By Dipali Patel: Tom Cruise and Shah Rukh Khan are two undisputed superstars – one from the West, another from the home country. While SRK ruled a million hearts with his charisma in Bollywood. Cruise charmed his way into his fans’ hearts by dominating the action world in Hollywood. Both have two contrasting personalities but are still connected with a thread – the thread of love for their craft and unfathomable stardom.
5 THINGS IN COMMON BETWEEN SRK AND TOM CRUISETHE THUNDEROUS COMEBACKShah Rukh Khan and Tom Cruise were both seen in 2018 with their films Zero and Mission Impossible: Fall Out before taking a break from movies. Mission Impossible raked in a total collection of $791.1 million worldwide, against a production budget of $178 million. It became the highest-grossing Mission Impossible film at the time. Zero, on the other hand, failed to leave an impression. Directed by Aanand L Rai, the film was made on a budget of Rs 200 crores and minted Rs 186 crores worldwide.
But when both Curise and SRK returned to the big screens after a gap in 2022 and 2023 respectively- they ensured the wait was worth it. Shah Rukh Khan shattered all the box office records and scripted history with Pathaan. The film proved yet again why SRK is and will always be the Badshah of Bollywood and, in fact, also, the Pathaan of the box office.
Similarly, Tom Cruise made a thunderous comeback with Top Gun: Maverick, a film in the popular franchise after 36 years. That’s right. He returned as Lt. Pete Mitchell and the fans welcomed him with only love. Top Gun: Maverick even shattered the Memorial Day record set by Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.
WORKED WITH THE SAME STUNT DIRECTOR
Now, the action scenes in Pathaan were something that got everyone talking about it. But what’s interesting is that the makers had got on board Hollywood stunt coordinator Casey O’Neill, who has extensively worked with Tom Cruise in films like Mission Impossible and even Top Gun: Maverick. So now here’s another similarity that SRK & Tom share between themselves.
Shah Rukh Khan has been wooing hearts ever since his Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge hit cinemas in 1995. But what came as a treat for SRK fans was when the makers decided to re-release the film in theatres coinciding with the superstar’s birthday on November 2. It was a strategic move by the makers before the Pathaan storm took over the ticket counters.
Top Gun: Maverick, on the other hand, was also re-released between December 2 and December 15, before James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water hit theatres on December 16 to keep cinephiles entertained.
MADAME TUSSAUD WAX STATUE
Two towering legends, who started off as enraged young men, are now nuanced and renowned artists, with even their wax statues in the famous Madame Tussauds Museum, in London.
YOUNG AT HEART
From trying out new roles to breaking barriers, Tom Cruise and Shah Rukh Khan may just be 60 and 57 respectively, but they have always ensured they are on top of their games to deliver what their audience wants.
What’s also worth noting is the fact that even though one hasn’t seen a crossover between SRK and Tom Cruise in their industries yet. The former had once reiterated that he would love to see the latter do a Bollywood film.
