Aamir Khan to receive Screen Icon Award at Singapore film festival
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Entertainment: Bollywood superstar and filmmaker Aamir Khan will receive the Screen Icon Award at the 37th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), in recognition of his significant creative contribution to Asian cinema.
The festival will be held from October 21 to November 1, 2026. As part of its programme, SGIFF will mark the 25th anniversary of Khan’s acclaimed 2001 film Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India with a special presentation. Khan will attend the screening alongside director Ashutosh Gowariker.
Set in British-ruled India in 1893, Lagaan follows villagers who challenge an oppressive tax imposed by the colonial authorities by agreeing to play a cricket match against them. The film combined a mainstream Bollywood format with an unconventional sports-and-history narrative, turning the villagers’ struggle into a story of resistance and collective action.
The film went on to become a major commercial success while receiving widespread international critical acclaim. It also earned a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards in 2002, making it one of the most internationally recognised Indian films of its time.
Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda will also be honoured at this year’s festival, receiving the Cinema Honorary Award. His film Look Back is among the works featured in the festival programme.
The recognition for Khan and the anniversary presentation of Lagaan are among the highlights of this year’s SGIFF, which brings together prominent filmmakers and performers from across Asian cinema.