Rajinikanth to be honoured with Dada Saheb Phalke award
NEW DELHI: Superstar Rajinikanth will be honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar announced on Thursday.
The announcement comes days ahead of the April 6 Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu where the 70-year-old Rajinikanth resides and has a massive following among the people.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Indian cinema’s highest honour for an artiste, for the year 2019, will be presented to Rajinikanth on May 3.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Rajinikanth for his contribution to cinema while congratulating him on the honour. “Popular across generations, a body of work few can boast of, diverse roles and an endearing personality...that’s Shri @rajinikanth Ji for you. It is a matter of immense joy that Thalaiva has been conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Congratulations to him,” Modi said in a tweet.
Replying to the PM, the actor tweeted, “Immensely humbled and honoured with your greetings and the most prestigious #DadasahebPhalkeAward award respected and dearest Shri @narendramodiji. My heartfelt thanks to you and the government of india.” The superstar dedicated his award to people who have been a part of his jourand ney. “My heartfelt thanks to the government of india, respected & dearest @narendramodi ji, @PrakashJavdekar ji and the jury for conferring upon me the prestigious #DadasahebPhalkeAward I sincerely dedicate it to all those who have been a part of my journey. Thanks to the almighty,” he tweeted.
Congratulating the actor over phone, Palaniswami said the Dada Saheb Phalke Award recognises his hard work in the film industry. “I pray to God that you will receive many more awards live long,” the chief minister said. Actor Kamal Haasan said the award, highest to be bestowed on a performing artiste, is 100 % appropriate for Rajinikanth while Stalin said that though ‘delayed’ the recognition was welcome.