Shah Rukh Khan's next film, King, is set to close 2026 with a Christmas Eve release on Thursday, 24 December. Directed by Siddharth Anand, who made Pathaan with SRK, it is one of the biggest Hindi films of the year and the first big-screen pairing of Shah Rukh and his daughter Suhana Khan.
Here is everything we know about King.
King at a glance
Release date: Thursday, 24 December 2026
Director: Siddharth Anand
Producers: Gauri Khan, Siddharth Anand and Mamta Anand (Red Chillies Entertainment and Marflix Pictures)
Music: songs by Sachin-Jigar and Anirudh Ravichander; background score by Anirudh
Languages: Hindi, with dubbed versions in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English
Reported budget: around Rs 350 crore
King cast
1. Shah Rukh Khan as a highly skilled assassin
2. Suhana Khan as his apprentice
3. Abhishek Bachchan as the main villain
4. Deepika Padukone
5. Rani Mukerji
6. Anil Kapoor
7. Jackie Shroff
8. Arshad Warsi
9. Jaideep Ahlawat
10. Abhay Verma
11. Raghav Juyal
Ranveer Singh is reported to have an extended cameo.
Deepika Padukone and Shah Rukh Khan have one of Bollywood's most loved pairings, from Om Shanti Om to Chennai Express, Pathaan and Jawan, so fans are watching closely for what her role will be.
What is King about?
King is an action thriller about an assassin who guides a young apprentice through a dangerous criminal world. Reports have compared its set-up to the 1994 French film Leon: The Professional. The makers have kept the details of the story under wraps.
King songs and music
Music fans have two big reasons to be excited.
1. Anirudh Ravichander. After Jawan, Anirudh returns to a Shah Rukh Khan film. He is composing songs and the full background score. The first track out is They Call Him King, the film's theme, sung by Anirudh himself.
2. Sachin-Jigar, the duo behind hits such as Tere Vaaste and Apna Bana Le, are composing songs too.
Expect the full album to release in the weeks before 24 December. In recent years, SRK film songs have taken over Reels and wedding playlists within days of release, and King arrives right in the middle of wedding season.
Why the Christmas Eve release matters
Christmas and New Year week is one of the busiest cinema periods of the year in India. Schools are on holiday, offices slow down and families go out together. A release on Thursday, 24 December gives King a long holiday run into New Year's Day.
It also comes a week after Hollywood's Avengers: Doomsday on 18 December, so December 2026 will be a huge month at the Indian box office.
See every big film on the calendar in our guide to upcoming Bollywood movies at https://mediamarvels.in/blog/upcoming-bollywood-movies-november-december-2026.
King: FAQs
When is King releasing?
Thursday, 24 December 2026.
Who is the director of King?
Siddharth Anand, who also directed Pathaan and War.
Is Suhana Khan in King?
Yes. Suhana Khan plays Shah Rukh Khan's apprentice. It is her first theatrical film.
Who is the villain in King?
Abhishek Bachchan plays the main antagonist.
Who composed the music for King?
Anirudh Ravichander and Sachin-Jigar compose the songs, and Anirudh composes the background score.
Releasing a party or wedding song this December? Get it heard before the holiday rush. Promote your music on Media Marvels at https://mediamarvels.in/promote.
