Fans Think Siddharth Anand’s Birthday Message for SRK Includes a Sly Jab at Prabhas and Vanga
As Shah Rukh Khan celebrated his 60th birthday on Sunday, the film industry conveyed their wishes to him across social media. Many posts featured clever wordplay, many of which were quite direct. Given that the title reveal for his film King also happened on the same day, many Happy birthday King messages were seen on X and Instagram. Amidst these well-wishes, a particular wish from King director Siddharth Anand caught people’s attention, leading to speculation online that it might also have been intended as a subtle dig at Prabhas and Sandeep Reddy Vanga.
On Sunday afternoon, Siddharth, who has previously directed Shah Rukh in Pathaan, shared a picture with the actor on X. In the caption with the picture, Siddharth wrote, “When stars go beyond being “just a superstar” they are called (crown emoji) Happy Birthday INDIA’s KING.”
When stars go beyond being “just a superstar” they are called 👑
Happy Birthday INDIA’s KING pic.twitter.com/NZmChE3OIy
— Siddharth Anand (@justSidAnand) November 2, 2025
It was observed by many that Siddharth’s emphasis on the words just a superstar in his caption may be connected to Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s description of Prabhas as ‘India’s biggest superstar’ in the audio teaser for his upcoming film, Spirit. Prabhas being labelled as the biggest superstar had not gone down too well with Shah Rukh Khan’s fans, who expressed their opposing views for the title on Twitter.
Many on Reddit felt Siddharth’s caption as a subtle jab directed at Prabhas and Vanga, suggesting that Shah Rukh’s stature transcends that of a superstar. One user wrote, “Sid Anand casually trolling Prabhas and Vanga.” However, many were of the opinion that if the filmmaker had done this deliberately, he was playing into Vanga’s hands, who was most likely attempting to generate controversy to promote his film. One wrote, “This is exactly what Vanga wanted.” Another commented, “Looks like Vanga rage baited whole Bollywood.”
Spirit marks Prabhas’ first collaboration with Sandeep Reddy Vanga. The film also features Triptii Dimri and Vivek Oberoi in key roles. According to various reports, Korean action star Don Lee has also joined the cast of the film, which is set for a 2026 release.
Shah Rukh, on the other hand, is set to appear in Siddharth Anand’s King. The first glimpse of the film was revealed on Sunday, on SRK’s birthday. This film, also slated for a 2026 release, marks Shah Rukh’s first collaboration with his daughter, Suhana Khan.
Also Read: Siddharth Anand wants Prabhas to star in his mega project
