Happy Birthday Shah Rukh Khan: Why SRK is ‘Half Hyderabadi’?

Mumbai: The ‘Badshah of Bollywood’ Shah Rukh Khan turned a year old and fabulous today. King Khan is celebrating his 55th birthday today. In a career spanning over two decades, SRK has delivered several blockbusters, and never failed to impress the audience with his amazing acting skills.

For more than 25 years, Shah Rukh Khan has stayed in the hearts and minds of millions of Indians and undoubtedly, it is a reflection of the strength of his personality.

On his 55th birthday, let us recap a memory when the ‘DDLJ‘ actor described himself as ‘half Hyderabadi’.

Back in 2010, Shah Rukh Khan posted wrote on Twitter, “I am half hyderabadi (mom) half pathan(Dad) some kashmiri (grandmom) born in delhi life in mumbai punjabi wife kolkata team.indian at heart”.

But do you know why SRK calls himself ‘half Hyderabadi’? If not, we have the answer for you! SRK has maternal roots in Hyderabad.

Shah Rukh Khan’s maternal roots in Hyderabad

Shah Rukh Khan was born on 2 November 1965 into a Muslim family in New Delhi. His mother Lateef Fatima Khan, who was a social worker, was born in Hyderabad and was the daughter of a senior government engineer. His father Meer Taj Mohammed Khan (a Pathan), was an Indian independence activist from Peshawar.

Fatima Khan encouraged SRK to enroll at the National School of Drama. But she passed away before Shah Rukh Khan made his debut in films. The superstar’s mother left for heavenly abode in 1990, leaving his elder sister Shahnaz Lalrukh and him.

The Baadshah of Bollywood made his debut in the film ‘Deewana’ in the year 1992, which also starred Rishi Kapoor and Divya Bharti.

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Although his mother was no longer alive to watch him make his debut into films and grow up to be the Baadshah of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan makes it a point to thank her every time he gets an award.

He spent the first five years of his life in Mangalore, where his maternal grandfather, Ifthikar Ahmed, served as the chief engineer of the port in the 1960s. Khan’s paternal grandfather, Meer Jan Muhammad Khan, was an ethnic Pashtun (Pathan) from Afghanistan.

Far from being conventionally handsome, Shah Rukh Khan has, over the years, emerged as the face of romance in Hindi films. He conjures images of a man full of passion, energy and boundless enthusiasm.

We wish Khan a very happy birthday!