Aamir Khan to receive Singapore festival honour as Lagaan turns 25
Aamir Khan is heading to Singapore to collect the Screen Icon Award at the 37th Singapore International Film Festival, Variety reported on 25 September 2026.
The festival runs from 21 October to 1 November 2026, according to its official site, SGIFF. The dates reflect a shift of the event into October from 2026 onwards. It is one of Southeast Asia’s longest running film events, with a main programme of screenings, awards and industry meetings.
Khan will be honoured for his work as an actor and creative force. The Screen Icon Award, previously called the Cinema Icon Award, is given to Asian actors who have shaped film on and off screen. No acting clips required. The point is influence.
His visit comes with a celebration. The festival will hold a 25th-anniversary Special Presentation screening of “Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India”, a showcase slot outside the main competition, Variety reported. Director Ashutosh Gowariker will attend alongside Khan. The film first reached cinemas in 2001.
The opening night belongs to South Korea. SGIFF will open with “The Assassin(s)”, a thriller directed by Hur Jin-ho, Variety reported. The cast is led by Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho. Hur is expected in Singapore with supporting cast members Shim Eun-kyung and Park Sung-hoon.
There are two other headline names. Japanese filmmaker Kore-eda Hirokazu will receive the festival’s Cinema Honorary Award. South Korean director Yim Soon-rye will head the jury for the Asian Feature Film Competition, leading the panel that picks the winners.
For fans, this means two trips down memory lane in one festival. Khan can look back on “Lagaan” with its director in the room, then step forward to accept an award for a career that continued well beyond it.
