King set leak shows Abhishek Bachchan with shotgun in villain avatar

Actor Abhishek Bachchan's look from King has leaked online as filming continues in Mumbai after the South Africa schedule. The image has surfaced despite director Siddharth Anand's appeal against sharing visuals from the set.

In Short

• Abhishek Bachchan appears atop a vehicle, holding a shotgun in the leaked image
• The photo surfaced after King completed a two-week South Africa schedule
• Earlier clips showed Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone filming seaside scenes

Actor Abhishek Bachchan has begun shooting for the much-anticipated film King, and his look has already leaked online. The photo, revealing his look as the film’s antagonist, is the latest in a series of visuals from the action film that have surfaced online.

Earlier, photos and videos of actors Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone from the film’s South Africa schedule also surfaced online. This led to a request from director Siddharth Anand on X, urging fans not to share visuals from sets. However, it clearly didn't work.

Abhishek's look from King leaked

In the viral image, reportedly taken during an outdoor shoot, Bachchan appears to be standing atop a vehicle with a shotgun in his hands. He is seen against a rugged mountainous backdrop and is dressed in a long grey overcoat over a dark outfit.

The cast recently shifted base to South Africa to shoot a song sequence and the climax. After a two-week schedule there, the team returned to Mumbai for the next leg of the large-scale action film.

Deepika and Shah Rukh visuals surface online

Before Bachchan’s photo surfaced, Deepika was seen filming with Shah Rukh. One video showed the two actors shooting by a beach at sunset in South Africa. In the clip, Deepika was seen in a white dress, while Shah Rukh appeared in a striped shirt and black trousers.

Other visuals from the same schedule showed them walking hand in hand during what appeared to be a song shoot. In those pictures, Deepika was seen in a floral-print gown, while Shah Rukh appeared in an unbuttoned printed shirt with salt-and-pepper hair. Another behind-the-scenes clip showed Shah Rukh pausing on a flight of stairs, turning back and offering his hand to Deepika before the two walked on between takes.

Siddharth Anand asks fans not to share leaks

In a statement posted earlier on social media, the director wrote, “Request to all the fans. Please do not post or circulate any leaked multimedia from the sets of King. The team is working round the clock to ensure the best cinematic experience for everyone. Let us wait for the surprise on the big screen and for the assets to be revealed as the team of King originally intends to. Thank you for your love, support and cooperation (sic).”

More about the film

King also stars Shah Rukh's daughter Suhana Khan, Rani Mukerji, Anil Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Jaideep Ahlawat, Jackie Shroff, Raghav Juyal and Abhay Verma in key roles. It is produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and Marflix Pictures.

The film will release in theatres on December 24.

- Ends