'King': Shah Rukh Khan, Suhana Khan and Anil Kapoor's Dubai desert sequence moved to Mumbai amid Middle East conflict - Report

Shah Rukh Khan's most anticipated comeback, 'King,' has hit an unexpected production roadblock but the makers are already turning the setback into an opportunity. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the December 24, 2026 release was scheduled to film a high-octane desert action sequence in Dubai beginning April 9, with SRK, Suhana Khan, and Anil Kapoor all set to shoot in the emirate after securing the necessary permissions. However, the ongoing conflict in West Asia has prompted the production to cancel the international leg entirely, prioritising the safety of the cast and crew over the original location plan. The makers have now chosen to recreate the full desert landscape at a studio in Vile Parle, Mumbai.

Dubai schedule of Shah Rukh Khan's 'King' gets canceled

According to the Mid-Day report, Shah Rukh Khan was scheduled to shoot an action sequence in Dubai. SRK's daughter, Suhana Khan, and Anil Kapoor were slated to shoot desert scenes; however, due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, the makers canceled the international leg.





The report stated, "The team had procured the necessary permissions to shoot in the emirate. It was supposed to be a week-long schedule starting April 9. But given the dynamic situation in the region, the makers decided not to take any risk with the cast and crew’s safety."

Makers to shoot desert scenes in Mumbai's Vile Parle studio

The makers will shoot the sequence in a Vile Parle studio in Mumbai, where they will have recreated the desert landscape. As per the report, "They’ve gone all out to match the scale that Siddharth envisioned for the set piece. In fact, this gives them more control over action beats and lighting. The sequence begins with a chase, resulting in an intense combat."

'King' star Suhana Khan makes public appearance with brother AbRam Khan and BFFs Ananya Panday, Shanaya Kapoor for cricket outing

More about 'King'

Shah Rukh Khan will be back on the big screens after Rajkumar Hirani's 'Dunki', which was released in December 2023. Apart from SRK, 'King' stars Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Suhana Khan, Arshad Warsi, Saurabh Shukla, Raghav Juyal, Rani Mukerji, Jackie Shroff, Jaideep Ahlawat, Akshaye Oberoi, Abhay Verma, and more.

Reportedly, SRK will play an assassin who trains a young woman to navigate life's dangers. The film is slated to arrive in cinemas on December 24, 2026, coinciding with Christmas.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”