At a time when films like ‘Ramayana’ and ‘Varanasi’ are making waves online for mega-budgets to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore and Rs 1,400 crore, respectively, Shah Rukh Khan‘s movie ‘King’ also hit the headlines over buzz about its budget.‘King’ budget creates buzz onlineRumours doing the rounds online claim that ‘King’, featuring a star-studded cast of Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji and many others, is being mounted on a staggering budget of Rs 450 crore. The speculation began after a report by Bollywood Hungama claimed that the film emerged as one of the most expensive films of Shah Rukh Khan’s career, surpassing his Rs 1,000 crore box office blockbusters like ‘Jawan’ and ‘Pathaan’.

Did Siddharth Anand react to rumours of ‘King’ budget?

Soon after buzz about the alleged budget gained traction on social media, director Siddharth Anand took to his handle to post the word, “False.”Although he did not specify which report he was referring to, netizens soon assumed that the post was a direct response to claims about the film’s inflated budget.

About the ‘King’ budget speculations

According to the report, the publication cited a source claiming, “King started off as an action thriller, but the ambition of SRK and Sid have made it a tentpole action thriller, with some of the biggest action sequences that the audience will get to witness on the spectacle.” The report further alleged that the film’s inflated budget excluded print and other publicity and marketing expenses, and alleged, “All the money spent is to ensure an uncompromised cinematic experience to the audience.“

‘King’ to mark SRK’s return to big screens

‘King’ will see SRK returning to the big screen after a three-year gap. The film reportedly went on floors in May 2025 and is expected to wrap filming by August 2026 after an extensive shoot schedules in India and multiple international locations.The action thriller also marks SRK’s first big-screen venture with daughter Suhana Khan, who is rumoured to also play his on-screen daughter.

‘King’ clash with ‘Dune 3’ and ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

‘King’ is slated to release in cinemas on December 24, in time for the Christmas break. The movie will arrive on the big screen, just days after the box office clash between Timothee Chalamet’s ‘Dune: Part Three’ and ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ which are both slated to release on December 18.