Shah Rukh Khan reveals his King character is ‘ruthless and dark’, ‘Khooni hai, logo ko maar deta hai aur poochta bhi nahi’ |
Bollywood’s beloved superstar Shah Rukh Khan turned 60 on November 2, and as always, he made sure his fans had a reason to celebrate too. The actor unveiled the highly anticipated teaser and first look of his upcoming film King in the morning, and later that evening, he greeted thousands of admirers who gathered outside his Mumbai residence for a grand birthday celebration.During the meet-and-greet event, Shah Rukh got candid about his career, family, and National Award win for Jawan (2023). He also opened up about his next big project, Siddharth Anand’s action thriller King, revealing intriguing insights into the complex character he plays in the film.
“The character in King is very interesting… he’s a killer who doesn’t even ask ‘how many were there’”
In a viral clip from the fan interaction, SRK explained how King will offer audiences something different from the usual hero tropes.“I just feel, film ke andar naa kuchh interesting agar hum nahi karenge, toh wohi shots ke andar hero aayega, do gaane gaayega, do fight karega, chala jaayega. Toh, King ka jo character hai, bohot hi interesting hai. Siddharth aur Sujoy ne bohot prem se likha hai. Aur usme bohot saari buraaiyaan hain. Khooni hai, logo ko maar deta hai aur poochta bhi nahi, ‘kitne the kabhi poocha nahi’. I think storytelling ke liye, aur isliye nahi ki youngsters ab filmein dekhte hain, I think bohot zaroori hai ki mere jaise hero log jo hain, woh alag alag roles play karein. Kuchh inspiring ho, kuchh aspiring ho, kuchh comic ho, kuchh romantic ho. So ab main koshish yahi kar raha hun yaar, ab main, ek do saal mein hi film hoti hai ek achhi badi waali, because I also know ki films banana abhi thoda aur mushkil ho gaya hai. Toh humein bohot dhyaan se banana chahiye, ki aapko let down naa karein.” (I feel that if we don’t do something interesting in films, it just becomes the same thing — the hero comes, sings two songs, fights, and leaves. The character in King is very interesting. Siddharth and Sujoy have written it with great love. He has many flaws — he’s a killer who kills people and doesn’t even ask, ‘how many were there?’ For storytelling, and not just because youngsters watch movies, I think it’s very important for heroes like me to play different roles — some inspiring, some comic, some romantic. I’m trying to do that now. Since filmmaking has become more challenging, I feel we must be careful not to disappoint the audience.)
“He’s not exactly a villain… he’s dark, grey, and ruthless”
Continuing his thoughts, Shah Rukh clarified that his role in King isn’t that of a conventional villain but something much deeper and layered.“So, not to say it’s a villain or not… Yes, he’s a very dark character. A very grey character. Aur mujhe lagta hai bohot interesting hoga. Bohot ruthless hai. Toh yeh jitni bhi linein hain iske andar, I think more or less yeh uss character ko darshati hai, batati hai. So yes I hope aap logo ko bohot pasand aaye. Iska matlab yeh nahi ki jo yeh karta hai woh aap bhi karo.” (I’m not saying he’s a villain or not… but yes, he’s a very dark, grey, and ruthless character. These lines pretty much describe him. I just hope you all like it — but that doesn’t mean you should do what he does!)He further added that the role is unlike anything he has done before. “So it’s not ki main villain bhi play kar raha hun, ya sirf negative. Yeh role bada accha hai, aur bohot interesting hai. Toh film I think, Sid ne jaise ki hai, bohot interesting aur bade scale pe hai. So I hope you enjoy, just the character.” (It’s not that I’m simply playing a villain or a negative role. It’s a really good and interesting part. I think the film, as Sid has made it, is very engaging and on a grand scale. I just hope you all enjoy the character.)
A family affair with a stellar cast
Adding to the excitement, King will also mark the on-screen collaboration between Shah Rukh Khan and his daughter Suhana Khan, who recently made her acting debut. The film features a powerful ensemble including Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan, and Deepika Padukone. Directed by Siddharth Anand, King is expected to release in theatres next year and is already one of the most anticipated films of 2025.
