Popularly known in India as ‘King Khan’ – the emperor (‘Baadshah’) of Bollywood, superstar actor and producer Shah Rukh Khan will be awarded the career achievement award, the prestigious Pardo alla Carriera Ascona-Locarno Tourism, at the 77th edition of the Locarno Film Festival. The Award will pay tribute to his remarkable career in Indian cinema consisting of more than 100 films in a breathtaking multitude of genres.
The actor will receive the award on the evening of Saturday, August 10 on Piazza Grande. In addition, a key film from Khan’s career – Devdas (Sanjay Leela Bhansali, 2002) – will be screened during the Festival, and SRK will appear at the Forum @Spazio Cinema for a conversation open to the public on Sunday, August 11.
Khan’s breakout role was in the romantic thriller Baazigar (1993), where he starred as a murderous but sympathetic anti-hero on a quest for vengeance. A few years later he would be propelled to superstar status on the back of a timeless romantic drama, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), and a love-story across timelines, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998).
Khan was awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2007 and the Légion d’honneur in 2014 by the French government.
Shah Rukh Khan’s recent releases include three films that released in 2023, Pathaan, Jawan, and Dunki, all of which were huge commercial successes and garnered immense appreciation from global audiences. Jawan, produced by Khan’s own production house, Red Chillies Entertainement, has entered history books as the highest grossing Hindi film ever.
Giona A. Nazzaro, Artistic Director of the Locarno Film Festival said, “To welcome a living legend like Shah Rukh Khan in Locarno is a dream come true! The wealth and breadth of his contribution to Indian cinema is unprecedented. Khan is a king who has never lost touch with the audience that crowned him. This brave and daring artist has always been willing to challenge himself while remaining true to what his fans all over the world eagerly expect from his films. A true ‘people’s hero’, sophisticated and down to earth, Shah Rukh Khan is a legend of our times.”
Previous winners of the Pardo alla Carriera have included Francesco Rosi, Claude Goretta, Bruno Ganz, Claudia Cardinale, Johnnie To, Harry Belafonte, Peter-Christian Fueter, Sergio Castellitto, Víctor Erice, Marlen Khutsiev, Bulle Ogier, Mario Adorf, Jane Birkin, Fredi M. Murer, Dante Spinotti, Costa-Gavras, and, in 2023, Tsai Ming-liang.
The 77th Locarno Film Festival will take place from August 7 to 17, 2024.