Veteran Actor Anant Nag to Receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Veteran actor Anant Nag has been selected for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024, India's highest recognition in cinema. The Government of India made the announcement on 16 September 2026, and the honour will be conferred at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony, set to take place in Kevadia, Gujarat, on 22 September 2026.

Anant Nag to Receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024 on 22 September, 2026

The announcement came from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which organises the National Film Awards every year. Anant Nag's selection recognises a body of work that stretches across five decades and multiple Indian film industries. With this honour, he becomes only the second Kannada actor ever to win the award, the first being Dr. Rajkumar, who was recognised back in 1995. That's a three-decade gap between the two, which says a lot about how rare this recognition is for Kannada cinema.

About Dadasaheb Phalke Award

1. This is India's highest honour in cinema, given each year for an individual's outstanding, lifelong contribution to Indian film. 
2. The Government of India instituted it in 1969 to pay tribute to Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, remembered today as the father of Indian cinema. 
3. Winners receive a Swarna Kamal, or Golden Lotus medallion, along with a shawl and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh. 
4. The very first recipient was actress Devika Rani, honoured way back in 1969 at the 17th National Film Awards 

Actor Anant Nag Career

Anant Nag's filmography is genuinely massive; he has appeared in over 300 films spanning Kannada, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, and Malayalam cinema. Beyond the big screen, he's remembered fondly for his television work, particularly his role in Malgudi Days, the beloved series adapted from R. K. Narayan's stories. That range, moving comfortably between languages and mediums, is part of why his selection feels well-earned to many in the industry.