New Delhi/Kolkata, 30 Sept

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.

Congratulating Chakraborty, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the actor is a "cultural icon" admired across generations.

"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," PM said in a post on X.

Vaishnav said Chakraborty'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," the minister said in the post.

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.

"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, you forget all the pain, God has been kind," the actor told reporters in Kolkata.

Chakraborty also praised PM Modi.

"I have great respect for PM Modi, he is a fantastic man. I know him, he is a gem of a person," he added.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also congratulated the veteran actor.

"Mithun Ji's illustrious career spanning several decades has not only enriched our films but has also set standards of excellence in acting. All my best wishes to him," Shah said.

The award will be presented to Chakraborty at the 70th National Film Awards ceremony on October 8, 2024, Vaishnaw said.

The three-member jury -- comprising former Dadasaheb awardee Asha Parekh, actor-politician Khushbu Sundar and filmmaker Vipul Amrutlal Shah -- selected Chakraborty for the prestigious honour.

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, who worked with the actor on films such as "The Tashkent Files" and "The Kashmir Files", also wished him in an X post.

"CONGRATULATIONS DADA. Watch this master class performance by 3 times National Award and now Dada Saheb Phalke Award winner Padma Bhushan Mithun Chakraborty," he wrote.

Chakraborty, whose real name is Gourang Chakraborty, is an alumnus of Pune's Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) who has predominantly worked in Hindi and Bengali cinema.

He made his acting debut with Mrinal Sen's 1976 film "Mrigayaa", for which he won his first National Film Award for Best Actor. He earned two more National Awards for 1992's "Tahader Katha" (best actor) and 1998's "Swami Vivekananda" (best supporting actor).

Chakraborty shot to stardom with his distinctive dancing style in the 1982 superhit "Disco Dancer", which is widely credited for ushering in the era of disco dancing in India through chartbusters like "I Am A Disco Dancer" and "Yaad Aa Raha Hai". The film is one of the rare Hindi movies to have earned Chakraborty fans globally.

Then followed several hits like "Mujhe Insaaf Chahiye", "Hum Se Hai Zamana", "Pasand Apni Apni", "Ghar Ek Mandir", “Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki” and “Commando”.

He was also praised for his role in the 1990 film "Agneepath", fronted by Amitabh Bachchan.

A former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Chakraborty joined the BJP ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election.

The actor also served as the head judge or 'grandmaster' on the popular dance reality series "Dance India Dance" from 2009 to 2018.

In 2023, Waheeda Rehman was named recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.-PTI