Shah Rukh Khan's next film Fan release date: It's not meant to be a blockbuster, says SRK

After back-to-back commercial, masala movies like Chennai Express, Happy New Year and Dilwale, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan is now looking forward to his upcoming film, Fan, which is more "niche" and content-driven.

Besides Bollywood potboilers, Khan – known popularly by the acronym SRK – has acted in critically-acclaimed movies like Swades and Chakde! India. However, over the past few years, he has leaned toward films targeted at the masses, leading to criticism from a section of his fans. It looks like the actor wants to change all that now.

"If you're looking for novelty, then you should watch out for Fan," said SRK (via The Express Tribune). "It's a different kind of film, meant to be a niche... not a blockbuster."

The Bollywood star added, "Films are novel in their storytelling, unless you have a completely niche or offbeat subject, and you take a subject not touched upon".

Talking about his recent big hit Dilwale, directed by Rohit Shetty (Chennai Express, Golmaal series), SRK explained, "Dilwale is an unabashedly popular commercial film. It's not pretending to be something else. It's meant to be watched by everyone – it has romance, comedy, drama. I don't even think that having Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan is a novelty factor as it's just that we are doing a film together after a long time."

"Within that scape, if you're looking for something, then Rohit Shetty has not had much (of) a love-based storyline or relationship aspect in his films, as he is more known for action and comedy. That will be novelty for Rohit. But if you ask me, generically, no, Dilwale is not reinventing cinema. It's a fun commercial movie."

SRK's Fan is slated to release on 15 April, 2016.