Shah Rukh Khan lights up Dubai for epic NYE festivities: Eight days of magic

Dubai: Shah Rukh Khan has arrived in Dubai, with videos circulating across social media showing the Bollywood superstar around town just in time for the city's most anticipated New Year's Eve event. His presence adds an extra layer of excitement to what's already shaping up to be one of Dubai's grandest celebrations yet.

Emaar plans week-long celebration

Amid this buzz, Emaar has announced an extended New Year's celebration that runs for eight days, from 31st December through 7th January. Rather than focusing solely on the midnight countdown, the event spreads across Downtown Dubai with various activities and displays throughout the week.

The week-long festivities will feature a diverse format, including art installations, technology-driven displays and live entertainment. It's being positioned as a hybrid event, catering to both the crowds who show up in person and those watching from home via live streams.

This approach builds on the success of previous years, when Downtown Dubai attracted around 1.7 million visitors on New Year’s Eve. The live streams typically reach about 2 billion viewers globally, making it one of the more widely watched New Year's events.

Burj Park hosts Bollywood-themed event

Burj Park will host a ticketed event developed with Frontstage, which operates under Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment. The setup leans into Bollywood aesthetics, with live performances, parades and festival-style elements against the backdrop of the Burj Khalifa.

It's a natural fit given Shah Rukh Khan's prominence in Indian cinema and his established connection to Dubai.

Ticket details

Tickets for Burj Park are priced at Dh950 for adults and Dh550 for children aged 5 to 12, with free access for kids under five.

Parade and nighttime displays planned

Beyond Burj Park, there's a parade scheduled to move through Downtown Dubai, featuring large floats, illuminated figures and various performers. The organisers are clearly banking on these being shareable moments, both for attendees and social media.

Mohamed Alabbar, Emaar's Founder, has described the scale as larger than previous years, with nightly lighting displays, drone formations and choreographed visuals designed for both in-person and remote viewing. Whether it matches the ambition remains to be seen.

With Shah Rukh Khan now in Dubai and the stage set for an eight-day spectacular, New Year's Eve 2026 is shaping up to be one for the history books.