In the News · Celebrity · India
No Balcony Wave This Year: Shah Rukh Khan Marks 61 with a Handwritten Note
Shah Rukh Khan did not make his customary midnight appearance outside Mannat on his 61st birthday on 2 November. A handwritten note thanked fans instead. Reports give three different reasons, and none has been confirmed.
Published Nov. 2, 2026, 06:27 GMT
Last updated: 2 Nov 2026References
What happened
For years, crowds have gathered outside Mannat, Shah Rukh Khan's home in Mumbai's Bandra, for a midnight wave on his birthday. This year, the 61st, he did not appear. Instead a handwritten note was shown on a giant screen: "Thank you all for your wishes and love. Sending mine right back to you all. Lots of love and a big hug."
Why he stayed away: three reports, no confirmation
- Renovation: the Free Press Journal linked it to reconstruction work at Mannat.
- Security: NewsBytes pointed to security concerns. Mumbai police stepped up security for film stars after the Tiger Shroff shooting incident in October, according to the Times of India.
- Work abroad: iDiva, citing NDTV sources, said he was in London shooting a song for King.
Neither the actor nor his team has said which, if any, is right. We will update this story if they do.
The birthday release
The first song from his next film, King, "Tu Mil Jaaye", featuring Deepika Padukone, was released on his birthday, and King billboards went up outside Mannat. The film is directed by Siddharth Anand, produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and due in cinemas on 24 December 2026. The cast includes Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan, Suhana Khan and Arshad Warsi.
Will fans get to meet him?
In the past two years he held private fan events at Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir instead of only waving from Mannat, according to iDiva, and a fan meet before King's release has been reported. No date or venue has been announced, so be wary of anyone selling "passes".
How to listen safely
Stream the song from the label's verified channels or your usual music app. Fan re-uploads on video sites are often removed and can carry misleading links in their descriptions.
How we wrote this: our staff read the reporting listed below, checked the facts against more than one source where possible, and wrote this piece in our own words. Anything not confirmed is labelled. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
