Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan has added another prestigious accolade to his illustrious career, becoming the first Indian actor to receive the Pardo Alla Carriera Award at the Locarno Film Festival.
Khan, known for his three-decade reign in Indian cinema, made a striking appearance at the event, donning a sleek black blazer and matching trousers, with a fresh new hairstyle. His arrival at the Piazza Grande in Locarno was met with cheers, and social media buzzed with viral images and videos of the superstar.
In his acceptance speech, Khan expressed gratitude, saying, “Thank you all for welcoming me with such wide arms—wider than the ones I do on screen,” as reported by Variety. He reflected on the power of cinema, stating, “Art is the act of affirming life above all. It goes beyond every man-made boundary into a space of liberation. It need not be political. It need not sermonize or intellectualize. It need not moralize.”
Reflecting on his diverse roles, Khan remarked, “I’ve been a villain, a champ, a superhero, a zero, a rejected fan, and a very, very resilient lover,” capturing the essence of his dynamic career.
Khan, celebrated for his numerous box office hits, has previously been honored by the French government with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2007 and the Légion d’honneur in 2014.
Giona A. Nazzaro, the Artistic Director of the Locarno Film Festival, praised Khan as a “living legend,” noting, “The wealth and breadth of his contribution to Indian cinema is unprecedented. Khan is a king who has never lost touch with the audience that crowned him. A true ‘people’s hero,’ sophisticated and down to earth, Shah Rukh Khan is a legend of our times.”
The award comes on the heels of Khan’s successful run in 2023, with three blockbuster films: Pathaan, Jawan, and Dunki.
Source: Connected To Indi
