The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest award in Indian cinema. It recognises an individual’s outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.
Photo credit: Bernd Schwabe in Hannover, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Who gives it?
The award is given by the Government of India and is presented as part of the National Film Awards. The awards were run by the Directorate of Film Festivals until 2022 and, according to Wikipedia, have been administered by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) since 2023. It was first presented in 1969 to mark the contribution of Dadasaheb Phalke, who is called the father of Indian cinema.
What does the winner receive?
The honour consists of a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl and a cash prize.
First winner
The first recipient was actress Devika Rani, who was honoured in 1969 at the 17th National Film Awards.
Recent winners
- 2024 (72nd National Film Awards): Anant Nag
- 2023 (71st): Mohanlal
- 2022 (70th): Mithun Chakraborty
- 2021 (69th): Waheeda Rehman
- 2020 (68th): Asha Parekh
- 2019 (67th): Rajinikanth
The awards for 2019 and 2020 were announced later than usual because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Do not confuse it with other awards
A separate honorary award is also given by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy in Mumbai, introduced in 2001. It is a private award and is different from the government’s Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Sources: Wikipedia, “Dadasaheb Phalke Award” and “Dadasaheb Phalke”. Written by The Popular Story desk. Please check the official National Film Awards announcements for the latest announcement.
