Mohanlal Becomes 2nd Mollywood Artist To Be Conferred With Dadasaheb Phalke Award, PM Modi Lauds His 'Cinematic And Theatrical Brilliance'

Malayalam superstar Mohanlal has been conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, which is India's highest award in the field of cinema. He is the 2nd Mollywood artist to receive this award after filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, who won it in 2004. Mohanlal will be presented with the honour during the felicitation ceremony of 71st National Awards winners on September 23 in New Delhi.

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A statement by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting read, "On the recommendation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award Selection Committee, the Government of India is pleased to announce that Shri. Mohanlal will be conferred the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2023. Mohanlal’s remarkable cinematic journey inspires generations! The legendary actor, director, and producer is being honoured for his iconic contribution to Indian Cinema. His unmatched talent, versatility, and relentless hard work have set a golden standard in Indian film history (sic)."

PM Narendra Modi congratulated Mohanlal on receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke honour and shared a heartfelt post for him alongside a photo of them together. "Shri Mohanlal Ji epitomises excellence and versatility. With a rich body of work spanning decades, he stands as a leading light of Malayalam cinema, theatre and is deeply passionate about the culture of Kerala. He has also delivered remarkable performances in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi films. His cinematic and theatrical brilliance across mediums is truly inspiring. Congratulations to him on being conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. May his accomplishments continue to inspire generations to come," PM Modi's post read. 

Born on May 21, 1960, Mohanlal has had an illustrious film career spanning over four decades. He has featured in more than 400 films across Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada. Some of his most popular and critically-acclaimed movies include Thanmathra, Drishyam, Vanaprastham, Munthirivallikal Thalirkkumbol and Pulimurugan. He has received two National Film Awards for best actor, nine Kerala State Awards and several other international honours.

This year, Mohanlal has featured in three releases so far - L2: Empuraan, Thudarum and Hridayapoorvam. He also played a cameo role in Kannappa. His next release is Vrusshabha, set to hit the big screens on Diwali.