Shah Rukh Khan
Early Life
Shah Rukh Khan was born on 2 November 1965 in a Muslim family in New Delhi. 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 father, Meer Taj Muhammad Khan, was an Indian independence activist in Peshawar, present-day Pakistan. His mother, Lateef Fatima, was the daughter of a senior government engineer. His parents had a love marriage. Khan's paternal grandfather, Meer Jan Muhammad Khan, was a Pashtun from Afghanistan. His father had migrated from Peshawar, British India to New Delhi in 1948 partition of India. Khan's mother was a Bengali from Calcutta. Khan has an elder sister named Shehnaz Lalarukh.
Education
Khan attended St. Columba's School in central Delhi where he excelled in his studies and in sports such as hockey and football, and received the school's highest award, the Sword of Honour. Initially Khan aspired to pursue a career in sports, however owing to a shoulder injury in his early years meant he could no longer play. Instead, he turned his attention towards acting and joined Delhi's Theatre Action Group (TAG) where he studied under the mentorship of theatre director Barry John. After Hansraj, he began studying for a master's degree in Mass Communications at Jamia Millia Islamia, but left to pursue his acting career. He also attended the National School of Drama in Delhi during his early career in Bollywood.
Career
Khan's acting career began in the late 1980s, when he appeared in several television series. His first starring role was in Lekh Tandon's television series Dil Dariya, which began shooting in 1988, but production delays led to the series Fauji becoming his television debut instead. He also appeared in the serials Circus (1989–90) and Ummeed (1989).
In 1991, Khan shifted from New Delhi to Mumbai and received his first offer to act in Hema Malini's directorial debut film Dil Aashna Hai, and began shooting for his debut film, Deewana. Deewana released in June 1992 and became a box office hit, and launched Khan's Bollywood career. He went on to star in a series of successful films including Darr (1993), Baazigar (1993), and Anjaam (1994).
Personal Life
Khan married Gauri Chibber, a Punjabi Hindu, in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on 25 October 1991, after a six-year courtship. They have a son Aryan (born 1997) and a daughter Suhana (born 2000). In 2013, they became parents of a third child, a son, named AbRam, who was born through a surrogate mother.
Philanthropy
Khan is also known for his philanthropic endeavours. He has established the Meer Foundation, an NGO that works towards supporting underprivileged women. He is also associated with several other charitable foundations and has been honoured for his contribution to social causes.
Awards and Honours
Khan is one of the most decorated Bollywood actors. He has received 14 Filmfare Awards from 30 nominations and special awards, including eight for Best Actor; he is tied for the most in the category with Dilip Kumar. In 2005, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in the country. Khan is also the recipient of several international honours.
