Shah Rukh Khan
"It's been a long time I received a bloody award," remarks actor Shah Rukh Khan in his trademark humour as he received the Indian of The Year 2023 award bestowed on him by News18. He walked onto the stage and went on to express his gratitude for honouring him with the award and also shed light on the troubled times that his family faced in the past couple of years.
"The last four, five years have been a bit of a ride for me and my family. I am sure some of you also because of Covid and stuff. Most of my films flopped, a lot of specialists and analysts started writing my death-knell, some idiots did the same, which actually is the same thing, analysts and idiots. Not something that I really bother about," actor Shah Rukh Khan said.
"And then, at a personal level, a little bit of bothersome and unpleasant things also happened to say the least which made me learn a lesson that be quiet, be very quiet and work hard with dignity. When you think everything is good, and still know it in your heart when everything is good, suddenly out of nowhere, wham, life may come and hit you," he added breaking his silence on family's troubled time. For the unaware, Khan's son Aryan was under judicial custody for a month post a raid by the NCB on cruise where the young man was present. He was later acquitted.
"But this is a time you need to be the hopeful, happy, honest storyteller, and continue doing whatever you are doing and kind of think this is a nasty plot twist, it is not the story you are living. And 100 percent it is not the story's end. Because somebody somewhere told me that life mein filmon ki tarah, anth mein, sab theek ho jaata hai. Aur agar theek na ho, toh anth nahi hai. Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost. And I believe in him because I believe that goodness begets goodness," the superstar said quoting his popular dialogue from 'Om Shanti Om'.
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"So when I get an award like this one, I am reminded that I should remain the eternal optimist and hang on to the self-belief that I am the fastest Lego maker in the world. And I should play honest roles that give people the courage to dream, I should keep working hard quietly with the hope that life doesn't topple my apple card anytime soon," he said in his moving speech after a long time.
The actor dedicated the award to his family and said they deserve the biggest cheer. Concluding the nearly 10-minute-long speech, Khan said, "I don't just feel like the Indian of the year. I am an Indian of all the ages gone by. I will be the Indian of all the years to come. I am an Indian of all ages."
