King's Cast Explained: Who Is in SRK's Film

Shah Rukh Khan's King opens on Dec. 24, and its cast list reads like a reunion. Here is who has been reported to be in it, what is known about the team behind it, and what is not.

The leads

Mid-day lists Shah Rukh Khan alongside Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Deepika Padukone, Jaideep Ahlawat, Saurabh Shukla, Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff in key roles. The film marks Khan's first on-screen collaboration with his daughter, Suhana. In a September question-and-answer session, Khan said that working with Deepika Padukone and Rani Mukerji was "the best ever" and that they are his best friends, as reported by the Indian Express.

The team behind it

King is directed by Siddharth Anand, who made Pathaan with Khan, and is backed by Red Chillies Entertainment and Marflix Pictures. Khan said singer Arijit Singh, who has retired from playback singing, was still adding finishing touches to a song. Khan also joked that Anand "shouts too loud" on set, so nobody can hear the actors.

The look

The film was announced last November with a title reveal on Khan's birthday, showing a silver-haired, action-driven avatar and the line "Darr nahi, Dehshat hoon," Mid-day recalls. The last teaser came in November 2025.

Anil Kapoor's busy autumn

Anil Kapoor is in the King cast, and he also appears in Alpha, which began streaming on Netflix on Aug. 28, per the Times of India. ABP lists him in the cast of Salman Khan's film SVC63 as well. That is three major projects across three superstar-led films, a sign of how often he is called on for ensemble casts. These cast lists are as reported, and the makers of SVC63 have not announced a cast.

Familiar faces, new pairings

Jaideep Ahlawat is also in Drishyam 3, where he replaced Akshaye Khanna, per ThePrint, and Saurabh Shukla made a brief appearance there too. So two of King's cast members appear in the franchise that has just crossed Rs 300 crore.

What the makers have not said

No official character names or plot details have been published in the coverage we reviewed. The July reports of a Rs 450 crore budget were shut down by the director, the Indian Express notes. A 45-second promo has reportedly been certified by the CBFC and may play with Ramayana, per Mid-day, citing Moneycontrol.

Why the cast matters

Khan has not had a release since Dunki in 2023, the Indian Express notes, so King carries the weight of his return. A cast that pairs him with his daughter, with Deepika Padukone and Rani Mukerji, and with veterans like Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff, is designed to give the film appeal across audiences. The film also faces strong competition a week earlier from two Hollywood releases, which Khan answered by saying the date would not change.

Quick facts

Release: Dec. 24, 2026. Director: Siddharth Anand. Producers: Red Chillies Entertainment and Marflix Pictures. Competition: Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three open Dec. 18.

What we could not confirm

We could not confirm character names, run time or any plot beyond the title reveal. The cast list comes from Mid-day and is not an official makers' announcement. We could not confirm the promo plan, and we could not confirm Anil Kapoor's role in SVC63 beyond ABP's list. We have not seen the film.

Sources

*Cover photo: Laura Lee Dooley, Wikimedia Commons, *[*https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anil_Kapoor_%28IIFA-2014-GreenCarpet2_%28321%29.jpg*](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anil_Kapoor_%28IIFA-2014-GreenCarpet2_%28321%29.jpg)* (CC BY 2.0).*