Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan added another accolade to his illustrious career at the 77th Locarno Film Festival, where he was presented with a career achievement honour on Saturday. The superstar, known for his wit as much as his on-screen performances, delivered an acceptance speech that blended heartfelt reflections on cinema with his trademark humor.

Addressing the packed 8,000-strong crowd in Locarno’s Piazza Grande, Khan began by acknowledging the warm reception he received. “Thank you all for welcoming me with such wide arms – wider than the ones I do on screen,” he quipped, referencing his famous open-armed pose.

The actor, affectionately known by his initials SRK or King Khan to his fans, went on to praise the festival’s location. “It’s a very beautiful, very cultural, very artistic, and extremely hot city of Locarno,” he remarked, adding with a grin, “So many people stuffed up in a little square and so hot. It’s just like being home in India.” The temperature touched 95º F (35º C) in Locarno on Saturday and the Piazza Grande was humid as well.

Khan’s speech took a more serious turn as he delved into his thoughts on cinema and creativity. “I truly believe cinema has been the most profound and influential artistic medium of our age,” he said. “I’ve had the privilege of being part of this for many years, and this journey has taught me a few lessons.”
The actor emphasised the universal nature of art and filmmaking, stating, “Art is the act of affirming life above all. It goes beyond every man-made boundary into a space of liberation. It need not be political. It need not be polemical. It need not sermonise. It need not intellectualise. It need not moralise.” He continued, “Art and cinema only need to say what it feels from the heart, to express its own truth. And that, to me, is the biggest creativity, honestly.”