zayed Khan starrer, the King of Romance once again sets the hero straight with his words of wisdom on how one should never wait to express their true emotions.

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016)

“Ek tarfa pyar ki taqat hi kuch aur hoti hai, auron ke rishton ki tarah yeh do logon mein nahi bat ti, sirf mera haq hai ispe.”

Amidst the plethora of special appearances, the most memorable of by Shahrukh definitely goes to Karan Johar’s romantic drama Ae Dil Hai Mushkil featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma. What’s even better? We also get to see the gorgeous Aishwarya Rai Bachchan share the screen with him! Elaborating on the sheer power of unrequited love, he proves that passionate love sometimes goes against the idea of love itself and transform into something more powerful, something that is worth holding on to.

Brahmastra: Part 1 – Shiva (2022)

After an acting sabbatical from 2018 since the release of Zero, 2022 has finally witnessed King Khan on the big screen a few times over in cameos be it Rocketry – The Nambi Effect or Laal Singh Chaddha. But the most anticipated cameo that blew the audiences’ mind away has to be Brahmastra: Part 1 – Shiva. The Ayan Mukherji created fantasy-action-adventure film that introduced the beginning of a new cinematic universe called the Astraverse showcased Shahrukh Khan as Mohan Bhargava, a scientist and a member of a secret society guarding the ancient Astras. Wielder of the Vanarastra, his effortless acting and action skills have fans demanding a spin-off for Shah Rukh’s character.

Over and over, the actor has openly discussed the myth of brand SRK. “I keep saying this again and again. I am employee of this image and the image is who I am.” But where do these special appearances stand amidst his feature films, brand endorsements and his overall public personality?

Sometimes his cameos showcase how he does not need to take his stardom too seriously. Sometimes, his cameos are glaringly self-referential – from playing extensions of his character in either Dil Toh Pagal Hai (1997) by swooning over a near-imaginary personality played by Madhuri Dixit (Gaja Gamini) or seeking his ‘Sim-ran’ as Raj from Aditya Chopra’s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (Heyy Babyy). He even extended the portrayal of the character of Rahul from the iconic Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) to the Salman Khan, Preity Zinta starrer Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega (2000) where he storms into the hospital claiming Rani Mukherji’s character as his wife, Tina. Eventually his daughter Anjali (Sana Saeed plays the role in both films) comes in to clarify her father “has been in shock ever since the death of her mother”.  On other occasions, if you look hard enough you will see the actor is playing a character rather than just servicing the “SRK Myth”.

In however many ways one looks at SRK and his script choices, the fascination only evolves. The actor is all set for a special appearance in Tiger 3 alongside Salman Khan and charm audiences with his enigmatic presence. Only one thing is for certain – he is always there to offer more.