Shah Rukh Khan's Operation Khukri Shelved Again, Actor's Dream Army Role Lost After Years of Delays

Shah Rukh Khan fans hoping to see the superstar as an army officer in the ambitious film “Operation Khukri” have been left disappointed. The project, which was announced in 2017 with Khan as lead and Red Chillies Entertainment as co-producer, has now been officially shelved after years of setbacks and delays.

The film—based on the daring 2000 Indian Army rescue mission in Sierra Leone—first stalled after the commercial failure of SRK’s “Zero” in 2018, leading the actor to take a hiatus. Despite producer Sunir Khetarpal’s repeated efforts to revive the project with various collaborators, the film struggled for direction. Amit Sharma, known for “Badhaai Ho” and “Maidaan,” came on board in 2024 as director and co-producer, with hopes to launch production in late 2025 and release the film in 2026.

However, the revival could not move forward. As of now, the script remains unfinished and no cast has been finalized. Finding a top star to justify the film’s large budget proved impossible, as all A-list actors are committed for at least two more years. As a result, production has been halted indefinitely, with Shah Rukh Khan no longer attached to the project. In the wake of this, Amit Sharma is reportedly shifting focus to a new time travel film.

“Operation Khukri” recounts the real-life rescue mission where 223 Indian soldiers, surrounded by rebel forces in Sierra Leone, were freed in a multinational operation involving India, Ghana, Britain, and Nigeria. With the film now shelved, the story's cinematic telling remains in limbo, leaving Shah Rukh’s dream of portraying a ‘soldier’ on screen unfulfilled.