Did you know India’s film industry has a special award that honors legends for their lifetime contribution to cinema? It celebrates artists who have shaped movies with their talent, creativity, and dedication over many decades.
This prestigious honor is named after the father of Indian cinema and is considered the highest recognition in Indian films. It shines a spotlight on actors, directors, musicians, and other film personalities who have left a lasting impact on the industry.
Over the years, many great names from different languages and regions of India have received this award. From powerful performers to visionary filmmakers, the list reflects the rich and diverse journey of Indian cinema.
Since its beginning in 1969, the award has created a golden timeline of excellence. Each year adds another inspiring name to the list, making it a proud moment for the entire film fraternity and movie lovers alike.
The award was started in 1969 to honor Dadasaheb Phalke, who is known as the Father of Indian Cinema. He directed India’s first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra, in 1913.
The award includes:
It recognizes lifetime achievement in Indian cinema.
The 16th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival-26 is scheduled to hold its main award ceremony on April 30, 2026. The festival includes film screenings, workshops, and award presentations celebrating independent and mainstream cinema.
The Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF) 2026, which is a private event and different from the government award, is currently accepting short film submissions. It is offering a ₹1,00,000 cash prize for the best short film.
In 2025 (75th National Film Awards ceremony), Mohanlal received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2023.
He has worked in more than 360 films across Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi cinema. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting praised his versatility, dedication, and powerful performances over nearly five decades.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him and called him an icon of Indian cinema and Malayalam theatre.
Below is the year-wise list of recipients of Dadasaheb Phalke Award:
| Ceremonial Year | Recipient | Film Industry |
| 1969 | Devika Rani | Hindi |
| 1970 | Birendranath Sircar | Bengali |
| 1971 | Prithviraj Kapoor | Hindi |
| 1972 | Pankaj Mullick | Bengali, Hindi |
| 1973 | Ruby Myers (Sulochana) | Hindi |
| 1974 | B. N. Reddy | Telugu |
| 1975 | Dhirendra Nath Ganguly | Bengali |
| 1976 | Kanan Devi | Bengali |
| 1977 | Nitin Bose | Bengali, Hindi |
| 1978 | Raichand Boral | Bengali, Hindi |
| 1979 | Sohrab Modi | Hindi |
| 1980 | Paidi Jairaj | Hindi, Telugu |
| 1981 | Naushad | Hindi |
| 1982 | L. V. Prasad | Hindi, Tamil, Telugu |
| 1983 | Durga Khote | Hindi, Marathi |
| 1984 | Satyajit Ray | Bengali |
| 1985 | V. Shantaram | Hindi, Marathi |
| 1986 | B. Nagi Reddy | Telugu |
| 1987 | Raj Kapoor | Hindi |
| 1988 | Ashok Kumar | Hindi |
| 1989 | Lata Mangeshkar | Hindi, Marathi |
| 1990 | Akkineni Nageswara Rao | Telugu |
| 1991 | Bhalji Pendharkar | Marathi |
| 1992 | Bhupen Hazarika | Assamese |
| 1993 | Majrooh Sultanpuri | Hindi |
| 1994 | Dilip Kumar | Hindi |
| 1995 | Rajkumar | Kannada |
| 1996 | Sivaji Ganesan | Tamil |
| 1997 | Kavi Pradeep | Hindi |
| 1998 | B. R. Chopra | Hindi |
| 1999 | Hrishikesh Mukherjee | Hindi |
| 2000 | Asha Bhosle | Hindi, Marathi |
| 2001 | Yash Chopra | Hindi |
| 2002 | Dev Anand | Hindi |
| 2003 | Mrinal Sen | Bengali |
| 2004 | Adoor Gopalakrishnan | Malayalam |
| 2005 | Shyam Benegal | Hindi |
| 2006 | Tapan Sinha | Bengali, Hindi |
| 2007 | Manna Dey | Bengali, Hindi |
| 2008 | V. K. Murthy | Hindi |
| 2009 | D. Ramanaidu | Telugu |
| 2010 | K. Balachander | Tamil, Telugu |
| 2011 | Soumitra Chatterjee | Bengali |
| 2012 | Pran | Hindi |
| 2013 | Gulzar | Hindi |
| 2014 | Shashi Kapoor | Hindi |
| 2015 | Manoj Kumar | Hindi |
| 2016 | K. Viswanath | Telugu |
| 2017 | Vinod Khanna | Hindi |
| 2018 | Amitabh Bachchan | Hindi |
| 2019 | Rajinikanth | Tamil |
| 2020 | Asha Parekh | Hindi |
| 2021 | Rajinikanth | Tamil |
| 2022 | Asha Parekh | Hindi |
| 2023 | Rekha | Hindi |
| 2024 | Mithun Chakraborty | Hindi |
| 2025 | Mohanlal | Malayalam |
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is not given for a single film. It is awarded for lifetime achievement and long-term contribution. Many legendary actors, directors, music composers, and producers from different regional film industries have received this honor.
It highlights the unity and diversity of Indian cinema by recognizing talents from Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, and other film industries.
It is important to note that the official Dadasaheb Phalke Award is presented by the Government of India during the National Film Awards.
The Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards (DPIFF) is a separate private event that honors films and artists in various categories each year.
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