‘Munjya’ star Abhay Varma on sharing screen space with Shah Rukh Khan in ‘King’: 'I just wanted him to know my name'

For actors, meeting a childhood idol is special, but working alongside them is something else entirely. For ‘Munjya’ star Abhay Varma, being part of Siddharth Anand’s upcoming film ‘King’ alongside Shah Rukh Khan feels so unreal that he jokes the experience itself feels like a life milestone he never expected to reach so early.Abhay Varma has always been open about his admiration for Shah Rukh Khan. In a recent interaction with ABP News, the actor spoke about finally meeting the superstar and how the moment left him deeply moved. Beyond cinema, he described Shah Rukh as someone he looks up to for guidance and inspiration. “He is obviously the King. And honestly, I admire him not just as an actor, but as a teacher. He represents the best of our youth, someone we can look up to. I have always placed his work on a pedestal, and for me, he holds the stature of a god. I respect him deeply." Reflecting on his first interaction with Shah Rukh Khan, Abhay admitted that the moment had always existed only in his imagination. When it finally happened, it turned out to be far more emotional than he had anticipated.“In the beginning, I had this jittery feeling thinking, ‘I hope one day Shah Rukh sir knows that a guy named Abhay Varma exists.’ At the very least, I wanted him to know my name or maybe just see me once. But when I actually met him, when he hugged me and asked how I was, and asked if I travelled comfortably, it felt like I had reached my personal retirement stage, I couldn’t have asked for more from God."What left a lasting impression on Abhay was how effortlessly Shah Rukh Khan put everyone at ease. According to the young actor, the realisation of meeting a global icon didn’t sink in immediately. “When I would go back to my hotel, then it used to feel like as if I had met Shah Rukh Khan. But when I was sitting with him, talking to him, he never made you feel like he’s Shah Rukh Khan. He made it feel like you were meeting a friend."Directed by Siddharth Anand, ‘King’ boasts a large ensemble cast featuring Deepika Padukone, Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Anil Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Raghav Juyal, Jackie Shroff, and Rani Mukerji. The film is currently slated for a Christmas 2026 theatrical release.