For Shah Rukh Khan fans, November 2 is nothing short of a festival. Every year, the superstar's birthday brings with it the hope of catching a glimpse of him outside his iconic Mumbai home, Mannat, or meeting him at a special gathering organised for his fans.
However, this year, the tradition is set to take a different turn, with Shah Rukh Khan expected to miss his customary birthday interaction as he will be shooting his upcoming venture King.
According to NDTV sources, the annual meet-and-greet with fans will not take place in Mumbai this year.
Shah Rukh Khan, who turns 61 on November 2, is expected to be in London, where a song shoot for King has been lined up on his birthday.
The development comes after reports that Shah Rukh Khan had been busy with a song shoot with Deepika Padukone in Mumbai. The actor is now expected to head to London for another dance number as work on the film's soundtrack continues.
While fans may be disappointed at missing their annual birthday gathering with the superstar, there could still be an opportunity to meet him before the year ends.
According to sources, Shah Rukh Khan is expected to organise a fan meet-and-greet ahead of King's theatrical release on December 24. The proposed gathering is expected to bring fans together to celebrate the actor and his upcoming film.
For the past two years, Shah Rukh Khan has not been making his customary appearance outside Mannat on his birthday. Instead, he has hosted fan gatherings at Bal Gandharv Rang Mandir in Mumbai. The events have drawn large queues, with fans gathering outside the venue after securing passes for the opportunity to meet their favourite star.
The private interactions have offered fans a chance to spend time with Shah Rukh Khan, ask him questions and hear him speak, with media not allowed inside the gatherings.
Shah Rukh Khan's absence from Mannat is due to renovation work at the property, which has led to him temporarily moving out of his residence.
This year, however, his shooting commitments are expected to take him out of Mumbai altogether.
Directed by Siddharth Anand, King features an ensemble cast including Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan and Anil Kapoor. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on December 24, making the reported pre-release fan gathering an event that admirers will be watching out for.
