‘Ms Marvel’ writer Sana Amanat, and director duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are just as big Shah Rukh Khan fans as the show’s protagonist Kamala Khan. It was revealed some days ago that the Disney+ superhero show, set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has several references to Bollywood films, especially those of Shah Rukh Khan.
In the comics and on the show, Kamala is a Pakistani-origin teenager, and her cultural roots play an important role in the storytelling. Marvel has certainly been leaning into this, with everything from Kamala’s costume to the show’s marketing material paying tribute to her South Asian heritage.
In an interview, the writer and directors spoke about their shared love for Shah Rukh and how willing they’d be to work with him. Adil and Bilall, as they’re credited on their films, helmed the blockbuster ‘Bad Boys For Life’, and will next direct DC’s ‘Batgirl’. Adil said, “We would want to make a Bad Boys 3 remake with Shah Rukh Khan. If Shah Rukh Khan wants to be in this show.” Bilall added, “He is one of the biggest stars in the world, a legend.”
Sana said that references to Shah Rukh exist even in the ‘Ms Marvel’ comics, citing her own youth as a Pakistani growing up in New Jersey. “Shah Rukh, if you want to work with us, we are down for it,” she said.
‘Ms Marvel’ will debut on Disney+ on June 8. The six-episode series is designed to set up the upcoming ‘The Marvels’, in which the character will unite on the big screen with Captain Marvel. The show stars Iman Vellani in the lead role, with Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur and Matt Lintz in supporting roles.
