Shah Rukh Khan Skips the Mannat Balcony on His 61st Birthday, Thanks Fans With a Handwritten Note

A giant screen outside his Mumbai home carried his message and visuals from King, as the actor kept away from the midnight appearance fans wait for every year.

Shah Rukh Khan turned 61 on November 2, 2026, and broke one of his best-loved traditions: the midnight appearance on the balcony of Mannat, his Mumbai home, where thousands of fans gather each year. NDTV reported that he skipped it this time.

Instead, a handwritten note from the actor was shown on a giant screen outside Mannat. In it, he thanked fans for their wishes and love, sent the same back to them, and signed off with love and a big hug, according to Hindustan Times. Fans who had gathered around midnight got a personal message even without the balcony moment.

Mannat gets a King makeover

The display also turned the outside of Mannat into a showcase for his upcoming film King. It carried striking visuals along with two of the film’s dialogues, “King Akela Kaafi Hai” and “Darr Nahi, Dehshat Hoon”. The actor is reportedly staying away from Mannat for now, which may explain his absence from the balcony, though the reports do not say why.

King arrives on December 24

King, directed by Siddharth Anand, is set for a theatrical release on December 24, 2026. It reunites Shah Rukh with the director after Pathaan. The cast includes Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Jaideep Ahlawat and Raghav Juyal. It is also the first theatrical release in which Shah Rukh and his daughter Suhana share the screen.

To mark the birthday, the makers released the film’s first song, Tu Mil Jaaye, featuring Shah Rukh and Deepika Padukone, with vocals by Arijit Singh.

A different kind of celebration

The balcony moment was missing, but the note, the film showcase and the song gave fans other ways to celebrate. The Times of India also covered the day’s events at Mannat.

Sources: NDTV, Hindustan Times, The Times of India.