Shah Rukh Khan and SS Rajamouli have found a place in Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people of 2023. The two are the only names from the Indian film industry to be featured in the elite annual list, which includes titans like US President Joe Biden, billionaire Elon Musk, ans well as Hollywood stalwarts Angela Bassett, Michael B Jordan, and Colin Farrell.

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Shah Rukh Khan was featured in the Icons section of the list alongside names like King Charles, Salman Rushdie, and Pedro Pascal. As is the norm for the Time100 list, Shah Rukh’s piece was written by someone associated with him and his work. His Pathaan co-star and friend Deepika Padukone wrote about him: “Shah Rukh Khan will forever be known as one of the greatest actors of all time. But what truly sets him apart is his mind, his chivalry, his generosity. The list goes on …”

SS Rajamouli, flying high after the success of RRR, found place in the Pioneers section of the list along with the likes of Doja Cat, Bella Hadid, and Sam Altman. Alia Bhatt, who had a cameo in RRR, wrote in his piece: “India is a massive country with diverse demographics, tastes, and culture. But he gets that - and he unites us through his movies.”

Both Shah Rukh and Rajamouli have enjoyed grand success with their respective most recent ventures. Shah Rukh’s comeback film Pathaan is the highest-grossing Indian film of the year and also his career. It is also the highest-grossing Indian film in most overseas markets. Similarly, Rajamouli’s RRR was the highest-grossing Indian film last year and also bagged several international award, including an Oscar.

Shah Rukh had last week won the Time Magazine’s online poll for this list. The TIME100 readers’ poll has the magazine’s readers vote for the individuals they feel most deserved a spot on the list of the most influential people. Shah Rukh beat the likes of Lionel Messi, Prince William, and Elon Musk in the poll.