"Ab nahin hota yaar"
"Haan yaar main bhi kabhi-kabhi sochta hoon 30 saal ho gaye ab chhod dena chahiye"
"Lekin hamari jagah lega kaun?"
This epic exchange from 2023's Pathaan between Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan's spy characters Tiger and Pathaan was an unsubtle dig at naysayers who believed that the era of the Khan-dom was over.
Old, battered and bruised with cracked ribs, as they were, the top spies (stars) also seemingly wondered about abandoning it all before clapping back at the new crop. No names were taken, not because it would cause a stir but because Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan were above all these childish games. For starters, they were nearing 60 at the time.
Today, the Karan Arjun duo and the third part of the Khan troika Aamir Khan are 60.
By the end of 2025, the three Khans have decided to pull all stops in the coming year and decade, exactly like how Pathaan's post-credit scene ends. "Humein hee karna padega, Bhai. Desh ka sawaal hai, bachhon pe nahin chhod sakte," says Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan to Salman Khan's Tiger.
In 2026, we see Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Aamir Khan take charge of Bollywood, new drop of 'Dhurandhars' notwithstanding.
Salman Khan: Battle Of Galwan
Salman Khan ceased to be just an actor and his films became review-proof long ago. He is a phenomenon who in his own words from Kick, dil mein aata hoon, samajh mein nahin. 2025 was not a great one for the actor, who turned 60 on December 27.
His Sikandar tanked at the box office and didn't do much for even the most ardent bhai fans. Despite its failure, the film was one of the highest grossing Hindi movies of the year with Rs 176 crore (reported budget Rs 200 crore).
In his 37 years as an actor, there hasn't been even one year that has not seen a film without Salman Khan, regardless the length of the role. 2026 is not going to be any different. It will see one of the most important films in the Bollywood superstar's career.
Apoorva Lakhia's Battle of Galwan, a true story based on the 2020 clash between the soldiers of the 16 Bihar Regiment of the Indian Army and the troops of the People's Liberation Army in Ladakh's Galwan Valley, is one of the highly anticipated films of 2026.
What makes the Galwan clash fit for a story to be told on the big screen? Besides being based on a true event that honours the valour and bravery of the Indian Army, the June 2020 battle took place in near-freezing temperatures of the inhospitable terrain of Ladakh at around 14,000 ft in darkness. What's more? It was a single, continuous, hand-to-hand combat incident sans firearms. "No bullet was fired," said director Apoorva Lakhia recently.
Salman Khan, who shared the teaser of Battle of Galwan on his 60th birthday last week, has called the film one of the toughest projects of his career.
"It is physically demanding. Every year, every month, every day it gets more and more difficult. I've to give more time now . Earlier, I would do it in one or two weeks, now I'm running, kicking, punching, and all that stuff. This film demands that," the actor said.
As it is with almost all Salman Khan films, Battle of Galwan is releasing in theatres on the festive occasion of Eid on April 19. The movie is still months away from hitting the screens and it is already facing controversy.
An article in China's state-run newspaper, Global Times, alleges that the events of the June 2020 clash portrayed in Battle of Galwan "do not align with the facts". In response, sources in the Indian government said there's "artistic freedom" in the country and filmmakers have the right to make films exercising this freedom.
Salman Khan films demand attention when they release and all eyes will be on Battle of Galwan on April 19.
Shah Rukh Khan: King
Shah Rukh Khan returned from a self-imposed sabbatical of four years with Pathaan in a brand-new, all guns blazing avatar. Bollywood missed its Badshah and he came, he saw, and he reclaimed his throne. The actor was back, and so was the star. This version of Shah Rukh Khan was newer and hungrier.
After successive back-to-back misses of Fan, When Harry Met Sejal, and Zero, he had a point to prove and Pathaan was that film that relaunched Shah Rukh Khan as a hero of a new era for a new generation, not just millennials who have grown up on his Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, Yes Boss, and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge fare of movies. The same year was heralded by Jawan, a bigger hit than Pathaan, and Dunki, his most favourite film out of his three releases in 2023 but the least successful one.
Call it satisfaction, strategy or plain old production timeline issues, Shah Rukh Khan didn't have any release in 2024 and 2025. As a producer and a father, his biggest test was his son Aryan Khan's directorial debut The Ba***ds of Bollywood. Now that it is out and has been one of the best reviewed series of this year, Shah Rukh Khan can fire on full cylinders and concentrate on his next film as an actor, King.
The actor sort of confirmed the title of King when he walked the floral blue carpet of the 2025 Met Gala. And on his 60th birthday, November 2, we saw Shah Rukh Khan in a unseen look in and as King.
In this Siddharth Anand film, the actor seems to take his Don days ahead, and into darker alleys. Now, he is a silver fox, sporting shorter grey hair as opposed to Pathaan's dark flowing locks. He flaunts accessories and tattoos, while wielding a King of Hearts card as a weapon.
"Hazaar jurm, sau deshon mein badnaam, duniya ne diya sirf ek hi naam," is how Shah Rukh Khan introduces his King.
The film's title reveal is full of blood, bullets, and bad men. This will be "a new Shah Rukh Khan experience," we are promised.
This time with the King will be his Princess. Shah Rukh Khan's daughter Suhana Khan is also part of the cast of King. Little is known about the story, their characters as well as the release date. Come 2026, the kingdom awaits for the King's arrival.
Aamir Khan: Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos
Aamir Khan made a comeback with 2025's Sitaare Zameen Par. The spiritual sequel of Taare Zameen Par was praised for its tender storytelling and remarkable performances by the cast led by Aamir Khan. This was a validation for the actor-producer after the debacle of 2022's Laal Singh Chaddha.
In 2026, Aamir Khan is returning to the cinemas with Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, which marks the directorial debut of Vir Das. It is produced by Aamir Khan, who also has a cameo in the spy comedy set for a January 16 release.
Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos follows Vir Das's titular character who is an aspiring spy sent to India for a confidential assignment. Giving solid Delhi Belly vibes, the film will see Vir Das's Happy Patel cross paths with Aamir Khan's Jimmy, a weird gangster-like character who candidly talks about going to commit a murder but isn't taken seriously.
Cameo or full-fledged films, the three Khans are here to rule 2026.
Also Read | How Battle Of Galwan Director Once Described Salman Khan's Film: 'True Story, No Bullet Fired'
