Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, on Tuesday, teasingly pulled his friend and filmmaker Karan Johar's leg for hosting more chat shows and directing fewer films.
Shah Rukh and Karan are all geared up to host the International Indian Film Academy Awards 2024 together. The two have been a part of several blockbuster hits like "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai", "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…", "My Name is Khan", and "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna".
During a news conference at the IIFA Awards, Shah Rukh pulled Karan's leg over his less active engagement with the directorial world.
"He hosts chat shows, film shows. Picturein bhi toh bana mere bhai (When are you going to make films, my brother?"), said the superstar, turning him into a ball of laughter.
Karan, whose last directorial was 2023's "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani", confessed Shah Rukh was right.
"This is sounding so wrong on so many levels for a filmmaker. That I should be making movies. (But) That is exactly what I should be doing," said the filmmaker who also hosts the popular celebrity chat show "Koffee With Karan".
IIFA Awards, the three-day award gala, is returning to Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, for the third time in a row and will take place from September 27th to 29th.
He will join Shah Rukh and Karan on the stage to co-host the actor.
There are also performances lined up by none other than highly talented yesteryear actor Rekha and stars like Shahid Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, and Kriti Sanon.
So privileged to be anchoring this show with Vicky and Karan, and all this talent, some of us are present here this evening, and of course, there's going to be great performances to follow. There's gonna be Shahid, Vicky, Jahnvi, Kriti, and of course, the most wonderful star of them all, Rekha ji, said Shah Rukh.
The star of the recently released "Pathaan", who is returning to the IIFA stage as a host after almost a decade, said all editions of the award show should have been hosted by him but the dates did not tally. "They called me once to host IIFA, they are calling me back after 10 years", he quipped, saying these days it is better to "clarify" as to when it is a joke.
IIFA is being hosted all around the world, which makes us very proud. And more often than not I've had to beg them 'I'm shooting but you are in Vancouver, Toronto, Malaysia, do it (IIFA) here in Borivali or in film city like others do. But their vision is big," he added.
IIFA Awards 2024, for the first time, brings on board the best of both the Hindi and South film industries—Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada—to celebrate and honor with full fervor the richness and diversity of Indian cinema with Bollywood flair at the IIFA Awards and vibrant South Indian cinema at IIFA Utsavam, marking the beginning of this grand event.
Attending the press conference also was Telugu star Rana Daggubati, who will host IIFA Utsavam with Teja Sajja.
Shah Rukh termed this year's edition of IIFA is "more Indian" than ever.
"IIFA has always thought of taking Indian cinema, now with the inclusion of Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu and Hindi cinema (to the world)…
"This is even more 'Indian' than it has ever been before. Keeping in tune with your vision, I'm glad now for attempting to return after such a long time, I hope we can present that well and keep them entertained." The press conference also witnessed the presence of "Yudhra" actor Siddhant Chaturvedi and "Stree 2" star Abhishek Banerjee. They will be hosting the IIFA Rocks 2024, the musical extravaganza which will bring down the curtain on the event.
The moment he took to the stage, Shah Rukh started with congratulating Abhishek for the success of "Stree 2," his recent release.
"Abhishek, bahut accha lag raha hai aapko live dikhai dekar uske baad aapki film dekh kar main baitha baitha phone karna cha raha tha aapko," he said.
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