Global Desi: Raj Or Rahul, SRK Is Equally At Home In New York Or Patiala

Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) was the biggest star of a genre of Hindi cinema that can be called the diaspora ­romance film. This genre shaped a whole form of cinema called ‘Bollywood’, which began in the mid-1990s and has largely faded to resurface occasionally. Often filmed in overseas locations, it’s diasporic also in that it was often ­addressed to the Indian overseas film markets, particularly in the UK and later the US. SRK was the biggest star in this market: according to ­boxofficeindia.com (2012), he had starred in 11 of the Top 25 Overseas Grossers of All Time.

Among these 11 hits are five big-budget family romances closely associated with Karan Johar’s (KJo) Dharma Productions (with their ranking): My Name Is Khan, 2010 (2); Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, 2006 (4); Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, 2001 (11); Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, 1998 (20); and Kal Ho Na Ho, 2001 (23). These films share many striking features: they are set partially or wholly in an imaginary diaspora, usually in the UK or the US, yet in...