A LEGEND HONOURED
Actor Amitabh Bachchan stands for the national anthem before receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke Award at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday. Also seen (from left) are Union minister Prakash Javadekar, Bachchan’s wife, Jaya Bachchan, and son, Abhishek Bachchan.
NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday presented megastar Amitabh Bachchan with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Indian cinema’s highest honour, in a special ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan here. Bachchan was earlier supposed to receive the honour at the National Film Awards ceremony last Monday, but the actor was unable to attend the event due to ill health.
Information & broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar had announced at the awards that the Hindi cinema veteran will be bestowed with the honour in a special ceremony hosted by the President on Sunday.
The award, named after Dhundiraj Govind Phalke who is revered as the Father of Indian cinema, was instituted in 1969, the year Bachchan made his debut in Hindi film industry with “Saat Hindustani”.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of ₹10,00,000.
“I would like to thank the government of India, Information & Broadcasting ministry and the jury members of the National Film Awards for finding me deserving enough for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award... I accept this award with utmost humility and gratitude,” Bachchan said in his acceptance speech. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has congratulated Amitabh Bachchan on being conferred with Dada Saheb Phalke award. In a tweet that tagged Amitabh’s twitter handle Yogi praised Amitabh’s ‘unparallel love for arts, his discipline, and acting prowess’. ‘I pray to Lord Rama for your health and long life,’ the tweet said.