Shah Rukh Khan’s King poster faces backlash as fans draw parallels with Dhurandhar 2

Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming action film King has found itself at the centre of a social media debate after its latest poster was compared with Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar: The Revenge, popularly known as Dhurandhar 2. Unveiled on October 27, 2026, the poster has received mixed reactions, with some fans praising the superstar’s rugged appearance while others have questioned the promotional artwork’s originality.

King Poster controversy: Why Fans are comparing it with Dhurandhar 2

The new King poster features Shah Rukh Khan in a rugged avatar, sporting grey hair, a beard, a distressed leather jacket and an unbuttoned shirt. He is seen holding a gun in one hand, with a red rose between his teeth, against what appears to be a burning aircraft.

The visual treatment, including the fiery background, colour grading and composition, prompted comparisons with Dhurandhar: The Revenge. The latter features Ranveer Singh as spy Hamza Ali Mazari, walking towards the camera against a backdrop of flames. Several social media users pointed to the similarities between the two promotional images, leading to criticism of King’s first-look design.

Some users also compared King’s visuals with other action movie posters like Metro Exodus.

Shah Rukh shared the poster with the caption, “Aaj phir yaad aaya... Qaatil nahi... Aashiq hoon...” The line recalls the title track of his 1990 film Baadshah and adds a romantic element to the otherwise intense visual.

The film is directed by Siddharth Anand, who previously collaborated with Shah Rukh Khan on the 2023 action blockbuster Pathaan. The upcoming film features an ensemble cast, including Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Jaideep Ahlawat, Abhay Verma, Arshad Warsi and Raghav Juyal. While the makers have kept the central storyline and several character details under wraps, the film is expected to deliver a large-scale action thriller.

The film is scheduled to release in theatres on December 24, 2026.

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