The superstar dedicated his award to his mentor K Balachander, his brother Satyanarayan Rao Gaekwad and his bus driver-friend Raj Bahadur.
Actor Rajinikanth honored Prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award At the 67th National Film Awards ceremony today for his contribution as an actor, producer and screenwriter.
Read also | Get ‘First Day First Show’ our weekly newsletter from the world of cinema delivered to your inbox. You can subscribe for free here
Established in 1969, the award is the highest honor for an artist in Indian cinema. The award was decided by a jury consisting of five members: Asha Bhosle, director Subhash Ghai, Mohanlal, Shankar Mahadevan and actor Biswajit Chatterjee.
Read also | 67th National Film Awards: Complete List of Winners
Later Amitabh Bachchan received award in 2018No candidate has been found for the last three years.
Rajinikanth was present at the ceremony with wife Latha, daughter Soundarya and son-in-law Dhanush (who shared the best acting honour) Asuran, with Manoj Bajpayee Bhonsle)
After receiving the award, Rajinikanth took the stage to deliver a brief speech.
Rajinikanth receiving award
“Good morning to all the dignitaries and award winners on the dais, Hon’ble Vice President, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Dr. L. Murugan. I am extremely happy to receive this prestigious award and would like to thank the Central Government for this.
“I dedicate this award to my Guru and Guru K Balachander Sir, and I remember him with gratitude. I also dedicate this to my brother Thiru Satyanarayana Rao Gaekwad, who was like a father figure to me, and he brought me up with great values that instilled spirituality in me,” he remarked.
The actor also remembered his close friend, bus driver Raj Bahadur. “When I was a bus conductor, he was the first to spot the acting talent in me, and he encouraged me to enter the world of cinema. I would also like to thank all our producers, directors, technicians, co-stars, distributors, media and press.”
He ended by thanking his fans, adding that he is “no one without them.” “He is the God who keeps me alive,” signed off Rajinikanth.
On the work front, the actor’s action-drama Annaatthe All set to hit the screens this Diwali.
.