After the legendary Nayak Raj Razzak, Shakib Khan holds the record for the longest reign at the pinnacle of the Dhallywood industry. Fans adore ‘King Khan’, the ‘Dhallywood Megastar’, who celebrates his birthday on March 28. His ascent to this position is a story no less thrilling than a blockbuster movie script.
Born on March 28, 1979, in Gopalganj, Shakib Khan’s birth name is Masud Rana. Due to his father’s profession, his childhood and adolescence were spent across various districts of Bangladesh. While the dream of cinema perhaps lingered in his subconscious, the journey was far from easy. He made his silver screen debut in 1999 with the film ‘Ananta Bhalobasha’, directed by Sohanur Rahman Sohan.
During the mid-2000s, when Dhaka’s film industry was submerged in a crisis of vulgarity and poor storytelling, Shakib Khan reinvented himself. Films like ‘Shuva’, ‘Amar Swapno Tumi’, ‘Pitar Aashon’, and ‘Koti Takar Kabin’ made him popular among both general audiences and critics. His pairing with Apu Biswas, in particular movies, became one of the most successful duos in the history of Dhallywood.
A major turning point in his career came with the P.A. Kajol-directed film ‘Amar Praner Priya’. Since then, there has been no looking back. By 2010, he had established himself as the industry’s sole dominant superstar.
Around 2014-15, his career faced a slight slump. However, 2016 brought the Indo-Bangla joint venture ‘Shikari’. In this collaboration with India’s Eskay Movies, Shakib underwent a radical transformation in his appearance, fitness, and acting style. The familiar Shakib seemingly transformed into an international standard superstar overnight. Subsequently, through joint productions like ‘Nabab’, ‘Chalbaaz’, and ‘Bhaijaan Elo Re’, he won the hearts of the Bengali diaspora worldwide.
Currently, Shakib is navigating the third phase of his career, which kicked off in 2023 with the massive hit ‘Priyotoma’. Directed by Himel Ashraf, his portrayal of an elderly man and his emotive performance proved exactly why he is called ‘King Khan.’ Following this, films like ‘Borbaad’, ‘Toofan’, and ‘Taandob’ have taken him to new heights. For this Eid’s release, ‘Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka’, he reportedly charged a record-breaking remuneration of 30 million BDT. He also holds previous records for taking 4 million and 10 million BDT as fees.
Shakib Khan’s list of accolades is enviable. To date, he has won the National Film Award for Best Actor four times— ‘Bhalobaslei Ghor Bandha Jay Na (2010)’, ‘Khodar Pore Ma (2012)’, ‘Aro Bhalobashbo Tomay (2015)’, and ‘Satta (2017)’. Additionally, he has won the Meril-Prothom Alo Awards multiple times.
As with any major star, Shakib’s personal life remains a constant subject of discussion. He has faced criticism regarding his relationships, marriages, and children involving Apu Biswas and Shobnom Bubly. However, Shakib has always sought to answer critics through his work. His affection for his elder son, Abram Khan Joy, and younger son, Shehzad Khan Bir, is often visible on social media—a side of him his fans embrace warmly.
Shakib Khan is no longer limited to acting; he has established his own production house, ‘SK Films.’
On this special day, there is but one wish for Shakib Khan. May he remain healthy and continue to elevate Bengali cinema on the global stage through quality films. May the lamp that shone brightly during Dhallywood’s darkest hour continue to burn for many years to come. Happy Birthday!
