Melaka (Malaysia), Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan Saturday became the first foreign actor to be conferred the title of Datuk, akin to a British knighthood, at a special ceremony here.
Shah Rukh responded by announcing that he would shoot an entire film, tentatively titled "Happy New Year", in Malaysia next year.
"There is a film I am planning some time in August and September and will send a team down to look around," The Star Online quoted him as saying.
He would also help develop the Malaysian movie industry that has had directors like Phani Mazumdar and Ritwik Ghatak making films.
On how he felt about his Datukship, the actor said that it was an honour not only for him but also for all actors from India.
"I am very happy that I have found a big space in the hearts of people here," he added.
Resplendent in a black baju Melayu, samping and songkok, the traditional Malaysian attire, he received the state award from Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob, the royal constitutional head of the state.
The 43-year-old actor held the estimated 1,000 guests at the investiture spellbound as he received the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM), conferred on him in conjunction with the 70th birthday of the royal chief October 11.
Shah Rukh was tied down by a busy work schedule and could not fly in from Mumbai to receive the award in October or on the later date, Nov 29.
He arrived at the venue, Dewan Seri Negeri, at 10.55 a.m. and kept smiling and waving to his fans as he was escorted into the hall, Bernama, the official Malaysian news agency reported.
The actor was the focus of attention of the local and foreign photographers as well as guests who clicked away on their camera phones from their seats in the hall.
Shah Rukh responded by announcing that he would shoot an entire film, tentatively titled "Happy New Year", in Malaysia next year.
"There is a film I am planning some time in August and September and will send a team down to look around," The Star Online quoted him as saying.
He would also help develop the Malaysian movie industry that has had directors like Phani Mazumdar and Ritwik Ghatak making films.
On how he felt about his Datukship, the actor said that it was an honour not only for him but also for all actors from India.
"I am very happy that I have found a big space in the hearts of people here," he added.
Resplendent in a black baju Melayu, samping and songkok, the traditional Malaysian attire, he received the state award from Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob, the royal constitutional head of the state.
The 43-year-old actor held the estimated 1,000 guests at the investiture spellbound as he received the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM), conferred on him in conjunction with the 70th birthday of the royal chief October 11.
Shah Rukh was tied down by a busy work schedule and could not fly in from Mumbai to receive the award in October or on the later date, Nov 29.
He arrived at the venue, Dewan Seri Negeri, at 10.55 a.m. and kept smiling and waving to his fans as he was escorted into the hall, Bernama, the official Malaysian news agency reported.
The actor was the focus of attention of the local and foreign photographers as well as guests who clicked away on their camera phones from their seats in the hall.
"Shah Rukh is ours!"
Kuala Lumpur, "Shah Rukh is ours!", a Malaysian newspaper said in its editorial applauding the conferment of Datukship on the Bollywood superstar.
With the title akin to British knighthood, Malaysia could claim "personal ownership of a global product from India, the inestimable Datuk Shah Rukh Khan," the prestigious New Straits Times said Monday.
Nursing an arm injured during a film shoot last Friday, Shah Rukh flew in Saturday on a brief visit to be the first foreign actor to receive the award amidst rapturous ovation and took a rickshaw ride through Malacca, winning hearts of the citizenry.
The newspaper ridiculed critics at home, particularly some local artistes, who asked "what has he done that we have not?" saying the award to Khan had "evoked rather more bluster than it warranted."
"Those tasting sour grapes for being overlooked or ignored by such honours should wash their mouths out with soap. Certainly, these medals are intended as tokens of a state's appreciation for services rendered. In this case, the service rendered was simply in being adored."
Justifying the decision of the Malacca state to confer the award on Shah Rukh Khan, the editorial said: "Sadly for them, the answer is not what Shah Rukh has done but who he is. And who he is, is not just a fabulously successful 43-year-old film star with global recognition and vast masses of devoted fans".
"Nor is he just a talented and hard-working entertainer with more bankable cultural-crossover appeal than any other Bollywood stars of his generation (with the possible exception of Hrithik Roshan, who is taller and dances better but lacks Shah Rukh's political clout)," it added.
With the title akin to British knighthood, Malaysia could claim "personal ownership of a global product from India, the inestimable Datuk Shah Rukh Khan," the prestigious New Straits Times said Monday.
Nursing an arm injured during a film shoot last Friday, Shah Rukh flew in Saturday on a brief visit to be the first foreign actor to receive the award amidst rapturous ovation and took a rickshaw ride through Malacca, winning hearts of the citizenry.
The newspaper ridiculed critics at home, particularly some local artistes, who asked "what has he done that we have not?" saying the award to Khan had "evoked rather more bluster than it warranted."
"Those tasting sour grapes for being overlooked or ignored by such honours should wash their mouths out with soap. Certainly, these medals are intended as tokens of a state's appreciation for services rendered. In this case, the service rendered was simply in being adored."
Justifying the decision of the Malacca state to confer the award on Shah Rukh Khan, the editorial said: "Sadly for them, the answer is not what Shah Rukh has done but who he is. And who he is, is not just a fabulously successful 43-year-old film star with global recognition and vast masses of devoted fans".
"Nor is he just a talented and hard-working entertainer with more bankable cultural-crossover appeal than any other Bollywood stars of his generation (with the possible exception of Hrithik Roshan, who is taller and dances better but lacks Shah Rukh's political clout)," it added.
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