Salman Khan roars at 47

Turning 47 is a mixed bag for Salman Khan. His newest film Dabangg 2 is blazing away at the box office, as did his other release this year Ek Tha Tiger. However, Alpha Khan's birthday coincides with a court date in relation to the 2002 hit-and-run-case. Salman has also been handed a summons by a Jodhpur Court looking into the 1998 poaching case.

Here's a journey through the actor's life.

Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan better known as Salman Khan or Sallu bhai was born on December 27, 1965. He is the eldest son of celebrated screenwriter Salim Khan and his first wife Salma Khan (maiden name Sushila Charak). His stepmother is Helen, a famous yesteryear Bollywood actress, who has co-starred with him in Khamoshi: The Musical (1996) and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999).

Salman has two brothers, Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan, and two sisters, Alvira and Arpita. Alvira is married to actor/director Atul Agnihotri.

Salman remains Bollywood's most eligible bachelor despite a series of high-profile relationships with model Sangeeta Bijlani and actresses Somy Ali, Aishwarya Rai and Katrina Kaif.

Salman's turbulent relationship with Aishwarya Rai constantly filled gossip columns. They dated for two years after meeting on the sets of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and broke up in March 2002 amid much acrimony and allegations of physical abuse by Aishwarya. Salman was also involved in a bust up with Aishwarya's next boyfriend, actor Vivek Oberoi, who called a press conference alleging that Salman had threatened him.

The Salman and Katrina romance ended in 2010. Salman admitted to being single while promoting of his film Dabangg. Katrina told a news daily that they broken up but were still friends. She has since co-starred with him in the blockbuster Ek Tha Tiger, is a close friend of his sisters and is always invited to Khan family dos.

Salman made his Bollywood debut with a supporting role in the movie Biwi Ho To Aisi (1988), which had Rekha playing the lead.

His first leading role in a Bollywood movie was in Sooraj R Barjatya's romance-drama Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). The film went on to become one of India's highest grossing films and propelled Salman to instant celebrity. It also won him a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award, and a nomination for Filmfare Best Actor Award.

1990 saw only one film release starring Salman, Baaghi, in which he was paired opposite southern actress Nagma. The film was a box office success. He scored thrice in 1991 with the hit films Patthar Ke Phool, Sanam Bewafa and Saajan.

Despite these tremendous early box office successes, 1992-1993 was a lean patch with with films like Suryavanshi, Ek Ladka Ek Ladki, Jaagruti, Nishchaiy, Chandra Mukhi and Dil Tera Aashiq.

In 1994, a reunion with director Sooraj Barjatya proved lucky yet again. Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, co-starring Madhuri Dixit, was the biggest hit of that year and turned out to be one of Bollywood's highest grossing films ever. Apart from being a commercial success, Salman was praised for his performance, earning his second nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare Awards.

Three more films released that year featured Khan, none of which making a significant impact on the box-office. He did however win praise for his performance in Andaaz Apna Apna, alongside co-star Aamir Khan, which has gained a cult status since its release.

In 1995, Rakesh Roshan's blockbuster reincarnation and revenge themed Karan Arjun, co-starring Shah Rukh Khan, was the second biggest hit of the year. Salman's performance as Karan once again placed among the nominees for the Best Actor trophy at the Filmfare Awards, eventually won by his co-star Shah Rukh Khan.

The rest of the Nineties were marked by both hits as well as misses. 1996 saw Sanjay Leela Bhansali's directional debut Khamoshi: The Musical, co-starring Manisha Koirala, Nana Patekar and Seema Biswas. Though a box office failure, the film was critically acclaimed. Salman next starred with Sunny Deol and Karisma Kapoor in Raj Kanwar's action hit Jeet.

Other hits included 1997's comedy Judwaa, co-starring Karisma Kapoor, where he played a dual role of twins separated at birth, Pyar Kiya To Darna Kiya with Kajol, the blockbuster Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam with Aishwarya and Ajay Devgn, Biwi No. 1 with Karisma and Sushmita Sen and Sooraj Barjatya's family saga Hum Saath Saath Hain in which his love interest was played by Sonali Bendre. Also memorable was Salman's guest appearance as Kajol's fiancé in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai starring SRK and directed by Karan Johar. His performance earned Salman his second Filmfare Award under the Best Supporting Actor category.

2000 was not promising. Salman acted in six films, most of which failed critically and commercially, except for the moderately successful Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega and Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, both of which co-starred Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta. His performance in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, the release of which was delayed until 2001, was received well. The film was one of the first Bollywood movies to handle the issue of surrogate childbirth. Critics noted his turn towards a more serious role, which reportedly had more substance in comparison to his previous roles.

His next few releases sent his career graph dipping until he made a comeback in 2003 with Tere Naam. The film was a major earner and his performance was praised by critics.

He subsequently continued his successful run at the box office with comedies like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, No Entry and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya.

2006-2007 was a dry spell yet again with Jaan-E-Mann, Baabul and Salaam E Ishq all tanking at the box office.

But the superhit Partner not only resurrected Salman's dwindling popularity, it also brought back actor Govinda's career from the dead. He next appeared in his first Hollywood movie Marigold: An Adventure in India opposite American actress Ali Larter. Telling the love story between an Indian man and an American woman, the film was a major failure, both commercially and critically. He also appeared cameos in Om Shanti Om and Saawariya.

None of Salman's films in 2008 did well - Heroes, Yuvvraaj, God Tussi Great Ho and Hello.. Salman's first film of 2009, Wanted, directed by choreographer turned director Prabhu Deva was declared a smash hit in its first weekend of release itself. His home production Main Aurr Mrs Khanna, starring Kareena Kapoor, and London Dreams failed miserably at the box office. The year 2010 saw a debacle in the form of Veer. The film was directed by Anil Sharma, and also had Mithun Chakraborty, Sohail Khan and Jackie Shroff.

However, the same year, Salman delivered the first of what was to be a string of back-to-back blockbusters, As inspector Chulbul Robinhood Pandey in the movie Dabangg, Salman reclaimed his position at the top of the box office charts. The film also launched Shatrughan Sinha's daughter Sonakshi Sinha into showbiz.

In 2011 Salman hit the box office bullseye with Anees Bazmee's romantic comedy Ready, opposite Asin and in Bodyguard opposite Kareena Kapoor. Both movies turned out to be super hits and broke many box office records.

Ek Tha Tiger, Salman's first movie with the formidable Yash Raj Films was released on August 15, 2012. Co-starring Katrina Kaif, Ek Tha Tiger shattered box office records and became the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time after Aamir Khan's 3 Idiots.

Salman got rave reviews for his performance as a RAW agent in the film. He's ending the year on a high note as well, with the just-released Dabangg 2 breaking the opening weekend record of 3 Idiots.

Salman has also carved out a niche for himself on TV, hosting two seasons of game show Dus Ka Dum and three seasons of reality show Bigg Boss.

Despite being on top of the world in movie terms, Salman has gathered as much controversy off-screen as some of his screen characters do.

He was arrested on September 28, 2002, for allegedly ramming his car into a Bandra bakery, killing one person sleeping on the pavement and injuring three others. He was charged with culpable homicide but was later found not guilty. However, he will still have to stand trial for a series of lesser charges.

Salman has also been summoned by a Jodhpur Court in the 1998 poaching case in which he is accused of shooting two chinkara deer and a black buck in Rajasthan while shooting Hum Saath Saath Hain.

On February 17, 2006, Salman was sentenced to one year in prison for hunting an endangered species. The sentence was stayed by a higher court during appeal. On April 10, 2006, Salman was handed a five year jail term. He was remanded to Jodhpur jail, and remained there until 13 April when he was granted bail. On 24 August 2007, the Jodhpur sessions court, upheld the 5 year jail term. On 31 August 2007, Salman was released on bail from the Jodhpur Central jail where he had spent six days.

Salman also has two fatwas against him, for participating in Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations and for allowing a wax likeness of himself in the Madam Tussaud's Museum to be installed in 2008.

Salman's father Salim Khan defended his son over the Ganesh Chaturthi fatwa saying that he had done nothing wrong. When the second fatwa was issued, Salman said, "these fatwas are becoming a joke".

Salman, famously loyal to his friends, also makes a staunch enemy. His feud with Karan Arjun co-star Shah Rukh Khan is well-known and has divided Bollywood into opposing camps. The feud began at Katrina Kaif's birthday party in 2008 and has continued unabated, despite the occasional attempt at brokering peace by mutual friends such as Aamir Khan and even SRK's wife Gauri. Both Salman and SRK remain vocal about their very public war, though Salman did attend the premiere of SRK's last movie Jab Tak Hain Jaan.