Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty to receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award: I&B minister
New Delhi (PTI): Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty, star of films such as “Mrigayaa”, “Surakshaa”, “Disco Dancer”, and “Dance Dance”, was on Monday named recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the government’s highest recognition in the field of cinema.
The announcement comes months after Chakraborty was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian honour, by the Government of India.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw made the announcement on X.
"Mithun Da’s remarkable cinematic journey inspires generations! Honoured to announce that the Dadasaheb Phalke Selection Jury has decided to award legendary actor, Sh. Mithun Chakraborty Ji for his iconic contribution to Indian Cinema," the minister said in the post.
The award will be presented to Chakraborty at the 70th National Film Awards ceremony on October 8, 2024, Vaishnaw said.
The three-member jury -- comprising former Dadasaheb awardee Asha Parekh, actor-politician Khushbu Sundar and filmmaker Vipul Amrutlal Shah -- selected Chakraborty for the prestigious honour.
Chakraborty, 74, is very happy, said his son Namashi Chakaborty about the Dadasaheb Phalke Award announcement.
"We all are feeling very proud. He is in Kolkata, I just spoke to him. He is a self-made superstar and a great citizen. This was long, long overdue but I am so proud that he is finally being awarded with this honour," Namashi told PTI over phone from Los Angeles.
Chakraborty, whose real name is Gourang Chakraborty, is an alumnus of Pune's Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) who has predominantly worked in Hindi and Bengali cinema.
He made his acting debut with Mrinal Sen's 1976 film "Mrigayaa", for which he won his first National Film Award for Best Actor. He earned two more National Awards for 1992's "Tahader Katha" (best actor) and 1998's "Swami Vivekananda" (best supporting actor).
Chakraborty shot to stardom with his distinctive dancing style in the 1982 superhit "Disco Dancer", which is widely credited for ushering in the era of disco dancing in India through chartbusters like "I Am A Disco Dancer" and "Yaad Aa Raha Hai".
Then followed several hits like "Mujhe Insaaf Chahiye", "Hum Se Hai Zamana", "Pasand Apni Apni", "Ghar Ek Mandir", “Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki” and “Commando”.
He was also praised for his role in the 1990 film "Agneepath", fronted by Amitabh Bachchan.
A former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Chakraborty joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election.
Chakraborty also served as the head judge or 'grandmaster' on the popular dance reality series "Dance India Dance" from 2009 to 2018.
In 2023, Waheeda Rehman was named recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
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Ready to face no-confidence motion, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Hassan (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the Congress government led by him was ready to face the no-confidence motion if moved by the opposition during the legislature session from December 8.
With Deputy CM D K Shivakumar by his side, he reiterated that they would both abide by the high command's decision on the leadership issue.
"Let them (opposition) bring in a no-confidence motion or adjournment motion or any other motion. We are ready to face it. Ours is an open book, transparent government. We are ready to face anything," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.
However, BJP state President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, clarified that the party, along with the JD(S) has not discussed or decided anything so far regarding moving a no-confidence motion against the government.
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The winter session of the Karnataka legislature will begin in Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra, on December 8 and will go on till 19th of this month.
Not wanting to react to a question on the leadership issue, the CM said the Congress high command is very strong.
"D K Shivakumar and I will be committed to whatever the high command decides," he said.
Earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied AICC Mallikarjun Kharge till airport from Vidhana Soudha, after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, which had led to some speculation about possible discussion between the two on the leadership issue.
The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculation about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
However, both the CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each others residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.
