Star Shah Rukh Khan has earned another accolade in his remarkable career. On August 10, he became the first Indian personality to receive a lifetime achievement award, known as the Pardo alla Carriera, or Career Leopard, at the 77th edition of the Locarno Film Festival. He attended the event dressed in a sleek black blazer and matching trousers. The highlight of the evening was his speech, which elicited continuous applause from the audience.
According to Variety, Khan started by expressing his gratitude for the warm welcome he received. "Thank you all for embracing me with such open arms - wider than the ones I display on screen," he joked, referring to his iconic open-armed stance. He then complimented the festival's venue. "Locarno is a very beautiful, cultural, artistic, and extremely hot city," he noted, with a smile, "So many people crammed into a small square and it's so hot. It's just like being back home in India."
Khan went on to discuss his views on cinema. "I truly believe that cinema has been the most profound and influential artistic medium of our age. I've been fortunate to be part of this for many years, and this journey has taught me several lessons," he shared. He emphasized the universal nature of art and filmmaking, stating, "Art is the act of affirming life above all. It transcends every man-made boundary into a space of liberation. It doesn't need to be political, polemical, sermonising, or intellectualising. It doesn't need to moralise."
He added, "Art and cinema only need to convey what it feels from the heart, to express its own truth. And that, to me, is the greatest creativity, honestly." Reflecting on his 35-year career in the film industry, Khan mentioned the diverse roles he has portrayed. "I've been a villain, a champ, a superhero, a zero, a rejected fan, and a very, very resilient lover."
The Jawan star concluded his speech by promising to continue pushing his limits. "With the promise that awards like this encourage me to keep trying to embody all the facets of life, all the emotions, and to give that one more take, one more shot, one more emotion, and hopefully a little bit of love, so that all of you feel a little joyful," he said. As part of the Locarno tribute, the festival is also screening Khan's 2002 hit Devdas.
