Bengaluru: Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag, who has been selected for the 2024 Dadasaheb Phalke Award, has credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with changing the process of selecting recipients for major national awards. Nag said the earlier system was affected by “nepotism” and “favouritism” and claimed that public participation introduced a change in the process.
The actor’s remarks came after the Government of India announced him as the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 on September 16. The award, the highest national honour for contribution to Indian cinema, will be presented at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony in Kevadia, Gujarat, on September 22, 2026.
Anant Nag speaks about award selection
Speaking to PTI after the announcement, Anant Nag said he had not expected to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and was still coming to terms with the recognition.
The actor credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with bringing public participation into the nomination process for the Padma Awards. According to Nag, this change helped move the system away from what he described as nepotism and favouritism.
Nag said he was grateful to the Prime Minister and the country for recognising his contribution to cinema. He also dedicated the honour to the people of Karnataka.
His remarks were specifically about the wider national awards process and public recommendations, rather than a claim that he personally selected the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Anant Nag receives Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024
The Government of India announced Anant Nag as the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 on September 16.
According to the Press Information Bureau, the selection was made on the recommendation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award Selection Committee. The award recognises Nag’s contribution to Indian cinema and his long career spanning several decades.
The award ceremony will take place on September 22 at Kevadia in Gujarat as part of the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Anant Nag following the announcement. In his official message, Modi highlighted the actor’s versatility and contribution to Indian cinema, particularly Kannada cinema.
Actor dedicates honour to Karnataka
Anant Nag said he had not anticipated receiving the prestigious honour.
The actor dedicated the recognition to the people of Karnataka, where he has had a long association with Kannada cinema.
Nag has completed more than five decades in the film industry and has acted in films across Kannada, Hindi and other Indian languages. His career has also included substantial work in theatre.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award follows another major national recognition for the actor. Anant Nag was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2025.
Anant Nag’s five-decade cinema career
Anant Nag began his acting journey in theatre before making his film debut with the Kannada movie Sankalpa in 1973.
Over the following decades, he became one of the prominent actors of Kannada cinema while also appearing in Hindi and other Indian-language films.
His filmography includes works associated with the parallel cinema movement of the 1970s and 1980s, including Ankur, Nishant, Manthan, Bhumika and Kalyug.
He has also worked with several prominent filmmakers and theatre personalities during his career.
According to the Indian Express, Nag has appeared in more than 300 films across Kannada, Hindi and other South Indian languages. His awards include five Filmfare Awards, five Karnataka State Best Actor Awards and the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award.
What Anant Nag said about public participation
Nag’s comments focused on the role of public recommendations in the national awards system.
He said Prime Minister Modi had encouraged people to recommend names for the Padma Awards, which, according to Nag, allowed people from Karnataka to recommend his name.
The actor linked this wider public participation to changes he believes took place in the way major honours are considered.
These are Nag’s observations about the award-selection system. The official announcement of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award states that the 2024 honour was conferred on the recommendation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award Selection Committee.
PM Modi congratulates the veteran actor
Following the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Anant Nag and highlighted his contribution to Indian cinema.
In a statement published by the Prime Minister’s Office, Modi said Nag’s performances and versatility had left a strong mark on Indian cinema, particularly Kannada cinema.
The Prime Minister described the honour as recognition of Nag’s contribution to cinema over several decades.
The government announcement similarly cited Nag’s contribution to Indian cinema and his long cinematic journey as the basis for the award.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award ceremony on September 22
Anant Nag is scheduled to receive the award at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony in Kevadia, Gujarat, on September 22.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is presented annually to recognise outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.
Nag’s selection makes him the latest Kannada film personality to receive the country’s highest cinematic honour. The recognition comes after his five-decade career spanning mainstream cinema, parallel cinema and theatre.
The actor has said the award came as a surprise and that he would dedicate it to Karnataka and its people.
A major recognition for Kannada cinema
Anant Nag’s Dadasaheb Phalke Award marks another significant national recognition for a veteran of Kannada cinema.
His career has included more than 50 years of work across different genres and languages, while his performances in Kannada cinema have established him as one of the industry’s most recognisable actors.
As he prepares to receive the honour on September 22, his comments about the award system have also drawn attention to the broader question of how India’s national film and civilian honours are selected.
While Nag has credited the Prime Minister with changing the process through public participation, the official government announcement records that his Dadasaheb Phalke Award was recommended by the designated selection committee.