Mumbai, India —

The ritual begins, as it always does, with a pilgrimage.

People pour in from the dense warrens of India’s financial capital and from dusty villages thousands of kilometers away, all flowing towards the fortified, sea-facing Mumbai home of actor Shah Rukh Khan.

The crowd is a mix of teenagers angling for a glimpse of the icon inside; middle-aged women for whom he was a first love; grown men who see their own aspirations mirrored in his trajectory.

Known as “SRK” by millions, and “King Khan” to his fans, he turned 60 last week, and the chaotic display of devotion outside his home is a testament to a level of stardom rarely seen elsewhere.

The air is thick with chants celebrating his milestone. Some have waited overnight. They don masks or T-shirts with his face on, or

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