Shah Rukh Khan's King Needs To Pass Audience's Test, Says Director Siddharth Anand: There Are Expectations...

After

delivering one of Hindi cinema’s biggest blockbusters with Pathaan, director Siddharth Anand is reuniting withShah Rukh Khan for the much-anticipated action thriller King. While expectations are sky-high for the superstar’s next theatrical outing, Anand insists that the film must ultimately prove itself before the audience. In a new interview, the filmmaker opened up about box office pressure, lessons from past films and why King must “pass the test” rather than chase numbers.

Siddharth Anand talks about the expectations that come with directing Shah Rukh Khan

Addressing the inevitable comparison with Pathaan, which crossed the Rs 500 crore mark in India, Anand clarified that he does not operate under pressure, but he is certainly aware of expectations. “I wouldn't say there's pressure, but I would say there are expectations. And that comes when you work with a megastar like SRK,” he told Variety India. “So, I'm aware of those expectations. But if I start pandering to them, then it's a mistake; I'll go wrong in my filmmaking.”

For Anand, the biggest creative trap is attempting to manufacture a blockbuster by following a formula. “If there were a formula for catering, then everyone would be making blockbusters,” he explained. The director is of the opinion that if one follows a success formula, you they start second-guessing what the audience will like. This kills the creativity of a filmmaker. Reflecting on Pathaan, Anand revealed that the film was never made with box office milestones in mind or with the dream of doing the numbers the film eventually did.

Siddharth is approaching King like a debutant

With King, he says the team is approaching the project with the hunger of newcomers. “We are working hard on King as if it were our first film," said Anand, adding that the team need to 'pass the test again with the audience'. The filmmaker is aware of expectations, but he refuses to succumb to the pressure.Interestingly, Anand also cited Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh as a recent example of fearless filmmaking. “What I learnt and took away from it is bravery as a filmmaker and, again, the fearlessness of not catering to anything that is the demand of the box office," he said According to him, huge box office collections will happen if you are 'fearless.'

More about King

King marks Shah Rukh Khan’s first theatrical release in three years and reunites him with Anand after their successful collaboration on Pathaan. The film boasts a star-studded ensemble, including Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Arshad Warsi, Raghav Juyal and Rani Mukerji.The action thriller is written by Sujoy Ghosh, Siddharth Anand, Suresh Nair, Sagar Pandya and Abbas Tyrewala. Slated for a December 24 release, King carries both the weight of expectation and the promise of spectacle.