Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty to receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Information and Communications Minister

In this June 2, 2023 file photo, Bollywood actor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty, at an event in Kolkata. Chakraborty, on Monday, September 30, 2024, named Dadasaheb Phal as the recipient of the award, the government’s highest recognition in the field of cinema. | Photo credit: Swapan Mohapatra

Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty, the star of the film the deer, protection, Disco DancerAnd dance danceOn Monday, Dadasaheb Phal was named as the recipient of the award, the government’s highest recognition in the field of cinema.

The announcement comes months after Chakraborty was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian honour.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnav announced on X.

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

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to his X account to congratulate Chakraborty for being awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

A three-member jury — comprising former Dadasaheb awardee Asha Parekh, actor-politician Khushboo Sundar and filmmaker Vipul Amritlal Shah — selected Chakraborty for the prestigious honour.

On the announcement of Dadasaheb Phal’s award, his son Namashi Chakraborty said, 74-year-old Chakraborty was very happy.

“We all feel very proud. He is in Kolkata, I spoke to him. He is a self-made superstar and a great citizen. It has been a long, long time coming but I am very proud that he is finally being conferred with this honour,” said Namashi. PTI By phone from Los Angeles.

Chakraborty, whose real name is Gaurang Chakraborty, is an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune who has worked mainly in Hindi and Bengali cinema.

She made her acting debut with Mrinal Sen’s 1976 film the deerfor which he won his first National Film Award for Best Actor. He won two more National Awards for 1992 About them (Best Actor) and 1998 Swami Vivekananda (Best Supporting Actor).

Chakraborty shot to stardom with his distinctive dance style in the 1982 superhit film Disco Dancerwhich is widely credited with ushering in the disco dance era in India with chartbusters like “I Am A Disco Dancer” and “Yaad Aa Raha Hai”.

Then several hits followed I want justice, Hum Se Hai Zamana, I like you, A house is a temple, Kasam Pada Karne Wale Ki And commando.

He was also praised for his role in the 1990 film fire pathAmitabh Bachchan in front.

A former Rajya Sabha MP, Chakraborty joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.

Chakraborty has also served as the head judge or ‘Grandmaster’ of the popular dance reality series Dance India Dance From 2009 to 2018.

In 2023, Wahida Rehman was named the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.