"Delighted that Shri Mithun Chakraborty Ji has been conferred the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, recognizing his unparalleled contributions to Indian cinema. He is a cultural icon, admired across generations for his versatile performances. Congratulations and best wishes to him" -Prime Minister Narendra Modi New Delhi/Kolkata: Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty, star of films such as "Mrigayaa", “Disco Dancer”, and "Prem Pratigya”, was on Monday named recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the government's highest recognition in the field of cinema.
The announcement was made by Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw on X. This comes months after Chakraborty, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian honour, by the Government of India. Chakraborty, 74, said when he got the news, his life kept replaying in his mind, including the initial struggle for food and shelter.
"I am short of words. It is an occasion which reminded me of the past. I went to Mumbai from Kolkata.
In Mumbai, I did not have food and would sometimes sleep in the garden...
This kept replaying. After all this, you get this huge honour. I have no words.
I can only say I dedicate this award to my family and to fans all over the world. The actor told reporters in Kolkata, "You know my life has never been smooth, I did not get anything on platter, I had to fight for everything, but when the result comes like this, .
