Connection is a strange thing. Once you have a connect with someone, you give a part of yourself to that commitment. Most people in the country feel such a bond with Shah Rukh Khan – a self-made actor, a quick-witted individual and a devout family man.

But many years down the line, it seems SRK has decided to change the terms of our arrangement. Turns out, the whole relationship was about investments. Emotional for us. Financial for him.

SRK loyalists have been with the actor through thick and thin, fall outs and patch ups and hits and flops. And we did it wilfully. Supporting the actor was a lifestyle we chose for ourselves. It wasn’t an obligation. However, the actor somehow feels it is and it’s evident in his choice of roles lately.

According to Wikipedia, the superstar has acted in a little over 80 movies. And with most of his movies, we found new reasons to love the actor. Some days, he would sweep us off our feet with his charm, on others he would become the obsessive lover who’d haunt you. And then he also had his funny days!

Nevertheless, we used to go back home feeling content. Nothing more, nothing less. And then movies like Swades and Chak De! happened.

With popular performances in movies like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Dil To Pagal Hai , Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Devdas already under his belt, there was no questioning SRK’s acting prowess. However, the point is, put any other actor in these films and these movies would be still as much successful. So when did SRK change the game? It was when he chose movies like Swades and Chak De! Movies which any other actor would dare not touch. With these 2 movies, he not only took his chances as an actor, he gave Bollywood two important milestones and raised our expectations from him like never before.

So then, how did King Khan decide it wasn’t in his best interest to do movies which made sense. Is it about money? Is it about playing safe? Is it about his age?

All of them, I guess.  And then SRK also ventured into production. His own production means more money at stake. More money at stake means lesser risks. Lesser risks mean substandard content. And substandard content just means Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Ra.One, Chennai Express, Happy New Year and Dilwale among many others.

So substandard is the new good! At least, substandard comes with a minimum guarantee of breaking even at the box office, if not profitable. Also with the star now over 50, there is a good chance that insecurity might also be catching up with the star fast and thus doing whatever coming his way becomes imperative for him. Because didn’t someone say, public memory is too short?

When the promos of Fan first came out, everyone was excited. It looked like finally SRK was doing something different, way out of his comfort zone. Unfortunately, that turned out to be less of a film but more of a presentation of SRK’s narcissism. 

And with his newest release, he’s back to doing what he does best. Jab Harry Met Sejal may have him serenading a woman in exotic locations across Europe but the film is so bad, it makes SRK’s lover boy act look dated and just lame. 

So while SRK is so busy doling out movies like Dilwale and Jab Harry Met Sejal and raking in the moolah while the sun shines, it is only a matter of time before people forget the little meaningful cinema that the star has actually done. He wants to go down like that and be remembered for substandard content, that’s a choice SRK has to make.

As for us, we’ve finally run out of reasons to watch your films, SRK.