The oldest person to have received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award is reportedly Manna Dey at the age of 90
Malayalam superstar Mohanlal was on Tuesday honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award— India’s highest recognition in cinema—at the 71st National Film Awards. At 65, Mohanlal became the youngest recipient of the award and only the second person from Kerala to receive the honour, after acclaimed filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, who was honoured in 2004.
Mohanlal’s award is seen as a milestone for him and the Malayalam cinema
With a career spanning over 40 years, more than 350 films, and performances that range from mass entertainers to critically acclaimed roles, he continues to be a towering figure in Indian cinema. His recognition with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award cements his status as a superstar and a national icon whose influence transcends language and region.
Incidentally, the oldest person to have received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was Manna Dey at the age of 90.
As of 2025, around 55 actors have received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
To celebrate the occasion, a specially curated short film was presented, chronicling Mohanlal’s illustrious career. The tribute showcased his versatility across genres, iconic performances, and his contributions to Indian cinema over more than four decades. Already a recipient of the Padma Shri (2001) and Padma Bhushan (2019), Mohanlal’s career encompasses a diverse array of roles, highlighting his extraordinary versatility.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Born Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (1870–1944), Dadasaheb Phalke is celebrated as the Father of Indian Cinema. In 1913, he directed Raja Harishchandra—India’s first full-length feature film, marking the birth of Indian cinema. Phalke’s pioneering spirit, despite limited resources, established film as a powerful medium of storytelling in India. He made around 95 movies and 26 short films, laying the foundation for Hindi cinema, Bollywood as it is popularly known, and regional cinema
India’s highest film award, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, was instituted in 1969 in his honour.
The recipients include some of Indian cinema’s greatest legends.
The first recipient was Devika Rani, followed by icons like Satyajit Ray (1985), Lata Mangeshkar (1989), Raj Kapoor (1987), Dilip Kumar (1994), and Amitabh Bachchan (2019). From the South, veterans like K. Balachander, Rajinikanth (2021), and Adoor Gopalakrishnan have also been recipients. In 2023, Waheeda Rehman was celebrated for her remarkable legacy. Prithviraj Kapoor (1971) and Vinod Khanna (2017) are the only posthumous recipients. The progression of these annual awards highlights the evolving landscape of Indian cinema, with increasing representation from diverse regional industries.
