Aryan Khan, who stepped behind the camera this year with his debut series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, is reportedly setting up one of the most anticipated collaborations in recent Hindi cinema: directing his father, superstar Shah Rukh Khan, in a feature film slated to materialise around 2027.

According to a report that cites industry portal Pinkvilla, Aryan’s long-term roadmap includes a third directorial venture with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead. But the 27-year-old is said to be clear about one condition, that he must first deliver a theatrical hit on his own terms before taking on the responsibility of directing his father.

Third film with SRK, but only after a solo big-screen test

Per the report, Aryan’s next project will be a full-length commercial entertainer designed for a theatrical release, marking his debut as a feature film director on the big screen. Only after this second project is completed is he expected to move to the film that teams him up with Shah Rukh Khan in a full-fledged lead role.

A source closely linked to the development has been quoted as saying that Aryan wants to first prove himself in cinemas, on merit, before stepping into the far more scrutinised space of directing one of India’s biggest stars, who also happens to be his father. “Aryan wants to deliver a theatrical success and prove himself as a filmmaker before taking on the challenge of directing his superstar father, Shah Rukh Khan,” the insider is quoted as saying in the report.

The same source outlines a clear step-by-step plan. The father–son duo has reportedly already “locked the core idea” for their collaboration, but they are said to be in no rush. If everything stays on track, Aryan’s third film, featuring Shah Rukh Khan in the lead, is expected to take shape only in 2027. For now, his energy is focused on finishing the script of his second feature film, which is poised to move into the casting stage next.

From The Ba**ds of Bollywood* to feature-film ambitions

Earlier this year, Aryan Khan made his directorial debut with the series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, produced under the Red Chillies Entertainment banner. The show assembled an ensemble cast that included Bobby Deol, Lakshya, Sahher Bambba, Manoj Pahwa and Mona Singh, among others, and centred on the journey of an outsider struggling to find a foothold in the film industry.

Shah Rukh Khan also appeared in the series, but only briefly. That limited appearance is now being seen as a kind of prelude: Aryan first experimenting with tone and storytelling in a controlled way, before contemplating a full-scale film built around one of India’s most recognisable faces.

The choice of subject for The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, an outsider’s struggle in an insider-driven ecosystem, already suggested a filmmaker interested in looking at the industry from a slightly oblique angle rather than simply trading on legacy. The reported decision to delay the father–son feature until after a solo theatrical test seems to extend that same instinct: to let the work, rather than the surname, do the talking.

SRK’s old joke about Aryan Khan “affording” him comes full circle

Interestingly, the possibility of Aryan directing Shah Rukh Khan has been floating around in fan conversations for some time. During an #AskSRK session on social media, a fan had asked the actor whether audiences would ever get to see his son direct him in a full-fledged film. Shah Rukh had brushed off the question with characteristic humour, replying: “If he can afford me!!! And my tantrums…”

At the time, the quip read like an indulgent, throwaway line. In light of the latest report, it now feels almost prescient, a playful hint at an idea that was perhaps already being discussed in private. The new details suggest that, rather than a casual vanity project, the collaboration is being treated as a high-stakes professional decision that Aryan wants to “earn” through previous work.

A slow-build strategy, not a shortcut

If the reported plan holds, Aryan Khan’s career arc for the next few years looks unusually measured for a star kid in Bollywood. Instead of rushing into a headline-grabbing debut feature with his father, he appears to be prioritising a standalone theatrical film where he will be judged without Shah Rukh Khan at the centre of the frame.

The timeline, with the SRK-led project expected to take shape only in 2027, underlines that this is a long game. For an industry often driven by instant announcements and quick turnarounds, such a staged approach stands out. It suggests that Aryan and his team are acutely aware of the intense scrutiny that will accompany any film uniting the two Khans, and are intent on building a craft and track record before stepping into that spotlight.

For now, what is concrete is limited: Aryan has one released directorial credit in The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, a second theatrical feature in active scripting and pre-casting, and an aspirational third film with Shah Rukh Khan pencilled in for around 2027, contingent on how those plans unfold. All of this, as of now, remains in the realm of reports and insider accounts rather than formal studio announcements.

What is clear, though, is the intent being communicated through these reports, that Aryan Khan is trying to carve out his own filmmaking identity, even as he carefully prepares for the inevitable, era-defining collaboration with his father that audiences have been waiting to see.

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