Phars coming on board as the overseas distributor of King was exclusively reported by Pinkvilla last week. Today we have the complete pre-release economics of the Siddharth Anand directorial, headlined by Shah Rukh Khan and featuring an ensemble cast of Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan and Suhana Khan.
King is produced by the home production houses of Shah Rukh Khan and Siddharth Anand, Red Chillies and Marflix, at a staggering Rs. 400 crore approx. The film was initially budgeted at Rs. 200 crore, a substantial figure in itself, but over the course of production, it just kept getting bigger and bigger. The Rs. 400 crore production cost excludes Shah Rukh Khan’s acting fee but includes Siddharth Anand’s remuneration as director. Factoring in SRK’s notional acting fee would push the overall cost to Rs. 500 crore. In addition, the film is expected to incur around Rs. 40 crore in release expenses, including print and advertising (P&A).
At these numbers, King becomes the second most expensive Bollywood film ever made, behind only the Ramayana films, each mounted at a budget of over Rs. 1,000 crore.
If the costs are high, so are the recoveries.
As reported earlier, King has secured the highest-ever overseas minimum guarantee (MG) for an Indian film of Rs. 175 crore. Domestically, Pen Marudhar has acquired the theatrical rights on an advance of Rs. 250 crore, taking the film’s total theatrical recoveries to Rs. 425 crore.
The non-theatrical business is equally robust. Netflix has acquired the digital rights for a base price of Rs. 150 crore, with the deal linked to the film’s box office performance, giving it the potential to climb even higher. At a time when the digital rights market has softened considerably, King has managed to command a premium price.
The music rights have also fetched a record Rs. 65 crore, while the satellite rights have been sold for Rs. 25 crore.
All these add up to Rs. 665 crore in recoveries, which is a massive sum of money. If all goes right, this number should grow further post-release. More than the numbers themselves, it is the confidence shown by all the investors that stands out as a testament to the enduring superstardom of SHAH RUKH KHAN.
NOTE: The aforementioned figures have been compiled from various industry sources and estimates. The numbers are approximate and may vary depending on final settlements, contractual structures and undisclosed terms. Pinkvilla do not claim absolute authenticity of the data; however, the figures are reasonably indicative of the financial performance of the film in question.
DISCLAIMER: The box office figures, opening-day forecasts, and lifetime collection projections mentioned in this article are subjective trade estimates compiled from various commercial parameters, advance trends, and market sentiment. These are purely analytical tracking figures and do not constitute actual, finalised collections or certified accounting statements. Pinkvilla does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, regarding the pinpoint accuracy or completeness of these projections. No statement in this article is intended to defame, harm, or malign any individual, production house, artist, or commercial entity involved in the making of the film.
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