Atlee Calls Shah Rukh Khan Source Of Inspiration After Winning Best Director At DPIFF 2024: 'Incredibly Grateful'

Shah Rukh Khan starrer Jawan swept not one but multiple awards at Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2024. From Shah Rukh Khan winning the best actor to Nayanthara and Anirudh Ravichander winning best actress and best music respectively, the pan-India spectacle was truly the centre of attention at the esteemed event. Even Atlee won Best Director(critic) and the film-maker thanked SRK in his gratitude post.

Taking to his X(formerly Twitter) handle, Atlee wrote, “Thank you Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards #jawan.Thank you so much! I’m incredibly grateful to you @iamsrk sir. You are a constant source of inspiration, always motivating me to surpass my dreams sir.Thanks to @RedChilliesEnt @gaurikhan Mam #poojadadlani@_GauravVerma, my entire cast and crew.I dedicate this award to my best friends who stood by me and the film @dop_gkvishnu @AntonyLRuben @muthurajthangvl na @kunalrajan @anirudhofficial @Lyricist_Vivez na @shobimaster @kalees_dir #manoj @shilpikiran #ragav #vivek #aravAnd My lucky charm @priyaatlee Thank you god for everything.”

Take a look:

Meanwhile, speaking at the awards show, Shah Rukh noted that it had been many years since he won a Best Actor award and confessed he began to think he might not win a Best Actor award anytime soon either. He expressed his gratitude for winning the award and even poked fun at Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who was cheering for him in the crowd.

“Shukriya sari jury member ka jinhone mujhko best actor ke liye layak samjha aur bhaut saal ho gaye mujhe best actor ka award nahin mila toh aisa lagne laga tha ki ab milega hi nahin. Mujhe bhaut khushi hai. Mujhe awards bhaut ache lagte hai …main thoda laalchi hu, greedy hu. (I thank jury who considered me worthy of the Best Actor award. I have not received the Best Actor Award in a long time. It seemed as if I would not get it again…So I am extremely happy. I like awards. I am a bit greedy),” he said, leaving everyone in splits.

Shah Rukh thanked Jawan’s director, Atlee, his co-stars Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi and everyone who has worked on making Jawan a success. “I am genuinely thrilled and touched that people have recognized the work that I have put in. Work of an artist is not important… all the people around him or her make everything come together,” he said before he named Atlee, Nayanthara, Vijay and Anirudh Ravichander, among many others, and thanked them for helping him win this award.

“I promise I will keep working hard and entertain India and people who are living abroad as many years as I can. Whether it takes me to dance, to fall, to fly, to romance, to be evil, to be a bad guy, to be a good guy… Inshallah, I will keep working hard,” he concluded his speech.

Released on September 7 this year, Jawan also starred Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi and Deepika Padukone in key roles. The film received positive reviews from critics and was widely loved by all. Several celebrities including Karan Johar, Allu Arjun, SS Rajamouli, Kangana Ranaut, Sidharth Malhotra, Tiger Shroff and Ameesha Patel among others also praised the Shah Rukh Khan starrer.cJawan minted over Rs 1,100 crore worldwide.

At the moment, Atlee is engrossed in his maiden Bollywood production Baby John, an action-packed drama and a remake of his 2016 Tamil hit Theri. Co-produced by him, the film is written and directed by Kalees and features Varun Dhawan in the titular role. The star-studded cast includes Keerthy Suresh, Wamiqa Gabbi, Jackie Shroff, Sanya Malhotra (making a special appearance), Sheeba Chaddha and Rajpal Yadav. Reports are rife that he might collaborate with Ram Charan and Salman Khan for his next two projects.