Shah Rukh Khan Waived Rs 42 Lakh DCP Bill for Deool Band 2, Reveals Director Pravin Tarde

The Connection That Got the Request to Shah Rukh Khan

The request eventually reached Shah Rukh Khan directly. According to Tarde, the breakthrough came through an indirect but meaningful connection: Khan's team informed him that Deool Band 2 was made by the team behind Mulshi Pattern — a Marathi film that was later remade as Antim (2021), starring Salman Khan. That context made Khan familiar with the filmmakers' body of work.

"He asked his technical team about the matter. They told him it was a film by the makers of Mulshi Pattern. Since Mulshi Pattern was later remade as Antim by Salman Khan, Shah Rukh was aware of our work. He then enquired about Deool Band 2. His team told him it was a well-made emotional film and that the makers wanted the DCP but couldn't afford the cost. The DCP was ready, but it hadn't been handed over because the dues were pending," Tarde said.

Khan's response, the director recalled, was immediate and unconditional: "He simply said, 'Waive off their bill.' He told them, 'It's a Marathi film. Give them the DCP. We can sort out the payments later. If it's a good film, give them the DCP.'"

"He Helped When Nobody Knew Whether the Film Would Work"

Tarde emphasised that Khan extended the gesture without any assurance of the film's commercial viability. "Today, the film is heading towards the Rs 100-crore club and everyone is appreciating it. But what Shah Rukh Khan did when the film was nothing, when nobody knew whether it would work or not, will always be remembered. He helped us without any guarantee of success. I will forever be grateful to him," he said.

The director added that he would personally like to screen the film for Khan.

Deool Band 2: By the Numbers

According to Sacnilk's day-wise box office data, Deool Band 2 collected Rs 80.17 crore gross at the Indian box office by its 25th day, with a net collection of Rs 68.22 crore. Wikipedia's collated figures cite total earnings at Rs 84.65 crore, placing the film as the second highest-grossing Marathi film of 2026 — behind Raja Shivaji — and the fourth highest-grossing Marathi film of all time.

The film's opening week collection of Rs 30.2 crore was the second-highest ever for a Marathi release. Its second weekend gross of Rs 14.25 crore surpassed the previous record held by Baipan Bhari Deva (2023).

Made on a reported budget of Rs 8-10 crore, the film has achieved a return on investment of approximately 550%, according to Sacnilk. It is written and directed by Tarde and stars Snehal Tarde and Mohan Joshi in the lead roles. The film addresses farmer suicides and explores the tension between faith and atheism. Mahesh Manjrekar and Prasad Oak appear in special roles.

The DCP — the digital format that Shah Rukh Khan's intervention helped provide — is the standard technical requirement for theatrical projection on digital cinema projectors across Indian multiplexes and single screens.

Red Chillies Entertainment, founded by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan in 2002, operates one of India's leading visual effects studios, Red Chillies VFX, alongside its film production and distribution divisions. Neither Red Chillies Entertainment nor Shah Rukh Khan has issued a separate public statement on the matter as of publication.