Actor Mithun Chakraborty, 74, has been nominated for the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honor in Indian cinema. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the news on Monday, stating, “Mithun Da’s remarkable cinematic journey inspires generations! Honored to announce that the Dadasaheb Phalke Selection Jury has decided to award the legendary actor for his iconic contribution to Indian cinema.”
The award will be presented during the 70th National Film Awards ceremony on October 8. Chakraborty, a former Rajya Sabha member from the Trinamool Congress who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2021, has previously received three National Film Awards and the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honor. He made his acting debut in Mrinal Sen’s film Mrigayaa (1976), earning his first National Film Award for Best Actor. Chakraborty rose to fame with the hit film Disco Dancer (1982).
He will be the 54th recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, established in 1969 to honor Dadasaheb Phalke, regarded as the father of Indian cinema, who directed the country’s first feature film, Raja Harishchandra, in 1913. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony to recognize outstanding contributions to the growth and development of Indian cinema. The award includes a medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of ₹1,000,000. Devika Rani was the first recipient of this esteemed award.
