Shah Rukh Khan on Bollywood vs South film industry debate: 'Cinematically and technically, South cinema is really fantastic'

Shah Rukh Khan shared his honest thoughts on the ongoing Bollywood vs South Indian cinema debate during a candid interaction at the 77th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. The actor, who was honoured with the prestigious Pardo alla Carriera Ascona-Locarno award at the festival, spoke candidly about his experiences and views on the division often seen within Indian cinema.

Addressed the topic, he first emphasized on the the richness and diversity of Indian cinema and expressed his discomfort with the idea of "regionalizing" Indian films. "For years, the idea of ‘regionalizing’ Indian cinema seemed wrong to me. Our country is so vast, and we don’t just have different dialects – we have entirely different languages. It’s all Indian cinema, and some of the greatest storytelling in India comes from the South," he remarked.

Praising the cinematic brilliance of South Indian cinema, Shah Rukh highlighted the technical and narrative excellence that has consistently emerged from the region. He pointed out that recent blockbusters like Jawan, RRR, and Baahubali have garnered global attention, showcasing the world what Indian audiences have long appreciated. "Cinematically and technically, South cinema is really fantastic," he said.

Reflecting on his own experience working on 'Jawan' with renowned South Indian director Atlee, Shah Rukh shared that it was an exciting and novel experience for him. "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," he added.

On the work front, SRK is currently busy prepping for his next film titled 'King'. The movie will see him sharing screen space with his daughter Suhana Khan and will feature Abhishek Bachchan as the lead antagonist.