Shah Rukh Khan, David Letterman Special Episode to Release in October on Netflix

The Shah Rukh Khan-centred special episode of David Letterman's talk show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction will release in October on Netflix. The Khan episode was announced back in May as a “a stand-alone special” and that's how's it going to air, in line with previous special episodes featuring the likes of Jerry Seinfeld and Zach Galifianakis, which released after seasons one and two, respectively. Titled “My Next Guest with David Letterman and Shah Rukh Khan”, it will feature the television host and Indian actor in a chat that was filmed in New York, in addition to on-field vignettes as with other My Next Guest episodes, which involved Letterman visiting Khan in Mumbai during Eid in June.

Netflix announced the My Next Guest Needs No Introduction Shah Rukh Khan special episode back in May, when Khan flew to New York to sit down for a taped chat with Letterman. In a prepared statement, Khan had said then that he was “thrilled and honoured to share my story with” Letterman, who responded with a compliment of his own: “After each one of these [My Next Guest] sessions I think to myself, it is a very smart, very lovely person from whom I have learned things. You would maybe be at the top of that list.” Khan added that it was “even more special” that this would be on Netflix, since he's “working with the team on various projects”.

Said “various projects” that Khan mentioned include two series and a film in espionage action thriller Bard of Blood, zombie horror Betaal, and police drama Class of ‘83. Bard of Blood is based on Bilal Siddiqi's book of the same name, and stars Emraan Hashmi (Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai), Viineet Kumar Singh (Mukkabaaz), Sobhita Dhulipala (Made in Heaven), and Kirti Kulhari (Pink). Singh also stars in Betaal, which comes from Ghoul writer-director Patrick Graham. Class of ‘83 is based on S. Hussain Zaidi's book of the same name, stars Bobby Deol (Humraaz) and Annup Sonii (Crime Patrol) for now, and has been directed by Atul Sabharwal (Aurangzeb).

Khan is best known for leading romantic films such as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Mohabbatein (2000), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001), and Devdas (2002). The last of those kicked off a period of critical acclaim, stretching to true-life drama Swades (2004), sports drama Chak De! India (2007), and the drama My Name is Khan (2010). Khan's ventures since have largely failed to attract critical acclaim — Chennai Express (2013), Happy New Year (2014), Dilwale (2015), Raees (2017), and Zero (2018) — though most have been commercially successful, save for the last two.

My Next Guest with David Letterman and Shah Rukh Khan will release in October on Netflix.