Dada Saheb Phalke not 'dream-come-true', but more: Mohanlal
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New Delhi: Receiving India’s highest Cinema award, the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke, actor Mohanlal said that it was not a “dream-come-true” moment for him but “something greater”.
“To be honest, I never dared to dream of this moment, not even in my wildest dreams. So, this is not a dream-come-true. This is something far greater. It's magical. It's sacred. It roots me more deeply in gratitude and responsibility,” Mohanlal said.
He said that Cinema is the heartbeat of his soul and dedicated the award to the Malayalam film industry and the legacy of other legendary artists before him.
“This moment is not mine alone. It belongs to the entire Malayalam cinema fraternity. I see this award as a collective tribute to our industry's legacy, creativity and resilience,” said Mohanlal, who is fondly called ‘Lalettan’ by those who love him.
Winning the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2023, Mohanlal became the second Malayalee to win the honour after filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan in 2004.
Thanking the Malayalam cinema audience for constantly pushing artists like him to do better, he stated that he never dreamt of winning the prestigious award.
President Droupadi Murmu presented Mohanlal the award on Tuesday at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony held at the Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. One among Kerala’s Big Ms, Mohanlal, was honoured with the top Cinema award of the country for his “iconic contributions to Indian Cinema”.
With a career spanning over four decades, Mohanlal has appeared in more than 350 films across Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Kannada. Some of his most popular and critically acclaimed movies include Thanmathra, Drishyam, Vanaprastham, etc. Renowned for his effortless screen presence and versatile performances, he has won two National Film Awards for Best Actor, nine Kerala State Film Awards, and several international honours. In addition to acting accolades, Mohanlal was awarded the Padma Shri in 2001 and the Padma Bhushan in 2019 for his outstanding contribution to the art.
With PTI inputs.