Shah Rukh Khan greets sea of fans outside Mannat on 61st birthday, his iconic pose gets loud cheers as he begins King promotions

The actor reportedly celebrated his birthday at a Mumbai hotel with his family and friends. However, he made time for the fans who had gathered outside Mannat.

Shah Rukh Khan's birthday is an annual celebration for his fans, many of whom make it a point to gather outside Mannat every November 2. This year was no different as the superstar turned 61. The actor stepped out onto the balcony of his Mumbai home to greet the sea of fans waiting for him. Dressed casually, he flashed his trademark arms-wide-open pose, drawing loud cheers from the crowd. It was a moment his fans have seen countless times before, but the excitement was just as evident as ever.

Shah Rukh Khan greets thousands of fans outside Mannat

Shah Rukh Khan celebrates 61st birthday, waves and blows kisses to fans gathered outside Mannat. (SRKUniverse/X)

Fans began gathering outside Mannat hours before Shah Rukh Khan made his birthday appearance. Many arrived with posters, cheered for the actor and recreated his iconic arms-wide-open pose while waiting for a glimpse of him. Shah Rukh eventually stepped out onto the balcony, greeting the crowd with waves, flying kisses and his signature pose. The sight was enough to send the thousands gathered outside his home into a frenzy.

Shah Rukh Khan kickstarts King promotions

The celebrations had another big moment in store for fans of King. Just after midnight, promotional posters of the film lit up giant screens outside Mannat, signalling the start of its promotional campaign. Shah Rukh also gave fans their first taste of the film's music with Tu Mil Jaaye, featuring him and Deepika Padukone. The romantic track comes with an interesting twist, marking Ed Sheeran's debut as a playback singer in Indian cinema in collaboration with Arijit Singh.

King brings together a star-studded cast

King, directed by Siddharth Anand, is backed by Gauri Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment and by Siddharth and Mamta Anand's Marflix Pictures. The film is reportedly inspired by the 1994 French film Léon: The Professional, starring Jean Reno. It is said to follow the relationship between an ageing, feared assassin, played by Shah Rukh, and his young protégé, portrayed by his daughter Suhana.

December 24 will mark Shah Rukh Khan's return to theatres with King, his first big-screen release since Dunki in 2023. The actor had a memorable year in 2023, with three releases: Pathaan, Jawan and Dunki. This time, he is returning with a large ensemble cast that includes Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Arshad Warsi and Raghav Juyal, among others. Rani Mukerji, Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoor Khan will also make special appearances in the film.