Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (pronounced [səlˈmaːn xaːn] ( listen); 27 December 1965)[4] is an Indian film actor, producer, occasional singer and television personality who works in Hindi films. In a film career spanning over thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two National Film Awards as a film producer, and two Filmfare Awards for acting.[5] He is cited in the media as one of the most commercially successful actors of Indian cinema.[6][7] Forbes included him in their 2015 list of Top-Paid 100 Celebrity Entertainers in the world; Khan tied with Amitabh Bachchan for No. 71 on the list, both with earnings of $33.5 million.[8][9] According to the Forbes 2018 list of Top-Paid 100 Celebrity Entertainers in world, Khan was the highest-ranked Indian with 82nd rank with earnings of $37.7 million.[10][11] He is also known as the host of the reality show, Bigg Boss since 2010.[12]

The eldest son of screenwriter Salim Khan, Khan began his acting career with a supporting role in Biwi Ho To Aisi (1988), followed by a leading role in Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). Khan continued in Bollywood in the 1990s with roles in several productions, including the romantic drama Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), the action thriller Karan Arjun (1995), the comedy Biwi No.1 (1999), and the family drama Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999). After a brief period of decline in the 2000s, Khan achieved greater stardom in the 2010s by playing the lead role in successful action films like Dabangg (2010), Ready (2011), Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Kick (2014), Sultan (2016) and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017).

Early life and background

Khan is the eldest son of screenwriter Salim Khan and his first wife Sushila Charak, who later adopted the name Salma Khan.[21] Born to a Hindu mother and a Muslim father, Khan was brought up in both faiths.[22] His paternal ancestors were the Alakozai Pashtuns[23][24][25][26] from Afghanistan[27] who immigrated to Indore, Madhya Pradesh in the mid-1800s; however, Jasim Khan in his biography of the actor states that his ancestors belonged to the Akuzai sub-tribe of the Yusufzai Pashtuns from Malakand in the Swat valley of North-West Frontier Province in British India (present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan).[28] His grandfather Abdul Rashid Khan was a Deputy Inspector General of the Indore state who was awarded Diler Jung award of the Holkar times.[29] Khan's mother is a homemaker,[30][31] whose father Baldev Singh Charak,[32] a Dogra Rajput,[33] comes from Jammu in Jammu and Kashmir[32][34] and whose Marathi mother comes from Maharashtra.[35][31] Khan can also speak Marathi, in addition to Hindi and English.[36] He has two brothers, Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan; and two sisters, Alvira Khan Agnihotri, who is married to actor/director Atul Agnihotri, and an adopted sister Arpita.[37]

Salman finished his schooling at St. Stanislaus High School in Bandra, Mumbai, as did his younger brothers Arbaaz and Sohail. Previously, he studied at The Scindia School, Gwalior for a few years along with his younger brother Arbaaz.[38] He attended St. Xavier's College in Mumbai but dropped out.[39]

Career

1989–93: Debut and breakthrough

Khan made his acting debut with the 1988 film Biwi Ho To Aisi, which saw him play a supporting role. He went on to play the leading role in Sooraj R. Barjatya's romantic family drama Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), which become one of the highest-grossing Indian films at the time.[40][41] It earned him his first nomination for the Best Actor at Filmfare along with a nomination for Best Male Debut at the same ceremony; the latter was awarded to Barjatya.[42] Maine Pyar Kiya was dubbed in English as When Love Calls, in Spanish as Te Amo, and in Telugu as Prema Paavuraalu.[43]

1990 saw one film release starring Khan; Baaghi: A Rebel for Love, a box office success,[44] followed by three moderately successful films in 1991, Patthar Ke Phool, Sanam Bewafa, and Kurbaan. The same year, Khan went on to co-star with Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit for the romantic drama Saajan. [45]

1994–2009: Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! and other films

In 1994, Khan appeared in Rajkumar Santoshi's Andaz Apna Apna, co-starring Aamir Khan. At the time of its release, the film failed at the box office but has gained a cult status over the years.[46] Later in the year he collaborated with director Sooraj Barjatya in the romance Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! co-starring Madhuri Dixit. During the 1995 awards season, the film won 3 Filmfare Awards for Best Film, Best Director and Best Actress. It also won the National Award for being the most popular film of the year.[47] Earning over ₹1.35 billion (US$19 million) worldwide, the film became the biggest Bollywood hit of the year. It is one of the films on Box Office India's list of "Biggest Blockbusters Ever in Hindi Cinema".[48] In 2006, it was still the fourth-highest ever grossing Bollywood film, according to Box Office India.[49] In 1995 he starred in Rakesh Roshan's Karan Arjun alongside Shah Rukh Khan. The two played brothers who are reincarnated after being killed by family enemies. His role as Karan earned him a nomination for the 1995 Filmfare Best Actor Award.[50]

In 1996, Khan performed in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's directional debut Khamoshi: The Musical.[51] He also appeared in and Raj Kanwar's action hit Jeet.[52] He had two releases in 1997: Judwaa and Auzaar. The former was a comedy directed by David Dhawan where he played a dual role of twins separated at birth.[53]

Khan worked in five different films in 1998, his first release being the romantic comedy film Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya opposite Kajol, one of the biggest commercial successes of that year.[54] This was followed by the moderately successful drama Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai [55] where Khan played a young man who has to take a child who claims to be his son, under his custody. Khan's performance in the film earned favourable critical review.[56] He also had an extended cameo in Karan Johar's directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, for which he earned a second Filmfare Award under the Best Supporting Actor category.[57]

2009–present: Commercial success

He appeared in Wanted, directed by choreographer turned director Prabhu Deva. The film received mixed reviews. Taran Adarsh from Bollywood Hungama rated it 4 of 5 stars noting, "WANTED rides on Salman Khan's star power. He may not be the best actor in town, but in a film like WANTED, in a role that seems like an extension of his personality, you can't think of anyone else enacting this role with flourish."[67] Raja Sen from Rediff gave a rating of 2/5 and said, "The writing is both amateurish and crass, while the songs are plain hideous...Khan might be having fun, but the fact a film like Wanted underscores is how badly Bollywood needs a breed of younger leading men. And how the existing lot need roles that fit."[68]