Anirudh Ravichander exits Shah Rukh Khan's King; here's why the composer stepped away: Report

Amid the ongoing reports surrounding composer Anirudh Ravichander's upcoming wedding to Kavya Maran, scheduled to take place on November 10 and 11 in Greece, another development has caught attention. Reports suggest that he has stepped away from Shah Rukh Khan's much-awaited gritty thriller King. The makers are also believed to have brought in other composers to handle the film's music and background score.

Anirudh Ravichander exits Shah Rukh Khan's King

According to Bollywood Hungama, Anirudh Ravichander stepped away from Shah Rukh Khan's much-awaited film King because his packed schedule made it difficult to devote enough time to the project.

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“Siddharth Anand and Shah Rukh Khan are determined to bring King to cinemas this Christmas without any delays. However, Anirudh has been juggling multiple commitments in the South, making it difficult for him to devote the time and attention that a film of this scale demands,” the source said.

Also Read: SRK unveils new poster of King, fans feel its similar to Dhurandhar 2 poster

The reports also state that the composer, director Siddharth Anand, and the makers reached the decision mutually. Anirudh has several projects lined up in South Indian cinema, making his schedule increasingly demanding.

However, Anirudh's association with the film is not ending completely. Reports state that he has already composed the film's theme track, which will reportedly remain in the film, with Sachin-Jigar reworking it for the background score.

A source added, “However, Anirudh has given the theme track of King to Shah Rukh Khan as a mark of his respect for the megastar, and Sachin-Jigar will also be reimagining it for the film's entire background score. So King will still have the Anirudh touch through the theme track, but Sachin-Jigar will compose the entire score and album.”

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About King

Directed by Siddharth Anand, King is an upcoming action entertainer starring Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role. The film also features Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Jackie Shroff, Arshad Warsi, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Raghav Juyal, among others. It is scheduled to release in theatres on December 24, 2026. The film's teaser is set to be released on November 2, coinciding with SRK's 61st birthday.

On October 27, SRK unveiled a new poster for King, offering a closer look at his character. He holds a rose between his lips as everything burns in the background. He captioned the post with a reference to a hit song from Baadshah: “Aaj phir yaad aaya... Qaatil nahi… Aashiq hoon… #KING In cinemas 24.12.26.”

Most recently, Anirudh Ravichander composed the music and background score for Jailer 2, the blockbuster Tamil action film starring Rajinikanth, which was released in theatres worldwide on October 15, 2026.