Malayalam cinema veteran Mohanlal was conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievment Award, India’s highest award in the field of cinema, on Tuesday.

He was presented the trophy by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. The actor is fondly known as Lalettan in Kerala, and has been serving delectable treats of his performances across genres in Malayalam cinema with a career spanning close to 5 decades.

The actor made his film debut in 1978 with a minor role in ‘Thiranottam’, which was released later in 2005. He rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s with versatile performances spanning drama, action, comedy, and thrillers. He is known for his natural acting style and expressive dialogue delivery. The senior actor has appeared in over 350 films across multiple Indian languages, including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Kannada.

His career is studded with iconic films and roles that have left a lasting impact on Indian cinema. His repertoire includes classics like ‘Rajavinte Makan’ established him as an action star, while ‘Kireedam’, ‘Bharatham’ and ‘Vanaprastham’, ‘Kilukkam’, ‘Narasimham’ and ‘Spadikam’. He has also made notable contributions to Hindi and Tamil cinema, with films like Iruvar (1997) and Company (2002).

The actor has received multiple accolades, including five National Film Awards and nine Kerala State Film Awards. He is also involved in philanthropic activities and is known for his support of arts and cultural initiatives in Kerala. His enduring popularity, pan-Indian appeal, and consistent contribution to cinema have established him as one of India’s most respected and influential actors.

The ceremony of the 71st National Awards started shortly after the dignitaries including the President, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, and filmmaker-producer Ashutosh Gowariker, filmmaker P. Sheshadri and author, Gopalakrishna Pai arrived.

The ceremony was held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.