Happy Birthday Shah Rukh Khan: Kajol to Deepika to Anushka, looking back at King Khan's leading ladies

Many young actresses who step into Bollywood, dream of a debut opposite SRK. Very few have that chance.

Deepika Padukone stepped onto the silver screen with Farah Khan's "Om Shanti Om" opposite Shah Rukh. The film went on to become a blockbuster, and she never looked back.

The duo went on to work in several films together, like 'Happy New Year' and 'Chennai Express'.

Delhi girl Anushka Sharma also made her debut with Shah Rukh, playing Tani, a vivacious young girl married to middle-aged Surinder, who undergoes a complete makeover to impress her.

With 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi', the duo "hawle hawle" made a place in our hearts. They regrouped four years later, in 2012, for 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' directed by Yash Chopra.

In 2017, they returned to the big screen with Imtiaz Ali's film 'Jab Harry Met Sejal'. Though the film didn't get much Box Office success, fans got to relive the lead pair's chemistry.

So how does Shah Rukh and his leading ladies create a winning formula? The clues lie in the early days of Shah Rukh's career.

When Shah Rukh wanted to try his luck in the Hindi film industry, many leading actresses refused to work with him in the late 80s and early 90s, dismissing him for the way he looked.

Actor Juhi Chawla narrated this incident, where she said she was unsure about working with Shah Rukh, after her blockbuster debut with Aamir Khan, whose "chocolate boy" looks were the rage at the time. She reluctantly agreed and the pair were first seen in "Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman" in 1992.

Shah Rukh and Juhi became a hit pair with Yash Chopra's film 'Darr' in 1993. 'Yes Boss' in 1997 and 'Duplicate' in 1998 solidified their place as crown prince and princess in Bollywood.

But, Yash Raj studios had different plans for Shah Rukh.

Raj and Simran changed the definition of a Bollywood romance, with 1995 film "Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge". Shah Rukh and Kajol became the only pair that every leading director wanted to cast, a sure shot chance at bagging the Box Office moolah.

Filmmaker Karan Johar delivered several hits with the duo, like 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' and 'My Name is Khan'. Audiences lapped up the Shah Rukh-Kajol chemistry for years that followed.

Through Karan Johar's filmography, emerged yet another successful jodi -- Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji.

After 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', Shah Rukh and Rani delivered many hits which were not films made by the Johar or Chopra clan. Audiences loved them in 2003 film "Chalte Chalte" directed by Aziz Mirza.

Fans loved the duo in 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham' , even though Rani had a supporting role.

In 2006 film 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna', Shah Rukh and Rani navigated the complicated subject of adultery, as their marriages fell through with their respective partners. The film was a runaway hit.

So much is said about the age gap or wage gap between the heroes and heroines in Bollywood. But if there was one Bollywood star among that entire bevy who could take the fight to misogyny, it would be King Khan.

In 2013, the Badshah of Bollywood made a gaspworthy move in a pretty sexist industry, when he said that the female lead’s name in every one of his movies would appear before his own in the credit roll. He still sticks to that.

Shah Rukh, in his speech after being conferred the honorary doctorate by Edinburgh University, also addressed the pay gap in Bollywood.

"We can start with pay being equal. In our company, we believe in putting female stars’ names before the male stars’ names. These are insignificant things in comparison to what needs to be done, but having said that, when I see women working in Bollywood, or other industries, I feel there is a certain movement of equality."

Here's wishing Shah Rukh Khan a very happy birthday!