Shah Rukh Khan’s “King,” directed by Siddharth Anand, has reportedly seen Zee Music acquire its music rights for Rs 50 crore, though CEO Punit Goenka says talks are ongoing. Similar big-ticket deals include “Ramayana” (Rs 75 crore to T-Series) and “Dhurandhar.” “King,” releasing this Christmas, stars Deepika Padukone, Suhana Khan, and Abhishek Bachchan.

Following the massive success of ‘Pathaan’, Shah Rukh Khan has teamed up once again with director Siddharth Anand for the upcoming action-thriller ‘King’. Set for a pan-India release over the Christmas weekend, the film has already stirred considerable buzz among audiences through its promotional rollout. While box-office expectations remain sky-high, reports suggest that Zee Music has bagged the music rights for the SRK starrer at a staggering Rs 50 crore, a record-setting deal.

Punit Goenka responds to the reported Rs 50 crore deal

Responding to the reports, Punit Goenka, MD and CEO of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, tells Variety India that discussions are underway but nothing has been finalised yet. “I don’t comment on pricing. We are in dialogue, but nothing has been inked yet. At a macro-level, I think music is one of the most promising industries because music is evergreen, unlike other content which has limited shelf life. I keep telling people that the amount of overflow that Zee Music, in its over seven-year existence, has paid to the producers; collectively, no music company would have paid that kind of overflow. When we earn money, we love to share it,” shares Goenka.

Other big-ticket music deals, including ‘Ramayana’

Among the films that have struck massive music deals is the much-anticipated ‘Ramayana’. T-Series has reportedly secured the audio rights for the epic saga, featuring music by Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman, with an advance of Rs 75 crore covering both parts of the film. The company had earlier landed the music rights for ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ and ‘Pushpa 2’ as well, at reported costs of Rs 54 crore and Rs 50 crore, respectively.

‘King’ cast and music team

As for ‘King’, the film brings together composer duo Sachin–Jigar, who have crafted the songs, along with Anirudh Ravichander, who is handling the background score and theme music. Backed by Red Chillies Entertainment and Marflix Films, the film’s ensemble cast includes Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Rani Mukerji, Jaideep Ahlawat, Arshad Warsi, and Raghav Juyal in key roles.