Chennai, Sep 20 (IANS) Malayalam superstar Mohanlal on Saturday expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had congratulated him for having been conferred with the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award.

Thanking Prime Minister Modi for his kind words and blessings, Mohanlal said they filled him with encouragement and joy.

The actor, quoting the Prime Minister’s tweet, said, “I am deeply humbled and profoundly honored to receive The Dadasaheb Phalke Award. My heartfelt gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji for your kind words and blessings, they fill me with encouragement and joy. I remain ever indebted to the art of cinema and to all those whose inspiration and support illuminate my journey. @narendramodi.”

Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Modi had said, “Shri Mohanlal Ji epitomises excellence and versatility. With a rich body of work spanning decades, he stands as a leading light of Malayalam cinema, theatre and is deeply passionate about the culture of Kerala. He has also delivered remarkable performances in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi films.

“His cinematic and theatrical brilliance across mediums is truly inspiring. Congratulations to him on being conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. May his accomplishments continue to inspire generations to come.”

On Saturday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced that Mohanlal would be honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2023 for his praiseworthy contribution to Indian cinema.

Taking to its X timeline, the ministry announced, “On the recommendation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award Selection Committee, the Government of India is pleased to announce that Shri Mohanlal will be conferred the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2023.”

Speaking about Mohanlal’s glorious cinematic journey, it added, “Mohanlal’s remarkable cinematic journey inspires generations! The legendary actor, director, and producer is being honoured for his iconic contribution to Indian Cinema. His unmatched talent, versatility, and relentless hard work have set a golden standard in Indian film history.”

The post further revealed that the award will be presented to the Malayalam superstar on September 23 at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony.

Prior to this, the Government of India had honoured Mohanlal with the Padma Shri in 2001 and the Padma Bhushan in 2019 for his contributions to Indian cinema.

In 2009, Mohanlal became the first actor in the Indian film industry to be awarded the honorary rank of lieutenant colonel in the Territorial Army.

–IANS

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