The King and I

I will get a window with SRK after 53 full days…

Meena Iyer 

Timeline December, 2018: Aanand L Rai’s dwarf-drama, Zero, with Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma was declared a disaster. SRK, Hindi cinema’s biggest hero was dwarfed for a bit. March 2020: The Pandemic struck—the world retreated. On October 2, 2021: SRK’s elder son Aryan Khan is arrested in an NCB raid on a ship in Mumbai. He is then remanded to custody on October 3. After 25 days in custody, Aryan’s name is cleared by the NCB in the Bombay High Court in May 2022.

For six months between 2021 and 20-22, one TV anchor runs amok on the Aryan matter, relentlessly browbeating the superstar son. The result is; the Indian media is declared persona-nongrata by SRK. It’s an assembly-drill. The innocent are also punished along with the guilty, despite 80 per cent of journalists sharing pro Aryan posts on their social media as then the general consensus was that he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Such extenuating circumstances would’ve defeated another. Not SRK. He’s got a warrior-spirit. 2023: SRK’s comeback year. Pathaan and Jawan are amongst the biggest hits ever.  SRK has the last laugh. He doesn’t need the media. He’s King again and the media is left out to dry.

Celebrations begin

The dhol, nagada and batasha are sounded. But the media, even those who walked with SRK for four decades are left out in the cold.

In the meantime, it is business as usual for Khan. He is spotted routinely at private airports, sometimes with a hoody, at other times with a ponytail. Ravi Singh, his personal security guard, works tirelessly in keeping the paps away from making direct eye-contact with his master.

At the Ambani house celebrations, SRK dances with the hosts, at award-shows, he is a cryptic/funny host. When he picks up trophies for Jawan, he’s respectful. And, at Abram’s school PTA and sports meetings, he is the cynosure of all eyes. Through trained lenses, you almost see a parent or two biting-down-hard on their lips, hoping not to embarrass themselves by asking SRK for a selfie. He of course is aware of the flutter his presence is causing. But, he cleverly sidesteps adulation.

Media still treated like caged animals

He addressed the media, callously barricaded, when he celebrated the success of his film Jawan on September 15, 2023 at YRF Studios. And, though he passed close enough for some gaping journalists to get a whiff of his scent and pull at his coat, no one could jump up for a selfie. The security glared them down like they were pissants who had come out of the studio woodwork.

The son does his father proud a hundred times over

On August 20, 2025, SRK once again chose YRF Studios as the venue to introduce his son Aryan in his director avatar of the OTT Series, The Ba***ds of Bollywood. He was funny, took potshots at himself and entertained the people present. But no, not even for Aryan’s sake, did he grant the media a ‘come-and-see-me-at-the-back’ pass. It was once again; distance makes the heart yearn longer formula.

Aryan’s directorial debut, The Ba***ds of Bollywood, premiered on September 18, 2025. Within four days, the 7-episode series was declared a global hit clocking 2.8 million views. SRK stands vindicated when his son picks up awards for best debut. No media is called for the celebration party. Instead, Aryan gets ready for Season 2, which is likely to go on the floors next September. The message is simple. If you are important enough, the media will do their news gathering.

King closes yet another landmark deal

PharsFilm has acquired the entire overseas theatrical distribution rights for SRK’s King in a record-breaking deal. Phars has secured the international rights under a minimum guarantee (MG) agreement valued at ₹175 crore (over USD 18 million) marking the highest ever MG for an Indian film.

Phars is the Middle East’s largest film distribution and exhibition network, founded in 1964 in Dubai by Ahmad Golchin.

On his birthday, today

Today, the King turns 61. In the evening, he may (not sure because of security protocols) he just may, climb the Mannat iron railings with youngest son, Abram and wave to the minions standing below on the Bandstand promenade outside the Mannat gates.

Post the darshan, he will duck into oblivion

When the commotion dies down a bit, he will disappear into this palace, cut a common cake with his manager, Pooja Dadlani (who shares her birthday with him) and then after 53 days he will come back to his audience with Siddharth Anand’s King, which releases on Thursday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) this year.

Here’s my chance to sing happy birthday!

And, in that theatre, no one can take SRK away from me. All guards will be down, all prejudices set aside. I will then have one on one with him. Our eyes will lock; our breath will knock. And, suddenly nothing/no one will matter. All the obstacles (silences/security), the distance (years of not speaking) will dissolve. Leaving me secure in my own SRKian world.  For today, it’s just, ‘Happy birthday Shah Rukh’. The rest you know already.