In the history of Indian cinema, the great actor Anant Nag, who has left an indelible mark on the hearts of the audience for decades with his natural expressions, unique versatility and natural acting, has got the honor of being awarded the country's highest cinema honour. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, in an official announcement late on Wednesday evening, has finalized the name of Anant Nag for the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2024. In his illustrious artistic journey spanning more than five decades, Ananth Nag has not only taken Kannada cinema to new heights, but has also proved his excellent acting prowess in Hindi, Marathi and other Indian language cinema. Receiving this top award for this serious artiste, who has made cinematic art synonymous with his life, has emerged as a historic and proud moment not only for the South Indian film industry but also for the entire Indian art world. Immediately after this prestigious announcement, the country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leading film personalities and political stalwarts of the country and abroad have sent congratulatory messages to him and respectfully paid tribute to his contribution.
The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting made public the information about this historic decision through its official social media handle. Sharing a vibrant picture of actor Anant Nag, the ministry said that he is being presented with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024 in recognition of his incomparable, inspiring and epoch-making contribution to Indian cinema. The statement issued by the Ministry specifically underlined that Ananth Nag's acting journey has inspired, enriched and provided guidance to many generations in cinema. The depth and truth seen in his characters is like a walking acting school for today's budding actors. This honor is not just an evaluation of his work over the years, but a national recognition of the dedication with which he made every character alive in the memory of the audience without any artificiality.
According to important administrative information given by the Ministry, this year's Dadasaheb Phalke Award and the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony will be organized at a very special and historical place instead of the traditional Vigyan Bhawan in the country's capital New Delhi. On 22 September 2026, a grand national ceremony will be organized at Kevadiya (Statue of Unity Complex), the world famous symbol of unity and integrity located in Narmada district of Gujarat. On this same dignified stage, in the presence of the President of India and distinguished dignitaries, actor Anant Nag will be duly honored by presenting him with a Golden Lotus, a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, a traditional shawl and a citation. Organizing this prestigious national level festival outside Delhi in a global tourism and cultural center like Kevadiya is being considered a unique step towards giving a new identity to Indian art and regional diversity.
After the announcement of Anant Nag receiving the highest honor of Indian cinema, the country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a special and heartfelt congratulatory message on social media. Prime Minister Modi wrote in his message that he heartily congratulates the great and timeless artist of Indian cinema, Anant Nag ji, on being honored with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Praising his artistic journey, the Prime Minister said that Ananth Nag's smooth, natural and sensitive acting, his extraordinary versatility and his wide body of work over the past several decades have left an indelible, deep and inspirational mark on the entire Indian cinema, especially the Kannada film industry.
The Prime Minister further wrote in his message that Anant Nag has established a very deep, authentic and real identity in every character he has played on screen. Be it the role of a sensitive hero, a complex and serious social character, or a comic sequence that brings a smile to the audience's face—Ananth Nag has brought life to every frame with his unique simplicity. Prime Minister Modi said that this highest honor is indeed a true expression of gratitude to an artist who dedicated his entire life to enriching Indian art and cultural values. After this message of the Prime Minister, an atmosphere of celebration was seen in Karnataka and various states of the country, where film lovers welcomed this honor by distributing sweets at theaters and cultural centres.
Ananth Nag's acting journey has started from the theater of Mumbai and Karnataka and has reached the highest peaks of Indian cinema. He started his acting career in theater in the 1970s with stalwarts like Satyadev Dubey and Girish Karnad. After this, when the great filmmaker Shyam Benegal made his historical film 'Ankur' in 1973, he recognized the extraordinary talent of Anant Nag and cast him in the lead role. After this, the serious and parallel cinematic acting presented by Anant Nag in Benegal's classic films like 'Nishant', 'Manthan', 'Bhumika' and 'Kalyug' made him the first choice of critics at the international level. In Hindi cinema, he beautifully portrayed the struggles and emotions of a middle class person during the era of Amol Palekar on screen.
In Kannada cinema, Ananth Nag's name is taken as a legend. He established many milestones along with his late brother and noted actor-director Shankar Nag. R.K. Anant Nag's acting in the serial 'Malgudi Days' based on Narayan's famous works is still counted among the most priceless heritages of Indian television history. In Kannada language, he bridged the gap between commercial and artistic cinema with films like 'Bayalu Daari', 'Na Ninna Bidlare', 'Gejje Pooje', 'Gauri Ganesha' and 'Godali'. Talking about the modern era, his powerful voice and dignified presence as journalist Anand Ingalgi in the superhit pan-India film 'KGF Chapter 1' made the new generation audience his admirer. This honor of Anant Nag, who has spread the magic of his acting in more than 200 films, is actually an honor to that cinematic era which was based on simplicity, truth and pure artistic values.