From Malgudi Days to Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Anant Nag honoured for lifetime contribution to cinema
PTC Web Desk: Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag was honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony held in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, on Tuesday, September 22. President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to the veteran actor.
The award is the highest national honour given for an individual’s contribution to Indian cinema. For Nag, the recognition comes after a career of more than 50 years across films, theatre and television.
Nag becomes only the second Kannada actor to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. The first was legendary actor Dr Rajkumar, who received the honour in 1995.
Anant Nag dedicates award to film industry
While accepting the award, Nag spoke about his journey and said he was overwhelmed by the scale of the ceremony.
Recalling his early years, he said he spent his childhood in an ashram until the age of 12 and later got an opportunity to perform in theatre after moving to Mumbai.
Nag also spoke about his connection with Karnataka. Despite working in several Indian languages, he said Karnataka remained the place where he received immense affection and respect from audiences.
The actor dedicated the honour to the many people he has worked with throughout his career, including producers, directors, assistant directors and other members of the film industry.
He also expressed his love for the country, describing India as his birthplace and Karnataka as his place of work and contribution.
A career spanning Generations
Born on September 4, 1948, Anant Nag entered the world of acting through theatre before making his film debut in the early 1970s.
He made his Kannada film debut with Sankalpa in 1973. Around the same period, he appeared in Shyam Benegal’s Ankur, a film that became an important part of India’s parallel cinema movement. His collaboration with Benegal continued through films such as Manthan and Bhumika.
Over the years, Nag successfully moved between serious cinema and mainstream Kannada films. Movies such as Bayalu Daari, Kanneshwara Rama, Naa Ninna Bidalaare, Chandanada Gombe and Benkiya Bale helped establish him as one of Kannada cinema’s leading actors.
He also worked in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi and English films, building a filmography of more than 300 movies.
From Malgudi Days to KGF
Nag became familiar to television audiences as well, particularly through Malgudi Days, the popular television series based on the stories of RK Narayan and directed by his younger brother, Shankar Nag.
The show was broadcast in several Indian languages and helped take Anant Nag’s work to audiences outside Karnataka.
Even in the later stages of his career, Nag continued to take on a mix of mainstream and character-driven roles. His credits include films such as Mungaru Male, Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu and Raajakumara.
He also reached a younger generation of viewers through the KGF franchise, where he played Anand Ingalagi, the narrator who helps tell the story of the two films.
Several honours during his career
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award adds to a long list of honours received by the actor. Nag has won Filmfare Awards South and Karnataka State Film Awards for his performances.
He has also been honoured with the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award and the Karnataka State Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2025, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honours.
This year's National Film Awards also saw several other notable winners. Rajkumar Periasamy received the Best Director award for Amaran, while Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared the Best Actor honour for Bramayugam and Chandu Champion. Article 370 was named Best Feature Film, while Yami Gautam won Best Actress for the same film. Kalki 2898 AD was recognised as the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
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National Film Awards held in Gujarat
The 72nd National Film Awards ceremony is also notable for its venue. For the first time, the event is being hosted outside New Delhi, with Ekta Nagar in Gujarat chosen as the venue.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards to winners for films certified during 2024. A total of 92 winners are being honoured across different categories covering feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema.
- PTC NEWS
