Bollywood Trade News Network

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) today announced this year's festival will honour Shah Rukh Khan, Oliver Stone and Nabil El-Maleh and for their outstanding contribution to cinema, as part of the DIFF Salutes programme.   

DIFF Salutes is a retrospective tribute that celebrates the work of distinguished film makers from Asia, the Arab world, and Hollywood. This follows last year's In the Spotlight segment, which honoured Oscar-winning American actor Morgan Freeman, the Egyptian "king of comedy" Adel Imam, and Indian producer-director Yash Chopra.

Abdulhamid Juma, Chairman of DIFF said, "Within three years, DIFF has come a long way in capturing the attention, participation and awareness of the regional and international film industry. The presence of these legends will confirm the festival as a forum that celebrates milestone cinema. Retrospective screenings of their acclaimed work will provide further momentum to DIFF's objective of inspiring an emerging generation of film makers, who we think will take the industry to new levels of growth."

Representing Asian cinema in DIFF Salutes, Bollywood heartthrob Shah Rukh Khan is one of the most famous actors in India, having appeared in over 55 films. Popularly known as "King Khan," he is India's quintessential leading man, but has often challenged perceptions by accepting anti-hero roles. Two of Shah Rukh's films were India's official entries in the Oscars: PAHELI (2006) and DEVDAS (2002).

A recipient of the coveted Padmashree, India's fourth highest civilian award, Khan has also received 13 Filmfare Awards, the Best Citizen Award from the government of India, and the Rajiv Gandhi Award for Excellence in the field of entertainment. Khan is also a successful producer

DIFF will pay tribute to the honourees during the Dubai International Film Festival 2006, which will run from 10-17 December at the Madinat Jumeirah.

In 2004, a new festival joined the ranks of the world's international film festivals. Using the powerful medium of film to serve as a platform for inter-cultural dialogue and an instrument of global understanding, the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) launched with its theme of 'Bridging Cultures. Meeting Minds.'