SRK captivated by South Cinema. Shah Rukh Khan Celebrates South Cinema at Locarno Film Festival: "Greatest Storytelling Parts of India".
Shah Rukh Khan, a global icon and recipient of the prestigious Pardo Alla Carriera award at the 77th Locarno Film Festival, used his acceptance speech to champion the brilliance of South Indian cinema.
In a passionate conversation after receiving the award, SRK rejected the notion of regionalizing Indian cinema, emphasizing the diverse languages and storytelling traditions that exist within the country. "For me, the greatest storytelling parts of India, if I could say like this, is South Indian cinema," he declared.
He praised the technical prowess and cinematic brilliance of Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil films, acknowledging the impact of recent blockbusters like "Jawan," "RRR," and "Baahubali," which have brought South Indian cinema to the forefront of global attention.
"They have some of the greatest superstars of our country, and we all know it in India; it's just that recently, with some huge hits, everybody started noticing it all over," SRK said.
The superstar shared his deep admiration for South cinema's unique storytelling style, emphasizing its "larger than life," "robust," and "musical" qualities. "They love their heroes to be larger than life," he remarked, reflecting on his own experience working with director Atlee in "Jawan," a Pan-India film with a predominantly Tamil crew.
"It was a desire after having worked with Mani Ratnam in 'Dil Se' that I should work in a South genre film," he shared, highlighting his fascination with the South Indian filmmaking style.
While language barriers initially presented a challenge during the making of "Jawan," Shah Rukh Khan described the experience as one of "fusion" and camaraderie. He fondly reminisced about working with Atlee, who welcomed him with open arms and even named his son Meer, after Shah Rukh Khan's father.
"I think genuinely, it's one of the first fusions of Hindi and South Indian cinema which transcended all kinds of boundaries and did really good business and was really loved across the whole nation," he said, highlighting the film's immense success.
Shah Rukh Khan's celebration of South Indian cinema at the Locarno Film Festival is a testament to his respect for diversity and his willingness to embrace new creative horizons. His praise for the unique storytelling traditions of the South highlights the rich and vibrant tapestry of Indian cinema and its global appeal.