1. Shah Rukh Khan


Key films: ‘Baazigar’ (1993), ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ (1995), ‘Swades’ (2004)
Active: 1992 to present
The massive successes of Shah Rukh Khan’s NRI (‘Non Resident Indian’)-themed films were directly responsible for establishing Bollywood on the global film map.
A former TV actor, Khan (born 1965) started off playing antiheroes before graduating to romantic roles, which made him the boy all girls (and boys) wanted to take home to meet their parents.
He is also an eager brand ambassador for many luxury products in India. With his latest film ‘Happy New Year’ (2014) raking in the box-office bucks, Bollywood’s ‘King Khan’ looks firmly ensconced in his throne.