SRK on his desire to work on 'Jawan' after 'Dil Se': "Cinematically and technically, South cinema is fantastic."

Locarno [Switzerland], August 12 : Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who had a blockbuster 2023 with Atlee’s 'Jawan', shared his thoughts on South cinema and his desire to work in the genre following 'Dil Se'.

In a candid discussion with Giona A. Nazzaro, the artistic director of the Locarno Film Festival, SRK praised South cinema for its cinematic and technical excellence.

He explained, "If you ask me honestly, regionalizing Indian cinema is incorrect. Our country is so vast that instead of different dialects, we have various languages like Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and Bengali. It's all part of Indian cinema. South Indian storytelling is particularly outstanding."

SRK described South cinema as "fantastic" both cinematically and technically, noting the remarkable talents and successes of Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil cinema. He highlighted that recent hits such as 'Jawan', 'RRR', and 'Baahubali' have brought increased recognition to these industries.

Reflecting on his career, Shah Rukh mentioned his desire to work in South cinema after his experience with Mani Ratnam's 'Dil Se'. He said, "After working with Mani Ratnam on 'Dil Se', I wanted to be part of a South genre film. I was eager to experience their distinctive storytelling approach, characterized by larger-than-life heroes and vibrant music."

He praised director Atlee and shared a touching moment when Atlee named his child after SRK's father. SRK said, "Language was initially a barrier, but we managed through gestures. Atlee, who had a baby during our film shoot and named him after my father, was wonderful. We worked closely, enjoying idli dosa and chili chicken. 'Jawan' was a fusion of Hindi and South cinema that transcended boundaries and was well-received nationwide."

Shah Rukh Khan made his return to the big screen with Siddharth Anand's 'Pathaan' in January 2023, which was a major hit and broke numerous box office records. Following 'Pathaan', SRK starred in 'Jawan', which grossed over Rs 1000 crore worldwide and set new benchmarks for box office success.

On August 10, Shah Rukh Khan was honored with the Pardo alla Carriera, or Career Leopard, at the 77th Locarno Film Festival, becoming the first Indian personality to receive this prestigious lifetime achievement award.