For over three decades, the landscape of Bollywood has been defined by a triumvirate of superstars: Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan. Their choices don't just create blockbuster films; they shape cultural conversations and reflect societal norms.
But in the cinematic worlds built around these colossal male stars, how much space is actually given to women? Do they have their own stories, concerns, and conversations? To find out, we applied a simple but powerful tool: The Bechdel-Wallace Test.
What is the Bechdel Test?
It’s a simple measure of female presence in fiction. To pass, a film must meet three criteria:
- It has to have at least two named women in it...
- ...who talk to each other...
- ...about something besides a man.
This test isn't a measure of a film's quality or a "feminist" stamp of approval. It’s a low bar that acts as a barometer for the bare minimum of female interaction. When we applied it to the filmographies of the three Khans, the results were staggering.
The Final Scorecard: A Clear Hierarchy
The Perfectionist & The Producer
The Mainstream Median
The 'Bhai' of the Masses
The Persona Fingerprint: Why the Scores Differ
1. Aamir Khan: The Perfectionist's Paradox (42%)
Aamir Khan's top position is no surprise. His brand is built on "quality," issue-based cinema. Films like Lagaan, Dangal, and Secret Superstar are often ensemble pieces that naturally create a broader social world, allowing women to have conversations independent of the hero. The "Producer Effect" is real: films from Aamir Khan Productions are his most consistent passes.
However, a 42% score means most of his films still fail. This is the "Aamir Khan Paradox": even progressive themes are often framed through a male-savior lens (PK, Ghajini), isolating female characters within the hero's journey.
See Aamir Khan's Filmography Analysis
| Film | Year | Result | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar | 1992 | Pass | Anjali and her friend discuss school life, competitions, and their futures. |
| Lagaan | 2001 | Pass | Village women discuss the drought, tax, and supporting the team. |
| Ghajini | 2008 | Fail | Kalpana exists only in flashbacks and has no meaningful conversations with any other named woman. |
2. Shahrukh Khan: The Romance Trap (35%)
SRK's score places him as the quintessential mainstream standard. His legacy as the "King of Romance" is also his biggest handicap in this test. The "Romance Trap" in iconic films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai centers the universe so tightly around the hero-heroine relationship that it invalidates female friendships in favor of romantic rivalry.
His passes come when he steps outside this persona. Chak De! India is a masterclass in passing. Dear Zindagi allows its female protagonist a world of her own. Even the classic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge passes because it gives Simran a female world (her mother and sister) to confide in beyond her love for Raj.
See Shahrukh Khan's Filmography Analysis
| Film | Year | Result | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|
| DDLJ | 1995 | Pass | Simran and her mother/sister discuss her dreams, life, and arranged marriage. |
| Kuch Kuch Hota Hai | 1998 | Fail | Anjali and Tina's relationship is entirely defined by their connection to Rahul. |
| Chak De! India | 2007 | Pass | The female hockey players constantly talk about strategy, teamwork, and personal issues. |
3. Salman Khan: The 'Bhai' Narrative Gravity Well (15%)
Salman Khan's shockingly low score is the direct result of his post-2009 "Bhai" persona. His blockbuster formula—seen in Wanted, Dabangg, Bodyguard—creates a "narrative gravity well." The star is so immense that he warps the story around him, pulling every character into his orbit.
In this model, the heroine's role is reduced to a damsel, a conquest, or a decoration. The few passes are stark exceptions. Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! is a strong pass. More recently, films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Sultan passed because the plot demanded a world beyond the hero.
See Salman Khan's Filmography Analysis
| Film | Year | Result | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! | 1994 | Pass | Sisters Nisha and Pooja have numerous conversations about family, songs, and pregnancy. |
| Dabangg | 2010 | Fail | Rajjo is a passive character defined by her interactions with the hero, Chulbul Pandey. |
| Bajrangi Bhaijaan | 2015 | Pass | Munni's mother in Pakistan has conversations with other village women about her lost daughter. |
Charting the Change: A Tale of Three Decades
Conclusion: The Structural Power of Stardom
The Khan Test proves that the brand each star has built is the single biggest factor in determining the narrative space given to women in their films. Male stardom exerts a powerful force, and centering a hero often requires de-centering everyone else.
While things are slowly changing, this analysis is a stark illustration of who gets to be the center of the story, and who is often left in the silent margins.