Shere Khan

Shere Khan
The Jungle Book character
Shere Khan and his wolf followers, as illustrated by Maurice de Becque in a 1924 French edition of The Jungle Book
First appearance	"Mowgli's Brothers"
Last appearance	"Tiger! Tiger!"
Created by	Rudyard Kipling
Information
Nickname(s)	The Lame One
Species	Bengal tiger
Gender	Male

Shere Khan
Shere Khan as he appears in the 1967 Disney film
First appearance	The Jungle Book
Created by	Rudyard Kipling
Voiced by	George Sanders (The Jungle Book) Scott McNeil (Adventures of Mowgli) Roddy McDowall (Mowgli's Brothers) David Hemblen (Jungle Book Shōnen Mowgli) Tony Jay (Disney appearances: 1990–2006) Jason Marsden (Jungle Cubs) Sherman Howard (The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story) Corey Burton (Disney appearances: 2006–present) David Holt (Jungle Book TV series) Idris Elba (2016 film) Benedict Cumberbatch (2018 film)

Shere Khan /ˈʃɪər ˈkɑːn/ (Hindi: शेर खान; Urdu: شیر خان‎ ) is a fictional character who appears in two of Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book stories featuring Mowgli and their adaptations. According to The Kipling Society, the word Shere (or "shir") translates as "tiger" and Khan is a title of distinction, used together "to show that he is chief among tigers." Other sources indicate Shere may mean "tiger" or "lion" in Persian, Urdu, and Punjabi, and that Khan translates as "king", or "leader", in a number of languages influenced by the Mongols, including Pashto and Urdu. The name may have originated from the nickname of the Afghan warlord who once ruled in India, Sher Shah Suri.

Shere Khan was depicted by Kipling as being born with a crippled leg and derisively nicknamed Lungri (The Lame One) by his mother. Despite this setback, the Shere Khan character is arrogant and regards himself as the rightful lord of the jungle. The only creature who looks up to him is Tabaqui, the cowardly, despised golden jackal.

In "Mowgli's Brothers", Shere Khan's failed attempt to hunt humans causes a human "cub" to stray from his parents. When Shere Khan discovers the infant, it has been adopted by Indian wolves, Raksha and Father Wolf, who have named the child Mowgli. Mowgli is accepted into Akela's wolf pack and protected by Bagheera and Baloo. Furious at losing his kill, the tiger swears that the boy will be his some day. While Mowgli is growing up, Shere Khan infiltrates the wolf pack by promising the younger wolves rich rewards once Akela is deposed. When the young wolves maneuver Akela into missing his kill, the pack council meets to kill and replace him. Shere Khan threatens to take over their hunting territory if the wolves do not give him Mowgli. Having been warned by Bagheera, Mowgli attacks Shere Khan and his allies with a burning branch and drives them away. Akela leaves the pack to become a lone hunter. Mowgli goes to the human village, but swears that he will return one day with Shere Khan's skin.