Shah Rukh, Aryan to voice Mufasa and Simba in upcoming The Lion King remake

Shah Rukh Khan might be sticking to Hindi cinema, but his voice is going international. The actor will voice the character of Mufasa, with son Aryan taking on Simba in Disney's upcoming computer-generated imagery (CGI) remake of the animated classic The Lion King (1994).

In a statement, Khan said, "The Lion King (1994) is that one movie that my entire family loves the most and it holds a very special place in our hearts. As a father, I can totally relate with Mufasa and the endearing relationship that he shares with his son - Simba. The legacy of Lion King is timeless and being a part of this iconic re-imagining with my son Aryan makes it extra special for me. We are most excited that AbRam is going to watch this."

The actor shared a picture of himself, with elder son Aryan, wearing the team India cricket jerseys on the ocassion of the India - Pakistan match at the ongoing cricket World Cup. 

Bikram Duggal, Disney India's head of studio entertainment, said in the statement, "The Lion King is a classic that epitomizes Disney's prowess of bringing heartwarming stories that are timeless and transcend generations. Now with the re-imagined version, our aim is to reach a wider audience; introducing the tale about a pride of lions to a whole new generation of audiences while forging a deeper connection with the fans."

This is not the first time Shah Rukh Khan has voiced a Disney film being re-released in Hindi. The actor was the Hindi voice of Mr Lajawab (Mr Incredible/Bob Parr), in The Incredibles (2004), while Aryan voiced his son Tez (Dash).

The Lion King (2019) is directed by Jon Favreau, and will release in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages.