Siddharth Anand on King: It’s About the Audience, Not Numbers, Ahead of Shah Rukh Khan’s Film

Siddharth Anand isn’t letting the hype around King dictate his creative choices.

In a recent interview with Variety India, the filmmaker - who previously teamed up with Shah Rukh Khan for the blockbuster Pathaan - was asked if the expectations tied to their next project translated into box office pressure. His answer was clear: no.
“There are expectations,” Anand acknowledged, noting that working with a megastar like SRK naturally brings attention. But he drew a firm line between meeting expectations and pandering to them. “If I start pandering to them, then it’s a mistake; I’ll go wrong in my filmmaking,” he said, explaining that relying on a supposed success formula leads to second-guessing the audience and ultimately hampers creativity.

Anand pointed to his work on Pathaan - which went on to gross over ₹1,050 crore globally - as an example of success that wasn’t engineered with box office numbers in mind. Instead, he said real magic happens when filmmakers focus on the craft rather than the metrics.

“We are working hard on King as if it were our first film,” he added, underlining the team’s commitment to passing the test with the audience again, rather than merely chasing big figures.

King has been creating buzz since its first glimpse - featuring SRK in a gritty action avatar - was released in November last year. The Christmas 2026 release boasts a dynamic ensemble including Suhana Khan, marking her theatrical debut, alongside Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Arshad Warsi and Jaideep Ahlawat.

With its blend of high-octane action and marquee talent, King is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated Hindi films of 2026. Yet, Anand’s approach sends a clear message: artistic intent comes first, and the rest - including box office results - will follow.