By The Update
Here’s the definitive take on the top 5 Shah Rukh Khan films from his prime era (1993–2005) – the ones that made him Bollywood royalty, draped in melodrama, romantic agony, and dance-sequences you’ll hum years later. For each, we also drop the “best song” (i.e. the one that still haunts your Spotify algorithm) – click, cry, repeat.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
The Eternal Rom-Epic
If Bollywood built a monument to love, DDLJ might be it. Arguably the most popular movie in Bollywood history, replayed in cinemas endlessly. To. This. Very. Day.
Raj and Simran traipse across Europe, battle paternal disapproval, insist on “Lungi dance in mustard fields” (sort of), and deliver that final train chase that turned every teenage heart to mush. This is where SRK’s “I will go anywhere for love (and family honor)” era hit its apex. Irresistibly charming.
Most Memorable Quote
“Palat… palat… palat.”
(If she doesn’t turn, she’s dead to you.)
Best Song
“Tujhe Dekha To” – the purest anthem of “you, me, and mustard fields forever.” They’re all classics to be sure to be sure, but we had to pick one. What are you gonna do about it?
Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
When Choreography Is a Love Triangle.
SRK plays Rahul, a dance company director caught between two women and his own melodramatic heart. There’s never been a movie so invested in whether characters feel a beat or two off. Also, the “dance as confession” trope? Dil To Pagal Hai perfected it. Not the dancing. Definitely not the dancing. We’re strictly referring to ‘The trope’ here.
Most Memorable Quote
“Tum hi ho bandhu, sakha tumhi ho.”
(“You’re my friend, my soulmate, my-ugh-everything.”)
Best Song
“Bholi Si Surat” (or “Dholna”, for hardcore fans) – the one your Spotify algorithm still recommends late at night.
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
BFFs, Love Triangles & College Hijinks
If rom-coms were a Monopoly board, KKHH owns “Friendship Avenue,” “Second Chance Street,” and “Bollywood clichés lane.” SRK as “older Taj” and “younger Rahul” carries emotional baggage like a master, and ages like a fine vine. Which is to say, he doesn’t age at all. Tears, campus dramatics, and that final reveal in the rain? Chef’s kiss.
Most Memorable Quote
“Rahul, naam toh suna hoga.”
(Yes, we still use that line in every group chat.)
Best Song
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Title Track) – because when people ask “Bollywood nostalgia?”, this is the answer.
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)
Family Drama, Fancy Clothes & Big Twirls
Essayed by “SRK in No-Compromise Mode,” K3G is soap-opera grandeur at its loudest, set against globetrotting mansions and family fractures. Endlessly memed, and relentlessly parodied, the story is a love-letter to the paragon of family virtues. Hrithik Roshan grows miraculously from morbidly obese child to hunk for hire, scheming to reunite his older brother with his estranged family, often with flares, desi dance moves, and lip-syncing to emotional ballads on balconies. Top tier stuff.
Most Memorable Quote
“Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.”
(They literally titled their life motto.)
Best Song
“Suraj Hua Maddham” – the desert-kiss visuals, the soft lighting, the “I’ll travel the world for you” feels.
Devdas (2002)
Tragedy in Velvet & Sobs
This is the SRK movie you reserve for times when you want to feel every bit of heartbreak, drowning, and excess aesthetics all at once. Based on the classic novel, Devdas turns emotional self-destruction into an opera: Chandramukhi’s dance, Paro’s silence, and SRK’s eyes that live in emotional overdrive.
Most Memorable Quote
“Mere pyaar ko pyaar hi rehne do.”
(“Let my love remain love itself.”)
Cue sobbing montage.
Best Song
“Dola Re Dola” – the dance spectacle between Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit at full melodrama.
The Update Verdict
If Tom Cruise is “People’s Action Star,” then Shah Rukh Khan in his prime is “People’s Heart Surgeon.” These five films didn’t just make SRK a legend – they made an entire generation believe you could sing your soul, dance your heartbreak, and still get a train chase scene by the end.
