The three biggest names in Bollywood—Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan—have long been regarded as the last of the true superstars. While they share a warm camaraderie off-screen, debates over who among them holds the title of the “biggest star” have persisted for decades.
Interestingly, Aamir Khan himself once openly admitted that he sees Salman and Shah Rukh as bigger stars than him.
Aamir Khan Calls Himself Lesser Star Than SRK, Salman
During the promotions of his 2016 film Dangal, Aamir was asked whether he believed Salman was a bigger star than him. He told the press, “He’s always been a bigger star than me. There’s nothing new. I always considered Shah Rukh, Salman, and Amitabh Bachchan bigger stars. There are a host of stars whom I consider big, and this includes Hrithik Roshan, Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. There are so many stars who are hugely popular. I don’t get into comparisons.”
He further added, “When I see Salman walking into a room, it feels like a star has arrived. When I enter, it looks as if a waiter has entered. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t say that because waiters are great people. I shouldn’t say that, but when Salman enters or Shah Rukh enters, it feels like a star has come… they are bigger stars than me.”
Box Office Clash in 2016
Both Dangal and Salman’s Sultan were released in 2016, five months apart, and went on to become massive blockbusters. Sultan earned ₹607.84 crore worldwide against a budget of ₹80 crore, while Dangal collected a staggering ₹2,070 crore worldwide on a budget of ₹70 crore.
Recent Bonding of the Khans
More recently, before the release of Aamir’s film Sitaare Zameen Par, Salman and Shah Rukh visited him and the cast, spending time with specially-abled children. Now, both Salman and Aamir are set to make cameos in Aryan Khan’s directorial debut Ba**ds of Bollywood*, which premieres on Netflix on September 18.
Upcoming Films of the Three Khans
Aamir is awaiting the release of his next production, Lahore 1947, starring Sunny Deol in the lead role. Salman is currently shooting for Battle of Galwan, directed by Apoorva Lakhia, while Shah Rukh Khan will next be seen in Siddharth Anand’s King, which also features Suhana Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Abhishek Bachchan in key roles.