Shah Rukh honoured by French government

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was Sunday night conferred the prestigious "Insignia of Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters" by the French government.

"Entertainment is something where one cannot be selfish, as it is purely for others," the actor said after receiving the award.

He said he was in this field only to entertain the audience. He jokingly said he loves the manner in which romance is depicted in French movies.

The French ambassador to India, Jerome Bonnafont, conferred the title on Shah Rukh after the inauguration of the first 'Rendezvous with French Cinema' festival at Andheri, a northwestern suburb of Mumbai.

The film festival organised by the French Embassy along with Unifrance, an organisation that promotes French cinema worldwide, kicked off with the premiere of "Asterix at the Olympic Games".

The Order of Arts et Lettres created in 1957 is one of the four Ministerial Honours of the French Republic. It was established to reward artists who have contributed to promote the field of arts and literature.

Some well-known recipients of the award are Arundhati Roy, David Bowie, George Clooney, Tony Curtis, Celine Dion, Leonardo Di Caprio, Bob Dylan, Clint Eastwood, Jude Law and Bruce Willis.

The late evening function was attended by film personalities from both countries. Jerome Seydoux, chairman of Pathe, the biggest and oldest film studio in the world, was also present.