Mithun Chakraborty to get Dadasaheb Phalke Award, PM Modi congratulates

Actor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mithun Chakraborty, renowned for his iconic role in Disco Dancer, will be conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced this on Monday, 30 September, in a post on X.

"From the streets of Kolkata to cinematic heights; Mithun Da’s remarkable cinematic journey inspires generations! Honoured to announce that the Dadasaheb Phalke selection jury has decided to award legendary actor, Sh. Mithun Chakraborty Ji for his iconic contribution to Indian cinema," Vaishnaw said.

The minister said the award will be presented to the veteran actor at the 70th National Film Awards ceremony on 8 October.

Expressing delight at veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty being conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on lauded him as a cultural icon.

In a post on X, Modi said, ‘Delighted that Shri Mithun Chakraborty Ji has been conferred the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, recognizing his unparalleled contributions to Indian cinema.‘

A few years back, the ageing Bengali film star who has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party was articulating public sentiment when he declared in Kolkata that he as a politician was like a ‘pure’ cobra, that one bite from him was enough to turn people into portraits on walls.

The star himself elaborated that he meant to say that BJP’s bite was worse than the others. A former Naxalite, Chakraborty’s ‘Build Bengal’ journey has taken him from the Left to the Right without much effort.

Chakraborty made his acting debut with the art house drama Mrigayaa (1976) directed by Mrinal Sen, for which he won his first National Film Award as Best Actor. The film was a major box office success in the country and outside also, particularly in the then-Soviet Union.

The news of Mithun Chakraborty winning the Dadasaheb Phalke Award comes just months after he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan. The ceremony took place in April and the actor accepted the honour from President Droupadi Murmu.

“I am very happy. I have never asked for anything for myself from anyone in my life. When I received a call from the home ministry informing me that I was being awarded the Padma Bhushan, I was silent for a minute because I had not expected it,” he said after accepting the honour.

His other films are Agneepath, Mujhe Insaaf Chahiye, Hum Se Hai Zamana, Pasand Apni Apni, Ghar Ek Mandir and Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki, among many others. In recent years, he has appeared in films such OMG: Oh My God.

Mithun Chakraborty (formerly Gouranga Chakraborty) was born on 16 June 1950.

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in the field of cinema. It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the union ministry of information and broadcasting.

Chakraborty is being honoured for their outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. The award was first presented in 1969 to commemorate Dadasaheb Phalke's contribution to Indian cinema.

With IANS inputs