SRK is now known as Kabir Khan

After playing yuppie lover in several romantic films he got tagged as the best entertainer in the country. But Shah Rukh Khan has surprised everyone with his latest Chak De India where his performance as a no-nonsense hockey coach establishes him as one of the finest actors in the Hindi film industry.

If writer Jaideep Sahni and director Shimit Amin are getting accolades for making such an unconventional film, Shah Rukh too is winning praise for his natural performance as Kabir Khan, the disgraced hockey player who tries to redeem his prestige by coaching the women's hockey team and creating winners.

Those who thought Swades was SRK's best performance, as an Indian American NASA scientist who comes home on a visit only to get involved in developmental projects in a village, will be surprised with his emoting in Chak De India.

The actor, who had earned much flak for doing Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, shows his prowess and shuts up critics as the film has so far not received any negative feedback.

While fans say they are proud of him for choosing an unusual film like this, critics across the globe are raving about how effortlessly he plays a coach who succeeds in moving from glory to gloom.

"After Swades, Shah Rukh has again essayed a role where he has totally negated his own superstar self and completely become the character he is supposed to play. There is not a single trace of the superstar that we have seen in most of his films like Don," said Anuradha, a Shah Rukh fan.

Critic Andy Webster in his review in New York Times writes: "For his part, Mr Khan, to his credit, lets his co-stars' youthful charisma carry the movie. He also laudably portrays a man who vigorously and unabashedly advocates the advancement of women."

The film is based on former India goalkeeper Mir Ranjan Negi who lost his glory after conceding several goals in a match against Pakistan in the 1982 Asian Games final. He was dropped from the team. Negi returned to the hockey field, most grudgingly, 16 years later as a goalkeeping coach and helped India in winning the 1998 Asian Games men's gold at Bangkok and the women's gold at the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002.