Asha Parekh to Receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award by President Droupadi Murmu Today

Today, veteran Bollywood actor Asha Parekh will be awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2020, the highest recognition in the field of Indian cinema, as announced by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Tuesday.

The award will be given by President Droupadi Murmu at the 68th National Film Award on Friday, 30 September. 

Announcing the decision, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said, “I am Honoured to announce that the Dadasaheb Phalke Selection Jury has decided to recognize & award Smt Asha Parekh for her exemplary lifetime contribution to Indian Cinema.”

Parekh, a skilled dancer of Indian classical dance, has also worked as a director and producer. She began her acting career as a child actor and later appeared in more than 95 films.

She made her debut as the lead actress in "Dil Deke Dekho." She has also acted in some well-known movies like "Kati Patang," "Teesri Manzil," "Love in Tokyo," "Aya Saawan Jhoom Ke," "Aan Milo Sajna," and "Mera Gaon Mera Desh."

Parekh received Padma Shri in 1992 and led the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) from 1998 to 2001. The panel, which was made up of Asha Bhosle, Hema Malini, Poonam Dhillon, T.S. Nagabharana, and Udit Narayan, decided to give her the 52nd Dadasaheb Phalke award.

The Directorate of Film Festivals, an organization established by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, presents the Dadasaheb Phalke Award winners with this honor each year during the National Film Awards (NFA) ceremony.

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the biggest film honor given in India. The laureate is chosen by a committee of influential members of the Indian film industry for their "major contribution to the evolution and advancement of Indian cinema."