Shah Rukh Khan Honored At Locarno Fest, Charms Crowd

LOCARNO (ANI) – Star Shah Rukh Khan added another achievement to his illustrious career. On August 10, he became the first Indian to be honored with the lifetime achievement award – the Pardo alla Carriera, or Career Leopard – at the 77th edition of the Locarno Film Festival.

Like always, King Khan left the audience in awe with his charm, reported Variety. Several visuals from the festival surfaced online in which SRK can be seen making the crowd get rapturous.

SRK began by acknowledging the warm reception he received. “Thank you all for welcoming me with such wide arms – wider than the ones I do on screen,” he quipped, referencing his famous open-armed pose.

The actor emphasized the universal nature of art and filmmaking, 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 be polemical. It need not sermonize. It need not intellectualize. It need not be moralized.”

He continued, “Art and cinema only need to say what it feels from the heart, to express its own truth. And that, to me, is the biggest creativity, honestly.”

Reflecting on his 35-year career in the film industry, SRK touched on the diverse roles he has played. “I’ve been a villain, I’ve been a champ, I’ve been a superhero, I’ve been a zero, I’ve been a rejected fan, and I’ve been a very, very resilient lover.”

The ‘Jawan’ star concluded his speech by promising the audience that he will always push boundaries.

When SRK is there humor is guaranteed.

As the crowd cheered, SRK made one last attempt at pronouncing the award’s name, before laughing and saying, “Can you keep a shorter name? Just like, ‘arrivederci.'”