Siddharth Anand dismisses claims SRK copied Brad Pitt’s F1 look
Director Siddharth Anand addressed online buzz, clarifying Shah Rukh Khan’s King look wasn’t inspired by Brad Pitt’s F1 style.
Ever since the much-awaited first look of Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming film King was unveiled on the superstar’s 60th birthday, social media has been in overdrive. Fans were ecstatic to see SRK’s intense, rugged new avatar — but the excitement soon gave way to a heated debate online. Many users began pointing out what they claimed were “uncanny similarities” between Shah Rukh’s outfit in King and Brad Pitt’s appearance in the upcoming Hollywood film F1. The comparison quickly went viral, prompting a flood of memes, posts, and speculation.
In the King teaser, Shah Rukh is seen wearing a blue shirt layered with a tan jacket — a look that fans found strikingly similar to Brad Pitt’s race-track attire in F1, where he also sports a blue-toned outfit and tan overlayer. Screenshots of both stars side by side began circulating on social platforms, with captions like “SRK channeling Brad Pitt?” and “Bollywood’s version of F1?
As the chatter grew louder, King’s director Siddharth Anand — known for his slick, high-octane action films like Pathaan and Fighter — finally decided to address the comparisons. Anand, who has co-directed King along with Sujoy Ghosh, took to social media to set the record straight and dismiss the online noise with a touch of humor.
In his post, Anand shared a collage that juxtaposed three images — Shah Rukh Khan in King, Brad Pitt in F1, and an older photo of SRK from his 2017 film Jab Harry Met Sejal, where he can also be seen in a similar blue-and-tan combination. The post’s caption read:
“Funny logic by haters these days.
The director’s tongue-in-cheek response quickly went viral, earning applause from fans and colleagues alike. Many appreciated his calm yet witty way of defusing the situation. Comments poured in supporting the filmmaker, with fans pointing out that clothing coincidences are hardly new in global cinema. “There are only so many jacket colors and shirt combinations in the world,” one user wrote. Another fan quipped, “Next they’ll say wearing a black suit means you copied Men in Black.”
Siddharth Anand’s post also featured side-by-side visuals showing how SRK’s King outfit resembled his earlier looks — a reminder that the actor has long favored that rugged, casual style. In Jab Harry Met Sejal, SRK wore a similar ensemble during his scenes set in Europe, much before Brad Pitt’s F1 went into production. Anand’s subtle point seemed clear: SRK’s style wasn’t “borrowed” but rather consistent with his established screen persona.
The King team has maintained a tight lid on plot details, but early reports describe the film as a slick action thriller set in the world of crime and espionage, with Shah Rukh playing a grey-shaded character — a dreaded mercenary with a mysterious past. The teaser, which dropped on his birthday, opened with sweeping aerial shots of an island base and intense voiceover by SRK, introducing audiences to the enigmatic titular character. Fans hailed it as a fresh reinvention of the superstar after Pathaan and Jawan, praising his look, dialogue delivery, and screen presence.
However, the sudden “copy” controversy on social media briefly shifted the conversation. Several industry insiders have since come out in support of the King team. A film trade analyst commented, “Every time Bollywood does something stylish or global, comparisons are inevitable. People need to remember inspiration is universal — and coincidences happen.”
Shah Rukh Khan himself has not reacted to the debate, staying focused on filming the remaining sequences of King. But sources close to the production say the actor found the comparisons “amusing” and wasn’t bothered by the chatter. “SRK knows how social media works — a small visual similarity can become a meme storm overnight,” one crew member shared. “He’s enjoying the attention. After all, it’s keeping King in the headlines.”
With Siddharth Anand’s witty response and the team’s confidence in their vision, the controversy seems to be settling down. Fans are now back to eagerly waiting for the film’s official trailer, which promises to deliver high-octane action, slick visuals, and Shah Rukh Khan in one of his boldest roles yet.
For now, King continues to rule social media — not for alleged similarities, but for reminding audiences why Shah Rukh Khan remains the undisputed “King” of cinematic charisma.