Aamir Khan, one of India's most successful Bollywood actors, told China.org.cn that comedy serves as a powerful tool for healing and uplifting people, as he received the prestigious Mr. Humor Award at the second Macao International Comedy Festival on Saturday.

Aamir Khan speaks at an event during the second Macao International Comedy Festival in Macao, April 13, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Mahua Fun Age]

"I always feel that in order to go global, you have to be local," he said. "The more local you are, I think, the more global you become. Because it's very interesting for people from different parts of the world to experience a different culture, to experience a different life. The world has become smaller."

When asked how local humor translates to global audiences across different cultures, Khan said it happens naturally.

"I think that human beings are very similar — it doesn't matter which language we speak, which part of the world we are from," he noted.

"We have the same dreams and aspirations. We have the same emotions. We have the same concerns and fears as well. I think comedy is a genre which travels really well across the world," Khan added. "In a film, perhaps foreign audiences don't understand one or two things, but by and large, I think humor translates really well across languages, across cultures."

Khan, known for his roles in "3 Idiots" (2009), "PK" (2014) and "Dangal" (2016), traveled to China's Macao Special Administrative Region to attend the festival. He received the Mr. Humor Award during Saturday night's gala, an honor recognizing those who have made significant contributions to comedy.

"Comedy is such a wonderful genre that connects with all of us," he said, praising the festival's diverse programming that included stage plays, stand-up performances and cinema.

Khan said he was excited to attend the event, calling it an ideal chance to interact with Chinese comedians and actors.

Aamir Khan receives the prestigious Mr. Humor Award from last year's recipient, Takeshi Kitano, during a gala ceremony at the MGM Cotai Ballroom in Macao as part of the second Macao International Comedy Festival, April 12, 2025. [Photo/China.org.cn]

"I have always been a big fan of Jackie Chan, who's done a lot of comedy," Khan said. "He's someone I've been watching for decades. He is superb in action, but what I really love about Jackie is his sense of timing in comedy." The Bollywood star also mentioned that his recent favorite Chinese comedy is "Successor," starring Shen Teng and Ma Li.

Khan said he sees the comedy festival as a chance for future India-China collaborations.

"For me, as an actor, it would be an honor and a great pleasure to work with the great Chinese comedians," he said. "China is a country which has amazing, creative artists, and it would be really a wonderful experience to work with them."

The actor expressed deep respect for comedy as a genre and comedians, saying they bring smiles to people's faces — something he considers one of the greatest contributions to society.

Khan shared a personal experience to illustrate comedy's impact. "About three or four years ago, I was under a lot of stress, and I was in a lot of emotional upheaval in my life. And I have to say that it is comedy which really helped me at that time," he said.

"If you can laugh, then you forget your troubles. There is a phrase called 'laughter is the best medicine.' It makes you okay when you laugh, you feel good. And I really believe in that," Khan added.