Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has heaped praise on South Indian cinema, calling it “fantastic” in terms of cinematic and technical aspects. The actor, whose recent films Pathaan and Jawan have redefined box office success, shared his thoughts during a candid conversation at the Locarno Film Festival.
Shah Rukh Khan says, “Cinematically, technically South cinema is fantastic”: recalls his desire to do South film after Dil Se, calls Jawan “True fusions of Hindi and South”
Shah Rukh Khan on Indian Cinema and the Impact of South Films
In the discussion, Shah Rukh Khan spoke about the diversity of Indian cinema, highlighting the various languages and storytelling traditions that make up the industry. “For years, the idea of ‘regionalizing’ Indian cinema seemed wrong to me,” he said. “Our country is so vast, and we don’t just have different dialects—we have entirely different languages. There’s Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, and so many more. It’s all Indian cinema, and some of the greatest storytelling in India comes from the South.”
Khan praised the cinematic and technical excellence of South Indian films, noting that Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil cinema, in particular, have produced some of the greatest superstars and most compelling stories. “Cinematically and technically, South cinema is really fantastic,” he stated. “With recent hits like Jawan, RRR, and Baahubali, the world is finally starting to notice what we’ve always known in India.”
The Desire to Work in South Cinema After Dil Se
Khan revealed that his desire to work in a South genre film stemmed from his experience with Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se. “It was a desire after having worked with Mani Ratnam in a film Dil Se that I should work in a South genre film,” he said. The actor admired the larger-than-life characters, robust storytelling, and energetic music prevalent in South Indian cinema.
Khan elaborated on what drew him to South Indian cinema, particularly its larger-than-life heroes and robust narratives filled with music and drama. “South cinema has a specific style, with larger-than-life heroes and lots of music. I really enjoyed that. It was a new experience for me, and I even found myself asking my kids if I looked okay on screen because it felt like I was part of something grand.”
Collaborating with Atlee on Jawan
Shah Rukh Khan also spoke highly of his collaboration with Atlee, the director of Jawan. He shared a heartwarming story about Atlee naming his son after Khan’s late father, a gesture that deeply touched the actor. “Language was a bit of an issue at first, but we quickly found ways to communicate. Atlee is a wonderful guy, and we ended up making most of the film through gestures and enjoying meals together. Jawan was a great experience for me—it was one of the first true fusions of Hindi and South Indian cinema that transcended boundaries and was loved across the nation.”
For the unversed, Shah Rukh Khan received the prestigious Pardo alla Carriera (Career Leopard) at the 77th Locarno Film Festival, becoming the first Indian personality to be honoured with this lifetime achievement award.
Also Read: Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan are Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem’s top picks for potential biopic on them
More Pages: Jawan Box Office Collection
, Jawan Movie Review
BOLLYWOOD NEWS – LIVE UPDATES
Catch us for latest Bollywood News, New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi, Entertainment News, Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2024 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.
Source Agencies
