Cinema VinesVeteran Kannada actor Anant Nag has been named the 2024 recipient of India’s highest film honour, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, after a career that spans more than five decades and over 250 films. The announcement came on Wednesday, and the 79‑year‑old was quoted as saying he had not expected to receive the accolade, but he is now coming to terms with the honour and plans to dedicate it to the people of his home state, Karnataka.
In a statement to PTI, Nag credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reforming the award‑selection process. He said that before Modi’s intervention the system was “full of nepotism and favouritism,” but the Prime Minister opened the process to public recommendations, making it more democratic and transparent. “Modi was the only person who asked people to please recommend the name they had in their mind,” Nag said, adding that this was the first time the award had been put out to public scrutiny.
Nag’s film career began with the 1973 Kannada film “Sankalpa” and he quickly became a key figure in the parallel‑cinema movement of the 1970s and 1980s, appearing in classics such as “Ankur,” “Nishant,” “Manthan,” “Bhumika,” “Kalyug,” and “Gehrayee.” He has also worked in Hindi, Marathi and Konkani films and was part of the popular Doordarshan serial “Malgudi Days.” In addition to his on‑screen work, Nag is a respected playwright, director and theatre artist, having performed in stage productions for over five years.
The award will be conferred at the National Film Awards ceremony in Kevadia, Gujarat, on September 22. Nag has not yet confirmed whether he will attend the event, stating that if he is asked to go he will not refuse, but he remains reluctant to travel. He added that the award was announced by the Prime Minister on Twitter, which helped bring the honour to his attention.
With his long‑standing contributions to Indian cinema and theatre, Anant Nag’s receipt of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award marks a significant milestone in a career that has seen him influence generations of actors and filmmakers across multiple languages.
