NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee today presented the 63rd National Awards, including best actor trophy to Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, best actress to Kangana Ranaut and Dadasaheb Phalke award to Hindi film veteran Manoj Kumar.
78-year-old Kumar, best known for his patriotic films “Purab Aur Paschim”, “Upkar” and “Kranti”, became the 47th recipient of the award, the highest recognition in Indian cinema, which consists of a golden lotus, a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh and a shawl.
The wheelchair-bound actor, who was sporting an orange bandana of Sai Baba, also presented the President with a crystal statue of the deity as he received the honour.
Bachchan, accompanied by son Abhishek, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai, wife Jaya and daughter Shweta Nanda to the ceremony, won the award for his delightful performance as a hypochondriac father in Shoojit Sircar’s family drama “Piku”.
He received the Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000. This is the 73-year-old actor’s fourth National award. He previously won in 1990 (“Agneepath”), 2005 (“Black”) and 2009 (“Paa”).
Ranaut, 29, currently engaged in a bitter legal fued with actor Hrithik Roshan, won the award for her double role in Anand L Rai’s romantic comedy drama “Tanu Weds Manu Returns” of a troublesome wife Tanu and Haryanvi sportsperson Datto. (AGENCIES)
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