Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has told fans “it’s good to be back” after winning the best actor award at the International Indian Film Academy Awards.
Khan was referring to his return to movies in 2023 after a hiatus lasting four years.
“I think I have a little happiness from the audience this year because I worked (again) after a long time,” he declared to crowds at a star-studded show in Abu Dhabi.
Khan, a household name in India, is also one of the country’s most popular stars with millions of fans domestically and abroad.
He not only won the prize for his role in action thriller Jawan but also co-hosted the event in in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, a city with a big Indian population.
Fireworks greeted his arrival on stage, and the whole event was peppered with tributes to him.
“I love awards, I’m greedy about awards,” he announced. “I just want to tell you it’s good to be back.”
Khan’s return to the big screen was Bollywood’s biggest success story last year. He also starred in the spy film Pathaan.
The roles – in which he portrayed a rugged action hero – marked a departure for the 58-year-old, who, over three decades of his movie career, has been best known for playing the tender romantic hero.
His comeback on the big screen comes after a series of setbacks in his personal and professional life. They include the arrest of his son Aryan Khan on fake charges of drug possession – the charges were eventually dropped – and a number of films that didn’t do well.
But his break from the limelight is unlikely to have dented his popularity. Charming and funny, the actor is often described as Bollywood’s “most important cultural export”, with millions of fans who endearingly refer to him as King Khan or the King of Bollywood.
Other Bollywood megastars also attended the event on Saturday, including Rani Mukerji, Anil Kapoor and Bobby Deol.
Mukerji won the best actress award for the child-custody drama Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway while Vidhu Vinod Chopra won best director for 12th Fail.
Meanwhile, Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal scooped up six awards including best picture, and best supporting actor for Anil Kapoor.
Bollywood, India’s dominant film business, produces hundreds of films every year and has a huge following among Indians globally.
But like others across the world, it has seen ups and downs since the coronavirus pandemic shuttered cinemas for months and led many to turn to streaming services. It is yet to return to its former glory.
This year has been particular difficult, thanks to a lacklustre pipeline of new releases.
In comparison, 2023 was a stellar year, helped in part by the return of “King Khan”.
It is the third time Abu Dhabi has hosted the event, which is running over three days this year.
Karan Johar co-hosted the ceremony alongside Khan. The renowned filmmaker also scooped up a special award marking his 25 years in cinema.
