Mithun Chakraborty to Receive India’s Highest Film Honor

Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty has been named the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke award, India‘s highest honor in cinema.

The announcement was made by Ashwini Vaishnaw, India’s Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Railways and Electronics and Information Technology.

The award is given for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema and is named after Phalke, director of “Raja Harischandra” (1913), India’s first full-length feature, who is considered the father of Indian cinema.

Chakraborty, 74, has appeared in over 350 films across multiple Indian languages during his nearly five-decade career. He rose to prominence with his debut in “Mrigayaa” (1976), which earned him his first Indian National Film Award for Best Actor. The actor gained widespread recognition for his role in “Disco Dancer” (1982), a film that also found success beyond Indian shores across Asia, the erstwhile Soviet Union, eastern Europe, the Middle East, Turkey and Africa.

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Throughout his career, Chakraborty has collected three acting prizes at Indian National Film Awards. Besides “Mrigayaa,” he won best actor for “Tahader Katha” (1992) and supporting actor for “Swami Vivekananda” (1998). Additionally, he received a Filmfare Award for best supporting actor for his role in “Agneepath” (1990).

His diverse filmography spans action, drama, and comedy genres in the Hindi, Bengali, Odia, Bhojpuri, and Telugu-language film industries.

Beyond his screen work, Chakraborty has been involved in charitable initiatives focused on education, healthcare and supporting underprivileged communities. He has also served as a member of parliament.

This recognition follows Chakraborty’s receipt of the Padma Bhushan award for his contributions to Indian cinema.

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award selection committee, which included industry figures Asha Parekh, Khushbu Sundar and Vipul Amrutlal Shah, chose Chakraborty for the honor. The award will be presented at the 70th National Film Awards ceremony, scheduled for Oct. 8.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted: “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.”

Past winners of the Dadasaheb Phalke award include filmmakers Satyajit Ray, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Mrinal Sen, Shyam Benegal and Tapan Sinha, actors Soumitra Chatterjee, Waheeda Rehman, Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, Rajkumar, Sivaji Ganesan, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Shashi Kapoor, Asha Parekh and Rajinikanth and musicians Manna Dey, Bhupen Hazarika, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle.