Context: Renowned Malayalam actor Mohanlal is set to receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2023. It will be presented during the 71th National Film Awards ceremony and he will be the 55th recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
About Dadasaheb Phalke Award
- The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was instituted in 1969 in honour of Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, the pioneer of Indian cinema, by the Government of India.
- It is India's highest award in the field of cinema.
- It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
- The Directorate of Film Festivals in India, established in 1973, is responsible for organizing major film events such as the International Film Festival of India, the National Film Awards, and the Indian Panorama.
- Based in New Delhi, the organization operates under the works as part of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
- The recipient is honoured for their ‘great and outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema’ and is selected by a committee consisting of eminent personalities from the Indian film industry.
- The award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of Rs. 10 Lakh.
- The first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani (widely acknowledged as the First Lady of Indian cinema), who was honoured at the 17th National Film Awards.
About Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (April 1870 – 16 February 1944):
- He was widely known as Dadasaheb Phalke and is referred to as ‘the Father of Indian cinema.’
- He directed India's first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra, which was released in 1913, marking a significant milestone in the history of Indian cinema.
- Over his 19-year career, from 1913 to 1937, Phalke produced and directed a total of 95 feature films and 27 short films.
- Some of his most acclaimed works include Mohini Bhasmasur (1913), Satyavan Savitri (1914), Lanka Dahan (1917), Shri Krishna Janma (1918), and Kaliya Mardan (1919).