It has been nearly six months since the first-look teaser of King dropped on the occasion of Shah Rukh Khan’s 60th birthday. Even with the theatrical release still about seven months away, anticipation remains sky-high. Recently, an observant tweet from an SRK fan sparked a wave of nostalgia by pointing out that King is secretly a massive reunion project. The superstar is set to share screen space with several members of this star-studded ensemble cast after gaps spanning one, two, or even three decades.
Decades in the Making: The Biggest Reunions
The casting of King brings together iconic pairings that defined different eras of Indian cinema:
- Anil Kapoor (31 Years): Locking in a crucial role, Anil Kapoor will share the screen with Shah Rukh Khan for the first time since the 1995 action-drama Trimurti. Remarkably, that was the only film to ever feature both actors together until now.
- Saurabh Shukla (26 Years): After working together thrice in quick succession—Baadshah (1999), Hey Ram (2000), and Mohabbatein (2000)—Shukla and SRK reunite after more than a quarter of a century.
- Arshad Warsi (21 Years): While they haven’t shared full-fledged leading roles before, SRK famously made a pivotal, entertaining cameo in the Warsi-led comedy Kuchh Meetha Ho Jaye back in 2005.
- Rani Mukerji (20 Years): Rani stands as the co-star in this lineup with whom SRK has the most extensive history, spanning 12 films total (including cameos). However, their last full-fledged appearance as co-leads was in Karan Johar’s relationship drama Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006).
Returning Collaborators from the 2010s and 2020s
The film also brings back key players from SRK’s massive blockbusters over the last decade:
The Happy New Year (2014) Duo: Both Jackie Shroff and Abhishek Bachchan last shared the frame with the superstar 12 years ago in Farah Khan’s heist-comedy. Prior to that, Jackie and SRK worked on classics like King Uncle (1993) and Devdas (2002). Jaideep Ahlawat (9 Years): The powerhouse actor previously crossed paths with SRK in the gritty crime-drama Raees (2017).
Deepika Padukone (3 Years): Keeping their flawless box-office streak alive, Deepika returns to the screen with SRK following her impactful extended cameo in Jawan (2023). Together, the duo has delivered five historic hits, beginning with her debut in Om Shanti Om (2007).
