Shah Rukh Khan’s King is one of the most expensive Hindi films ever made. The action thriller is being made on a budget of around Rs 430 crore, and it brings together one of the biggest star casts of the year, led by Shah Rukh Khan, Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone and Abhishek Bachchan.
With the film releasing on December 24 and the buzz around it growing on Shah Rukh Khan’s birthday, here is a complete look at the King movie budget, where the money has gone and how much the cast is getting.
King Movie Budget at a Glance
| Budget | Around Rs 430 crore |
| Production houses | Red Chillies Entertainment, Marflix Pictures |
| Producers | Gauri Khan, Siddharth Anand, Mamta Anand |
| Director | Siddharth Anand |
| India distribution | Pen Marudhar |
| Overseas distribution | Yash Raj Films |
| Release date | December 24, 2026 |
How Much Is the Budget of King?
King is made on a budget of around Rs 430 crore. This makes it the costliest film of Shah Rukh Khan’s career and one of the most expensive action films ever made in India.
To put that in perspective, Pathaan was made for around Rs 250 crore and Jawan for around Rs 300 crore. King costs more than both of them, which shows how big Siddharth Anand and Shah Rukh Khan have gone this time.
Where Has the King Budget Gone?
A big part of the money has gone into the scale of the film. Here are the main reasons King is so expensive:
- Shooting across countries: King was shot in Mumbai, Warsaw and Gdansk in Poland, and Cape Town in South Africa.
- Big action sequences: A single action sequence with Shah Rukh Khan and Abhishek Bachchan in Gdansk cost around Rs 50 crore to film. A jail sequence shot in June 2025 used about 200 stunt performers.
- A huge cast: The film has more than a dozen well-known actors, including Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukerji, Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Arshad Warsi and Jaideep Ahlawat.
- Music: Songs are by Sachin-Jigar, working with Shah Rukh Khan for the first time, and the background score is by Anirudh Ravichander, who earlier composed the music for Jawan.
- Delays: Shooting stopped for about six weeks after Shah Rukh Khan suffered a muscle injury in July 2025, and a planned Dubai desert shoot had to be moved to Mumbai.
King Cast Salary
| Actor | Fee for King |
|---|---|
| Shah Rukh Khan | No fixed fee, takes a share of the profits |
| Deepika Padukone | Around Rs 15 crore to Rs 20 crore |
| Suhana Khan | Not disclosed |
| Abhishek Bachchan | Not disclosed |
| Rani Mukerji | Not disclosed |
| Anil Kapoor | Not disclosed |
| Jackie Shroff, Arshad Warsi, Jaideep Ahlawat | Not disclosed |
| Siddharth Anand (director) | Not disclosed |
Shah Rukh Khan’s Fee for King
Shah Rukh Khan does not take a fixed fee for his films. He works on a profit-sharing model, where he signs a film at a base amount and then takes a share of the profits. For Pathaan, his share was around 55% of the profits.
King is produced by his own banner, Red Chillies Entertainment, with Gauri Khan as one of the producers. This means his real earnings from the film will depend on how well it does at the box office and from its digital and satellite rights, rather than on a fixed salary. If King becomes a big hit, his earnings from it could be bigger than any fixed fee in Hindi cinema.
Deepika Padukone’s Fee for King
Deepika Padukone is getting around Rs 15 crore to Rs 20 crore for King. She was paid around Rs 15 crore for Pathaan, while for Jawan, in which she had a special appearance, she did not charge any fee. King is her sixth film with Shah Rukh Khan after Om Shanti Om, Chennai Express, Happy New Year, Pathaan and Jawan.
Suhana Khan’s Fee for King
Suhana Khan’s fee has not been disclosed. King is her first theatrical film after her OTT debut in The Archies, and it is being produced by her family’s banner. She plays a young apprentice who learns from Shah Rukh Khan’s assassin character.
King Pre-Release Business
King has already started making money before release. Pen Marudhar has taken the India distribution rights in a deal worth around Rs 250 crore, while Yash Raj Films will release the film overseas. Details of the digital and satellite rights have not been announced yet.
How Much Does King Need to Earn?
As a rough guide, a big film needs to earn about two to two and a half times its budget in worldwide gross to be called a clear hit, after theatre shares, taxes and marketing costs. With a budget of around Rs 430 crore, King will need to earn somewhere between Rs 900 crore and Rs 1,075 crore worldwide. Shah Rukh Khan has crossed the Rs 1,000 crore mark twice before, with Pathaan and Jawan.
King Release Date
King releases in theatres on Thursday, December 24, 2026, in Hindi, with dubbed versions in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English. The Christmas release gives the film a long holiday run into the New Year weekend.
FAQs
What is the budget of King movie?
King is made on a budget of around Rs 430 crore, making it Shah Rukh Khan’s most expensive film.
How much is Shah Rukh Khan charging for King?
Shah Rukh Khan has not taken a fixed fee. He works on a profit-sharing model, and King is produced by his own banner, Red Chillies Entertainment.
How much is Deepika Padukone getting for King?
Deepika Padukone is getting around Rs 15 crore to Rs 20 crore for King.
Is King the most expensive Bollywood film?
With a budget of around Rs 430 crore, King is one of the most expensive Hindi films ever made and the costliest film of Shah Rukh Khan’s career.
Read more: King movie cast and roles, King teaser release date and Shah Rukh Khan birthday.
Note: The makers have not officially announced the budget or the cast fees, so these figures are estimates.