Now, King with Shah Rukh Khan is back in the news as it has inked a theatrical distribution deal with Rs 175 crore, Overseas. The Siddharth Anand movie is picked up by Dubai-based international distributor Phars Films (Pvt) Ltd, under a minimum guarantee (MG) contract. The minimum guarantee is the amount of lowest money that an Indian film gets overseas, industry sources said and this is one of the milestones for Indian films overseas. The pact also highlights the popularity and enormous potential of the upcoming business of Shah Rukh Khan.
It’s also an important difference in the way the movie is being released internationally. Earlier, it was thought that Yash Raj Films (YRF) would be behind King’s overseas distribution as they have been responsible for Shah Rukh Khan’s blockbusters Pathaan, Jawan and Dunki all over the world. But it’s alleged that Phars Films have dangled a lot of money in front of the director and acquired the rights. The new deal will see the company distribute directly in the Middle East (excluding other overseas territories) with local distributors taking the lion’s share of the rest. Phars Films also has past experience in distributing big Indian titles popularly made by Prabhas such as Saaho.
The Rs 175 crore deal is significant because it’s based on a minimum guarantee mechanism where a distributor is obliged to pay up a fixed amount for a theatrical release prior to its release. This gives the producers more financial security, and allows the distributor to recoup the investment in theatrical distribution. The deal, however, also gives hopes for what King will be able to do internationally. Based on industry estimates the film would need around Rs 350 – 375 crore box office takings from the international theatricals to break-even, depending on the distribution terms and costs. The movie has all the ingredients to set itself a challenging target, as its predecessor Pathaan and Jawan have grossed Rs 400 crores overseas each.
Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Jaideep Ahlawat, Raghav Juyal, Arshad Warsi and Saurabh Shukla are the impressive ensemble of the film who will be heading it up in the future and Siddharth Anand is the director who has already worked with Shah Rukh Khan on Pathaan. The highlight of the film is that it is the first time Shah Rukh Khan and his daughter Suhana Khan are united on-screen. The action entertainer is also produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, in association with Marflix Pictures and will be one of the big Bollywood theatrical releases of the year. The film will also be released worldwide on December 24, 2026, a smidgen before the Christmas holiday and a day before the New Year’s.
The overseas rights sale deal of Rs 175 crore is already attracting the attention of King, as he has reportedly signed a deal with overseas rights holders before the movie’s release in theatres. The development is said to be a reflection of the confidence of the distributors in Shah Rukh Khan’s global stardom and his soon to be project’s commercial potential. However, the record-breaking deal also puts a lot of pressure on the film to achieve huge turnovers in overseas markets as it enters into a crowded summer of blockbusters for screens and audiences. It remains to be seen if the King can achieve the international success that was Pathaan and Jawan. The deal in question is a new benchmark in foreign distribution deals of Indian cinema making Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming movie one of the most awaited Bollywood films of 2026.
