While the Joy Awards 2026 in Riyadh brought together global icons like Katy Perry and Millie Bobby Brown, it was a viral snippet from the audience that ignited a digital firestorm. Turkish star Hande Ercel Hande took to her Instagram stories to set the record straight, saying "Who is this uncle?" She referred to Shah Rukh Khan who was presenting an award with Amina Khalil on stage. "I was just filming my friend @aminakhalilofficial, I am not his fan! Please stop spreading false information," she noted.
It all started when a video circulated showing Hande Erçel holding up her phone, seemingly focused on Shah Rukh Khan as he graced the stage. SRK fans quickly dubbed her a 'total fangirl', celebrating the moment as yet another testament to the superstar’s global reach.
A netizen commented on X, "To spread hate against Shah Rukh Khan, some people have intentionally edited Hande Erçel’s Instagram story and are circulating fake images online. Please note this is NOT real. This kind of manipulation is done only to create unnecessary negativity against SRK. Respect artists and stop spreading hate." Another one wrote, "There’s no bollywood without shah rukh khan," others also dropped similar reactions.
Fans also noted that Hande has previously spoken warmly about Indian cinema and her desire to work in Bollywood, making such a dismissive comment highly uncharacteristic.
Shah Rukh Khan is gearing up for his next big project, King, a thrilling action film directed by Siddharth Anand. The movie boasts an impressive cast, including his daughter Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Arshad Warsi, Anil Kapoor, Jaideep Ahlawat and Raghav Juyal. Initially, the film was slated for a Gandhi Jayanti 2026 release, but recent reports suggest it might hit theaters on Christmas 2026 instead.
The story revolves around Shah Rukh Khan's character, a deadly assassin and Suhana Khan's character, his protégé. The film's production began in May 2025, with shoots taking place in Mumbai and Warsaw. Anirudh Ravichander is composing the music, marking his second collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan after 'Jawan'.