Making amends, SRK-style!

By rediff.com

Preeti Arora in Mumbai

As recently as three years ago, Shah Rukh Khan was ruling the roost.

Post Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, almost all his films -- Main Hoon Na, Swades, Veer Zara, Don --were super hits.

The occasional box office dud (Paheli) didn't really matter in the larger scheme of things. Endorsements, home productions, overseas distribution, his business interests were all growing at a phenomenal pace.

But then suddenly things changed. Shah Rukh was rubbing too many people the wrong way. It started with the Bachchans. Vinod Chopra was another recipient of Shah Rukh's wicked sense of humour at a popular awards function. Sajid Khan and SRK were no longer buddy-buddy.

The turning point was Katrina Kaif's birthday party in 2008. Getting into a public brawl was Salman's trademark style, not Shah Rukh's. From then onwards King Khan realised he needed to make amends. We don't know whether SRK has really changed or it's just an exercise in public relations.

But for the last two years Shah Rukh has been behaving in a fairly diplomatic fashion. Well, he hasn't invited Salman Khan over for dinner yet, but with many others the change is quite apparent. Here's a look at the people at the receiving end:

Image: Shah Rukh Khan

Photographs: Pradeep Bandekar