Rana Daggubati Honors SRK with a Traditional South Indian Gesture at IIFA 2024 Event

At the IIFA (International Indian Film Academy Awards) 2024 press conference held in Mumbai on September 10, Rana Daggubati showcased the deep-rooted traditions of South India as he respectfully touched Shah Rukh Khan's feet. The press event, attended by major Bollywood figures like Karan Johar, Shah Rukh Khan, Siddhant Chaturvedi, and Abhishek Banerjee, marked the beginning of the exciting build-up to the IIFA Awards ceremony.

When Karan Johar invited Rana to the stage, the Baahubali star paid his respects by touching both Karan and SRK's feet, commenting, "We're fully South Indians. This is how we do it." His gesture of respect, rooted in Southern culture, earned warm reactions, with SRK embracing him in a heartfelt hug.

During the event, Rana reminisced about an after-party at SRK's Dubai residence, where he and other stars from the four major South Indian film industries (Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam) were hosted by SRK. "Sir, I don’t know if you remember, but we had an event in Dubai. We came to an after-party at your house. You entertained us not just as an actor but as a human being," Rana fondly recalled.

SRK humorously added, "Should I tell them about it? I was trying to keep it under wraps," making the audience chuckle.

Rana didn’t miss the opportunity to recognize Karan Johar’s pivotal role in bringing pan-Indian cinema into the spotlight. Referring to Karan's contribution in promoting Baahubali to a wider audience, Rana said, "It all started with you. The fact that you got Baahubali here... it was the first time all the languages started speaking cinema in some form."

Before Rana’s memorable tribute, actors Siddhant Chaturvedi and Abhishek Banerjee lightened the atmosphere by playfully touching their own feet while welcoming Karan Johar on stage. .

The IIFA Awards 2024, set to take place from September 27 to 29 at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, promises to be a star-studded affair. During the press conference, Shah Rukh Khan confirmed special performances by Bollywood stars such as Shahid Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Janhvi Kapoor, and Kriti Sanon, further building excitement for the much-anticipated event.