Bollywood
King Movie Production Update: Shah Rukh Khan and Siddharth Anand Film 50 Crore Action Sequence in Europe
The production of Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming action thriller King has reached a new scale. Reports from Bollywood Hungama confirm that director Siddharth Anand and the production team recently concluded a massive 10-day action schedule in Europe, with a total expenditure of ₹50 crore for this single sequence. This brings the average daily production cost of the schedule to approximately ₹5 crore. The film, which features an ensemble cast including Suhana Khan and Abhishek Bachchan, is being mounted on a reported budget of ₹350 crore (excluding marketing). Siddharth Anand, known for high-budget spectacles like Pathaan and War, has reportedly designed six major action set pieces for the film. The Europe schedule featured a high-octane confrontation shot at real international locations rather than on a studio set. In Indian cinema, a ₹50 crore spend on a single action sequence represents a major industry benchmark. For context, the introductory sequences for the lead characters in S.S. Rajamouli's RRR were reportedly filmed at a cost of approximately ₹45 crore. By investing ₹50 crore in a 10-day block, the makers of King are aiming for a level of realism and scale that matches international action standards. Indian Cinema: Most Expensive Action Sequences Ever Filmed MOVIE NAME SEQUENCE COST (EST) LOCATION / KEY DETAIL King (2026) ₹ 50.00 Cr Europe (10-Day Real Location Shoot) RRR (2022) ₹ 45.00 Cr Climax Sequence (Massive Junior Artist Count) 2.0 (2018) ₹ 20.00 Cr Stadium Climax (VFX & Animatronics) Saaho (2019) ₹ 70.00 Cr Abu Dhabi Desert Chase (Real Car Crashes) (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The decision to film these sequences on real locations suggests a focus on realistic action over studio-based VFX. With the shooting scheduled to wrap by mid-2026, the film is expected to have a significant post-production window to ensure technical precision for its December release. While Saaho and 2.0 spent heavily on hardware (cars) and VFX (CGI), the ₹50 crore spend for King is unique because it is being spent on a real-location shoot in Europe. This indicates a shift in Siddharth Anand's filmmaking—moving away from studio-based green screens toward high-stakes, realistic action similar to the Mission Impossible franchise. Siddharth Anand: Evolution of Action Scale 1. War (2019): First Indian film shot in the Arctic Circle (Finland). 2. Pathaan (2023): Introduced the Frozen Lake chase sequence in Siberia. 3. Fighter (2024): India's first aerial action franchise using real fighter jets. 4. King (2026): ₹50 Crore single-sequence budget at real European locations.
