ZERO: Will Shah Rukh Khan finally get it right this time?

Shah Rukh Khan is gearing up for his next film, Zero. There was a time when he could deliver a blockbuster even in his sleep back in the day, even with the most mediocre performances and films, reminiscent of Salman Khan’s brand of cinema in today’s times. Till Chennai Express (2013), the actor knew how to create a blend of his stardom and outlandish plot-points.

But it was Khan’s collaboration with the same director of that potboiler that began to shake his unparalleled streak at the ticket windows. Yes, we are talking about Dilwale (2015).

Even Fan (2016), which marked his return to solid acting, failed to connect with the viewers.

Zero is the actor’s acid test. He’s playing a dwarf who celebrates his weaknesses and imperfections. He’s teaming up with Aanand L. Rai, who currently is one of the most fascinating and unique voices in the business. But here’s the problem, just like The Jungle Book, which crippled Fan’s prospects at the box-office, Zero is surrounded by two major Hollywood releases- Aquaman and Alita: Battle Angel, which opens at the cinemas on the same day.

Plus, just a week after the film comes the Ranveer Singh-Rohit Shetty combo, Simmba.

But given how SRK has risked himself by playing a role that cannot be described as heroic in the language of mainstream commercial cinema, Zero is an experiment that should pay off. And mere critical acclaim won’t be enough; the actor has to make a lot of noise at the box-office on December 21 as well.

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