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Shah Rukh Khan calls Allu Arjun’s Raaka poster ‘intriguing and amazing’, wishes Pushpa star on his birthday
Shah Rukh Khan took to X on Wednesday to wish Allu Arjun on his 44th birthday and weigh in on the first look of Raaka, the actor's upcoming collaboration with director Atlee.
The first look poster of Raaka, Allu Arjun's upcoming film directed by Atlee, released on Wednesday (Courtesy: iamsrk/ X)
Shah Rukh Khan has had a front-row view of what Atlee can do on a big canvas. In 2023, the two made Jawan together, a film that became one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of all time. So when the Raaka‘s first look dropped on Wednesday morning, Khan’s reaction carried some context behind it.
Taking to X, Khan wished Allu Arjun on his 44th birthday and left a note on the poster that came with it. “Happy Birthday @alluarjun,” he wrote. “The poster is intriguing and amazing, just like you are. Can’t wait to see what you guys have put together. This experience will be, in Atlee’s words, Mass masss massss!! #Raaka looks so exciting, all the best!! @Atlee_dir.”
Happy Birthday @alluarjun … the poster is intriguing and amazing just like you are. Can’t wait to see what you guys have put together. This experience will be… in Atlee’s words – Mass masss massss!! #Raaka looks so exciting, all the best!! @Atlee_dir pic.twitter.com/QHh3ZkpKQh
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 8, 2026
What the poster shows
The first look for Raaka, which was previously referred to by its working title AA22xA6, was unveiled on Allu Arjun’s birthday through a collaborative post on social media by Sun Pictures, Allu Arjun and Atlee. Allu Arjun accompanied the release with a simple message: “The wait is over. Gear up for #Raaka.”
The first look features an intense close-up of a bald Arjun’s rugged face, partially hidden behind a wolf-like claw. One eye is sharply in focus, staring forward with a predatory intensity. The image carries a primal, warrior-like aesthetic. The poster was released in eight languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Arabic and Bengali, signalling the scale the makers are aiming for.
Atlee’s words on the project
Atlee, for his part, framed Raaka as something deeply personal. “Raaka isn’t just a film, it’s a part of me I’ve carried for years. For 18 years, I held on to one idea, never letting it fade. It tested me, shaped me, and stayed with me through everything. And honestly, this is just the beginning,” he said.
Sun Pictures, the Chennai-based banner producing the film, said it was “privileged to bring together the singular storytelling of Atlee and the iconic stature of Allu Arjun in a project built for the world.”
The film and its cast
Deepika Padukone is confirmed as the female lead, marking her first collaboration with Allu Arjun. She previously worked with Atlee on Jawan opposite Shah Rukh Khan. The film is set to release in 2027 and will be released in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Malayalam, Arabic and Bengali.
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Allu Arjun, meanwhile, arrives at Raaka as one of the most commercially successful actors in Indian cinema right now. His performance in Pushpa: The Rise earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor, and the sequel reshaped box office benchmarks across the country. Raaka is his 22nd film as a lead actor and Atlee’s sixth directorial venture.
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