During an open conversation at the 77th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, Shah Rukh Khan offered his honest opinions on the continuing debate between South Indian and Bollywood movies. The actor, who accepted the festival’s coveted Pardo alla Carriera Ascona-Locarno award, was frank in his discussion of his experiences and opinions regarding the hostility that is frequently present in Indian cinema.
When he spoke on the subject, he began by highlighting the depth and variety of Indian cinema and expressing his disapproval of the notion of “regionalizing” these works. “I’ve thought for years that ‘regionalizing’ Indian cinema is a bad notion. Because of the size of our nation, we speak completely separate languages in addition to distinct dialects. It’s all Indian film, and the South produces some of the best narratives in the country,” he said.
Shah Rukh praised South Indian cinema’s artistic genius and emphasized the region’s continuous production of excellent narratives and technical work. He emphasized that recent international success stories like Jawan, RRR, and Baahubali have brought to the world’s notice what Indian viewers have long valued. “Cinematically and technically, South cinema is really fantastic,” he stated.
In perspective, Shah Rukh said that collaborating on “Jawan” with legendary South Indian filmmaker Atlee was a thrilling and unique experience for him. “South Asian films have a distinct aesthetic, featuring a lot of music and larger-than-life heroes. That was incredibly enjoyable. I felt like I was a part of something big, so it was a novel feeling for me. I even started asking my kids if I looked alright on TV,” he continued.
Regarding his career, SRK is presently occupied with the preparations for his upcoming movie, King. In the film, he will appear on screen alongside his daughter Suhana Khan, with Abhishek Bachchan playing the main foe.
