In the glitzy, high-stakes world of Bollywood, a new poster isn’t just marketing—it’s a declaration of intent. But when the latest promotional asset for Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming action-thriller King dropped this week, the “intent” was met with a chorus of skepticism that has set the internet ablaze. Rather than sparking excitement for the superstar’s return to a gritty, high-octane role, the visual release has become a battleground for disgruntled cinephiles and internet sleuths who are crying “foul” over alleged design plagiarism.
The poster, which features the Badshah of Bollywood with a rose clutched between his teeth and a gaze that promises trouble, was intended to build anticipation. Instead, it has triggered a wave of comparisons to Dhurandhar 2, with social media users dissecting the color palettes, the fiery atmospheric effects, and the framing of the shot. For a star of Khan’s magnitude, navigating the treacherous waters of fan scrutiny is nothing new, but this particular backlash cuts deeper, touching on a narrative that has followed the production since its inception: the accusation that King is little more than a “cut-and-paste” project.
The Court of Public Opinion
The reaction on X (formerly Twitter) was swift and unforgiving. “Every masterpiece has its cheap copy,” one user wrote, succinctly capturing the sentiment that has turned the King poster into a viral meme. While the imagery aims for an “intense, dangerous” aesthetic, many commenters found it derivative.
The criticism hasn’t stopped at the poster art. Critics are drawing a wider map of alleged inspiration, with some users pointing toward a litany of previous films they claim have been “borrowed” from. “Bro copied the script from Leon: The Professional, and now guess what? Bro copied the poster too from Dhurandhar 2,” one scathing post read. It’s a harsh indictment that labels the film an “unofficial remake” even before a full trailer has been released. Whether these comparisons are born of genuine stylistic similarities or are simply the product of internet cynicism—a common trend in the age of “remix culture”—the optics are undeniably messy for the makers at Red Chillies Entertainment and Marflix Pictures.
Siddharth Anand Under Fire
At the center of this firestorm is director Siddharth Anand, a filmmaker known for grand, visual spectacles like Pathaan and Fighter. While Anand has mastered the art of the big-budget action set piece, his reputation for “inspiration” is currently being put to the test. Fans haven’t forgotten the comparisons between King’s early promotional material and Brad Pitt’s F1, and now, with the Dhurandhar 2 parallels, the narrative of “Copy-Paste Master” is gaining traction.
For the marketing team, the challenge is clear: how do you sell a high-stakes action film when the audience is spending more time playing “spot the reference” than engaging with the content? If the promotional strategy is meant to scream “global standard,” the constant shadow of plagiarism allegations is effectively muting that message.
The King’s Vision: Embracing the Grey
Amidst the digital noise, it is worth looking at what Shah Rukh Khan actually intended for this character. During a recent meet-and-greet on his 60th birthday, the superstar offered a glimpse into the headspace he is occupying for King. Khan described his character as “ruthless and grey,” leaning into the villainous energy that defined the earlier, more experimental chapters of his career—reminding fans of his chilling turns in Darr, Baazigar, and Anjaam.
“People often draw a line between a hero and a villain. But I’ve never believed in that distinction,” Khan remarked. By positioning King as an extension of his past anti-hero archetypes, he is clearly trying to ground the film in his own legacy rather than someone else’s. However, the disconnect remains: the star is selling a story of complexity and darkness, while the marketing campaign is struggling to convince the audience that the packaging is original.
The Pressure of a Crowded Box Office
The drama surrounding the poster is merely a prelude to a much bigger problem: the theatrical landscape that King is walking into. With a release calendar that includes industry titans like Avengers: Doomsday, Dune: Part Three, and Nagarjuna’s milestone 100th film, King100, there is absolutely no margin for error.
The film boasts an ensemble cast that would make any producer salivate—Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan, Arshad Warsi, and Anil Kapoor. This is an A-list lineup designed to dominate the box office. Yet, if the audience remains preoccupied with social media “exposés” of the film’s promotional material, the star power might not be enough to carry the weight.
Ultimately, the poster controversy serves as a reminder of how high the stakes are for Bollywood’s biggest stars. In a post-pandemic landscape, audiences are far more critical of what they consume, and the tolerance for “inspired” aesthetics is at an all-time low. For King to survive its own marketing cycle, it will need to do more than look like a “masterpiece”—it will need to prove that it is one. Until then, the internet will continue to judge it, one frame at a time, looking for the seams where the inspiration ends and the genuine craft begins. Whether King can transcend the noise will be the defining story of its release.
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