One of Bollywood’s most interesting Christmas 2026 match-ups has been quietly taken off the table. Shakti Shalini, Maddock’s next horror comedy universe title, is moving out of its December 24, 2026 slot, stepping away from a festive box office collision with Shah Rukh Khan’s King.
That shift instantly changes the release map for the holiday corridor. For Maddock, Shakti Shalini is more than a franchise extension. It is the launch of a new character within the studio’s supernatural line-up, and one the banner clearly wants to position with maximum visibility rather than amid one of the year’s biggest star-driven clashes.
Why The Release Plan Changed
When the film’s teaser was unveiled in October 2025, Shakti Shalini was announced for a Christmas 2026 release. That plan has now changed, with the film moving out of the festive frame and into the first quarter of 2027.
A source said, “The movie not only introduces a new character in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe, but is also headlined by a young star. The makers initially felt Christmas 2026 would be the right date because Shakti Shalini is no less than a festival offering for the banner. But since this is Aneet’s second theatrical release after the blockbuster Saiyaara, they also felt it was important to give her a solo release. So, Shakti Shalini will now arrive early 2027.”
The decision also clears the way for King, which is officially dated for December 24, 2026. Directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and Marflix Pictures, the Shah Rukh Khan-led action film remains one of the biggest Hindi titles locked for that festive corridor.
The New Release Window
Shakti Shalini is now being lined up for an early 2027 date, with the formal announcement still awaited. That recalibration gives the film a cleaner runway and allows Maddock to mount it as a standalone event instead of a title caught in a high-voltage holiday clash.
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The change also reflects how tightly the studio is managing its growing horror comedy slate, making sure each character entry lands with its own space and recall.
What We Know About Shakti Shalini
Shakti Shalini is directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and stars Aneet Padda and Vishal Jethwa. The film is part of the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe and introduces a new female-led supernatural figure within the franchise’s expanding mythology.
It marks another important building block in Maddock’s genre strategy, with the banner continuing to grow an interconnected world through character-driven horror comedies. That makes the release timing especially crucial, because the film’s launch now feeds directly into how the studio shapes its next phase.
Aneet Padda’s Recent And Upcoming Work
As Maddock reworks the film’s rollout, the release also becomes a notable next step in Padda’s screen journey. She was seen in Saiyaara, which released in theatres on July 18, 2025, and in the 2025 anthology series Yuva Sapno Ka Safar, which premiered on Waves. Her web show Hunkaar recently released on hotstar.
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Her next confirmed theatrical release is Shakti Shalini, now repositioned for 2027. With the film tied to an established franchise and a new character introduction, it stands as a key project in her growing Hindi film line-up.
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