The sound of Shah Rukh Khan’s next action film has changed hands weeks before its scheduled Christmas release. Anirudh Ravichander, whose score for Jawan became a defining part of the 2023 blockbuster, will not compose the bulk of Siddharth Anand’s King. Sachin-Jigar have been brought in to take charge of the film’s songs and background score.
According to a Bollywood Hungama report, the exit was amicable and followed discussions between Anirudh, Shah Rukh Khan and the director’s team. The composer’s commitments in the South Indian film industry were cited as the reason he could not give a project of this scale the time it demands. The makers, meanwhile, are focused on completing the film for its planned December 24, 2026 release.
A theme track as a parting gift
Anirudh had already composed King’s theme track, the report added. He has gifted that theme to Shah Rukh Khan as a mark of respect. Sachin-Jigar will rework the theme and incorporate it into the background score while also composing the rest of the album.
- Anirudh exits over scheduling conflicts; the parting is described as amicable.
- Sachin-Jigar will handle the songs and background score.
- Anirudh’s existing King theme will be reworked, not discarded.
- The film remains dated for December 24, 2026.
From Jawan to a new sound
The change breaks a musical thread that began with Jawan. Directed by Atlee, the 2023 action entertainer carried Anirudh’s music through songs such as ‘Chaleya’, ‘Not Ramaiya Vastavaiya’ and ‘Zinda Banda’, which became staples for audience playlists. King will now lean on a different musical vocabulary, though the gift of the theme means a small Anirudh signature may survive in the score.
Sachin-Jigar come to the project with a hit-driven Hindi film record, including Stree 2, Bhediya, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke and Munjya. They now inherit a complete soundtrack and score, apart from the task of incorporating Anirudh’s theme.
Why this matters for King
A composer change on a film of this scale is usually a signal about schedules, budgets or creative direction. Here, the stated reason is calendar pressure rather than creative friction. For a Christmas release led by Shah Rukh Khan, music is not just an album; it is part of the film’s marketing engine, trailers and post-release reach. Sachin-Jigar’s appointment keeps the film on its release track while changing the voice of its music.
King reunites Siddharth Anand with Shah Rukh Khan after Pathaan, and the cast includes Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff and Arshad Warsi. The film is scheduled to arrive in theatres on December 24, 2026.
Source: Cinema Express
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