Rajinikanth dedicates Phalke honour to bus driver friend & Balachander

For entertaining people for decades and leaving a significant mark in the Indian film industry, superstar Rajinikanth was conferred with the prestigious 51st Dadasaheb Phalke award on Monday (October 25) morning by Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu at a glittering 67th National Film awards ceremony. The veteran actor, who has ruled the silver screen for more than four decades, received a standing ovation when he took the award.

The actor attended the function in a white kurta-pyjama sporting a bearded look and was accompanied by wife Latha, daughter Aishwarya and son-in-law Dhanush. The Dadasaheb Phalke is awarded for excellence in cinematic achievement, and is the highest honour in film given by the government. The award last year for 2018 was given to legendary Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, who has acted in a couple of Hindi films with Rajnikanth like ‘Geraftaar’, ‘Andhaa Kanoon’, ‘Hum’ etc.

Superstar @rajinikanth receives India’s highest film honour #DadasahebPhalkeAward at 67th National Film Awards for his outstanding contribution to the world of Indian Cinema ?#NationalFilmAwards2019 pic.twitter.com/TdgmuHbzzZ

— PIB India (@PIB_India) October 25, 2021

The 67th National Film Awards which were announced in March this year are honouring the best in cinema in 2019. It was supposed to take place last year, but was postponed due to the pandemic. In fact, the news about Rajinikanth getting the Dadasaheb Phalke award was first announced by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Javadekar in April, this year.

Taking to the official Twitter account of the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, he wrote, “@rajinikanth fondly called as Thalaiva by his fans, will receive the 51st #DadasahebPhalkeAward, India’s highest film honour, on Oct 25.”

Rajinikanth gave a moving speech after being conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke award. The actor said, “I dedicate this award to my mentor, guru K Balachander sir. I remember him with great gratitude and my brother Sathyanarayana Rao Gaekwad, who is like my father, brought me up teaching great values and injecting spirituality in me. My friend from Karnataka, bus transport driver, my colleague, Raj Bahadur.”

“When I was a bus conductor, he was the one who identified the acting talent in me and encouraged me to join cinema. All my producers, directors, technicians who worked with me and co-artists, distributors, executors, media, press, and all my fans. And, Tamil people, without them I am nobody. I thank the Tamil people who have given me my life. Jai Hind!”

Also read:Rajini, Khushboo & Meena shine in upbeat track ‘Marudhaani’ from ‘Annaatthe’

Congratulations Sh @rajinikanth ji on receiving India’s highest film honour the #DadasahebPhalkeAward
at the 67th National Film Awards.

You are not only a legendary icon,
but an institution for the world of Indian Cinema!#NationalFilmAwards2019 ? pic.twitter.com/BlneWDvKdM

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) October 25, 2021

On Sunday (October 24), Rajinikanth had tweeted a letter stating that tomorrow is an important  occasion for him since he was receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, being conferred upon me by the Government of India because of the love and support of the people.

The senior actor had made his debut on celluloid in 1975 with K Balachander’s ‘Apoorva Ragangal’ and has completed more than 45 years in the Tamil film industry. In an informal chat with journalists Rajinikanth said that he sorely missed the director on such an occasion. Last seen in AR Murugadoss’s ‘Darbar’, the actor, who had nearly strayed into politics like his contemporary Kamal Haasan, will now be seen in his much-anticipated film ‘Annaatthe’.

Meanwhile, his son-in-law Dhanush took home National Film Award for Best Actor today for his work in Vetrimaaran’s rural drama ‘Asuran’. He shared the award with the talented Manoj Bajpayee who was given this award for his work in ‘Bhonsle’. While Tamil actor Vijay Sethupathy was awarded the Best Supporting Actor for his performance in ‘Super Deluxe’.

Kangana Ranaut, who had been posting pictures on social media of herself decked up in a traditional sari for this momentous occasion since the morning, was given the National award for essaying the role of a courageous queen Rani Lakshmibai in  in ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi’ and for depicting the role of a middle-aged mother returning to sports in another film, ‘Panga’. She said, “Everybody, thank you very much, ki aap logon ne iss film ko safal banaya (for making this film successful). Yeh puraskaar aap log mere saath share kijiye please (Please share this award with me).” This is her fourth national award.

Priyadarshan’s Malayalam period epic Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea won the Best Feature Film while Chhichhore, starring the late Sushant Singh Rajput was presented the Best Hindi film award.