Shah Rukh Khan was feted at the Locarno Film Festival 2024. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award there. The Bollywood superstar spoke freely of experiences when he appeared to be at his free will. He spoke of collaborations and he also shared personal anecdotes that enthralled the audience.

In a revealing discussion, Khan addressed the distinction between Bollywood and South Indian cinema. He emphasized that regionalizing Indian cinema is misguided. The country’s vast diversity in languages and storytelling styles complicates this effort. “South Indian cinema has some of the greatest stories and superstars,” Khan noted. He praised the cinematic and technical prowess of South films, mentioning hits like Jawan, RRR, and Baahubali. Khan expressed a long-standing desire to work in South Indian cinema, appreciating its unique approach to storytelling and music. Khan also spoke about his collaboration with director Atlee, who named his son after Khan's father, Mir Taj Mohammed Khan. While talking about how he worked with Atlee, Khan revealed, “Language was a bit of an issue initially, but we gesticulated our way through. Atlee named his son after my father, and we had a wonderful experience blending Hindi and South Indian cinema.” He also highlighted the successful fusion of Hindi and South cinema in their collaborative film.

The actor, reminiscing about watching the movie on the television set and pressing his mother's feet, said he would have tears in his eyes and couldn't stop experiencing it. Khan said that he had first thought that this role of Devdas was certainly very tough for him but it was none other than Sanjay Leela Bhansali who kept on harping that there was none other suitable for the role than Khan. “I didn’t want Devdas to be someone who demeaned women,” Khan explained, “I wanted him to be a character who is not looked up to.”

Khan also humorously recounted his struggles with a signature dance move from the 90s. “I was quite ashamed of myself because I couldn’t do the dip,” he said. The actor demonstrated his iconic move. He revealed that choreographer Saroj Khan ultimately decided he should simply stand with his arms out. This way he avoided the dip that he struggled with.

As SRK looked back at his illustrious career and personal growth, his earnest insights and fun anecdotes only added a lifetime of experience to the festival audience, further cementing his status as an endearing icon in Indian cinema.