Anant Nag to receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award; PM Modi congratulates veteran actor

Veteran actor Anant Nag has been honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him on the achievement.

PM Modi, on his X post, wrote, "Congratulations to the legendary Anant Nag Ji on being conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. For several decades, his effortless performances, remarkable versatility and brilliance have left a very strong mark on Indian cinema, particularly Kannada cinema. In whichever role he has played, he brought rare depth and authenticity. This is indeed a richly deserved honour for a truly distinguished artist (sic)."Congratulations to the legendary Anant Nag Ji on being conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.For several decades, his effortless performances, remarkable versatility and brilliance have left a very strong mark on Indian cinema, particularly Kannada cinema. In whichever role he— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 16, 2026

Anant Nag is best known for his extensive work in Kannada films alongside significant contributions to Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, and Malayalam screen productions. Emerging as a prominent figure in the parallel cinema movement of the 1970s, Nag gained early critical recognition with landmark art-house feature films directed by Shyam Benegal, including Ankur, Nishant, Bhumika, and Kondura.Known for his natural acting style, versatility, and subtle screen presence, Nag built a career spanning nearly five decades across mainstream and parallel cinema. His television portrayal of various characters in RK Narayan's classic adaptation Malgudi Days, directed by his brother Shankar Nag, further cemented his reputation across domestic Indian audiences. Beyond acting, Nag has also served as a politician in Karnataka.

This is a developing story. It will be updated. - EndsPublished By: Anuja JhaPublished On: Sep 16, 2026 18:04 IST