As Bollywood’s iconic trio—Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Aamir Khan—approach the milestone age of 60, actress and humanitarian Somy Ali shares her heartfelt reflections on their legacy, their evolving portrayals of masculinity, and the deep personal impact each of them has had on her life.

“First of all, my brain does not register any of these three turning 60! Are you kidding me?” Somy laughs. “I still recall watching Maine Pyar Kiya, Baazigar, and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Time really flies when you’re cherishing your love of Hindi cinema.”

Speaking candidly about their screen personas and off-screen evolution, she agrees with the commonly attributed archetypes of the Khans—with one exception. “I agree with the way you’ve defined Salman and Aamir. But not Shah Rukh. I’m biased here—SRK is my favorite actor and human being,” she admits. “I’ve never seen anyone ooze kindness, elegance, and beauty the way Gauri does—and it makes complete sense, because that’s who Shah Rukh is too.”

For Somy, Shah Rukh Khan represents a genre-defying, emotionally complex actor who transcends labels. “SRK is a villain, a hero, a son with a vengeance, a sociopath in Darr, someone who does cameos and leads with equal power. No one does romance like Shah Rukh. The sky is the limit with him. And what blows my mind is how audiences accepted him in all those roles—because he’s just that good. If I could start all over again, I would literally die to be his shadow—just to learn how to act from him and be a better human being.”

Turning her attention to Aamir Khan, Somy speaks with admiration for his intellectual depth and screen naturalism. “Aamir is a perfectionist. He reminds me of Chintu uncle—so natural, it feels like he’s having a conversation with you rather than acting. I’ve only done one photoshoot with him, but even then, I could sense his intellectual, professorial vibe. I’ll never forget my little crush on him in Dil. He deserves far more accolades than he gets. His brilliance is underrated, and he’s an incredibly kind person.”
And of course, when it comes to Salman Khan, Somy brings both nostalgia and respect to her words, having shared a past with him.

“Salman plays ‘angry’ extremely well, and it comes from his real-life intensity. He was also the quintessential lover boy in films like Tere Naam. In Maine Pyar Kiya, he was so good—I flew 8,849 miles to marry him! (laughs). But what truly stands out about Salman is how much he’s improved with every film. His work ethic is unmatched. He could wrap a shoot at 3 a.m., head home, and still hit the gym. Outside of Akshay Kumar, I haven’t seen that level of physical discipline.”

She adds, “In his early years, his good looks helped him through roles where he wasn’t as polished as an actor. But the last film I saw of his was Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and his heartbreak in that made me cry. That tells you how far he’s come as a performer. I’d say he’s the most improved actor of the three.”

When asked to rate the Khans as actors, Somy says: “Shah Rukh is a 10+, Aamir is a 10+, and Salman is a solid 9+.”

Summing up her thoughts, she says: “My heart beats for Shah Rukh—no one can do what he does. And even at 60, I know his dedication, professionalism, and performance will only get better.”