‘Qaatil nahi… aashiq hoon’: Shah Rukh Khan unveils fierce ‘King’ poster, show his brutal yet romantic avatar ahead of December 24 release

Shah Rukh Khan has unveiled a striking new poster of his upcoming action thriller King, showing the superstar in a rugged, fire-filled avatar with a gun in hand and a red rose between his teeth. Sharing it on social media, he wrote: “Aaj phir yaad aaya… Qaatil nahi… Aashiq hoon… #KING In cinemas 24.12.26.”

The poster features the 60-year-old actor with short, greying hair and a beard, dressed in a dark, dirt-stained outfit.

He is seen walking through flames, holding a handgun in his right hand while a thorny red rose is clamped between his teeth, blending action-ready menace with a classic romantic touch.

The visual has quickly drawn attention for its “guns and roses” styling, with fans praising the massy, intense look.

The frame was showing Khan emerging from a fiery backdrop, giving the film’s promotional campaign a gritty, high-stakes feel.

‘Qaatil Nahi… Aashiq Hoon’

Khan’s caption has become the highlight of the reveal. “Aaj phir yaad aaya… Qaatil nahi… Aashiq hoon” translates to, “Today I remembered again… I am not a killer, I am a lover.”

The line is being read as a nostalgic nod to his 1999 film Baadshah, connecting the new action avatar with the romantic-hero persona that defined much of his early career.

Release On Christmas Eve

King is scheduled to release in cinemas on December 24, 2026, positioning it as a major Christmas Eve theatrical outing. The date was also mentioned in Khan’s poster caption.

The film is directed by Siddharth Anand and reportedly stars Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji alongside Shah Rukh Khan.

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Fans React

Soon after the poster dropped, social media was filled with reactions celebrating SRK’s silver-haired, bearded look and the film’s fiery visual language.

As soon as the poster was shared, internet users took it upon themselves to fawn over it. One wrote, “The caption itself ‘Qaatil nahi Aashiq hoon’ is more than enough to let us know what kind of brutal character this is going to be. Massy poster.”

Another commented, “Wow superbly done (BLOODY SRK LIKE I SAID BEFORE). Wait for the teaser it will show you who’s the king #KING.”

Others were equally excited about the film’s prospects. “Biggest Tsunami is Loading,” one user wrote, while another called Shah Rukh Khan “The One & Only King of Bollywood!”

A fan also summed up the romantic angle of the poster, writing, “Keeper of my soul… Holder of my heart… Tum Aashiq ho! #ShahRukhKhan.”

The reactions underline the buzz around Khan’s silver-haired, bearded look and the poster’s mix of action and romance, with many users calling it one of his most “massy” reveals in recent years.

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With the release date now firmly attached to the campaign, the new poster signals that the King promotional push is gathering momentum ahead of its December theatrical debut.