Is Shah Rukh Khan joining The White Lotus? Here is what we actually know

Dubai: A rumour has been doing the rounds this week that Shah Rukh Khan is set to join the cast of HBO's hit series The White Lotus, and social media has not been able to stop talking about it. Before you get too excited though, there is a very important detail worth noting: the news first surfaced on 1 April.

That is right. The viral post claiming SRK would be joining one of television's most prestigious productions appeared on April Fools' Day, and there has been no official confirmation from HBO or any credible source since. Many fans who initially shared the news with excitement quickly caught on to the timing and called it out as a prank. For now, it remains exactly that.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Anip Patel (@mondayswithmohan)

So how did this all start?

The SRK speculation arrived on the back of a separate and more confirmed piece of news: that Deepika Padukone has turned down a role in the fourth season of The White Lotus. Reports had been circulating for over two years that the actress was being considered for the show, which would have marked a significant moment for Indian talent on a major international platform.

According to Variety India, Deepika ultimately passed on the opportunity, and the reason is straightforward. A source told the portal that auditions are a mandatory part of the casting process for The White Lotus, and the makers were keen on auditioning actors before signing them. Deepika was reportedly not willing to audition, and that was the deciding factor.

The bigger picture around Deepika

Deepika's exit from The White Lotus is not the only headline she has been generating recently. Separate reports have emerged around her demands for the Bollywood film Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. According to a source cited by News18, the actress had reportedly asked for Rs 25 crore for approximately 35 days of shooting, along with a ten per cent profit share and extensive entourage expenses. She also reportedly expressed reluctance to deliver dialogues in Telugu, something the director felt strongly about. Adding to the tension, confidential plot details from the film were allegedly leaked, raising concerns among the producers.

The situation has been generating considerable chatter within the industry and paints a picture of a star navigating a complicated moment in her career.

Back to SRK and The White Lotus

For fans who had already started picturing Shah Rukh Khan in a White Lotus villa causing chaos and looking impossibly charming while doing it, the reality is that there is simply nothing concrete to support the claim. No statement from HBO, no confirmation from SRK's team, and a release date of 1 April that says it all.

That said, the sheer enthusiasm with which fans embraced the idea, with many saying they would start watching the show purely for him, does say something about the kind of global crossover moment an SRK appearance on a show like The White Lotus could represent. Whether that ever becomes reality remains to be seen.

For now, file this one under wishful thinking.

Stay updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.

Areeba Hashmi is a trainee at Gulf News.