Legendary Actor Mithun Chakraborty Will Be Honoured with The Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty has been honoured with the country’s highest award in the field of cinema, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. The felicitation will take place on October 8, 2024.
Veteran actor and politician Mithun Chakraborty has been honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 for his excellent cinematic journey in the Indian film industry.
He will be presented with the prestigious award on October 8, 2024, at the 70th National Film Awards ceremony.
The actor admitted that the exciting news hasn’t sunk in yet. He said, “I became speechless after getting such a prestigious award…I don’t know how to express this. I can’t cry, I can’t smile either. I am dedicating this award to my family and fans across the world.”
Mithun made his acting debut in Bollywood with Mrinal Sen’s ‘Mrigaya’ for which he won a National Award. According to the actor, this was one of his most cherished moments, as he had to compete with extremely talented stars to achieve this milestone.
The star, however, rose to stardom after he portrayed Jimmy, a street performer, in the famed movie ‘Disco Dancer’ (1982). The movie was a major success not only in India but also in the Soviet Union and China.
The peppy music in ‘Disco Dancer’ combined with Mithun’s dancing skills were pivotal in popularising the disco culture in India way back in the 80s. The actor became a trend setter! Music buffs increasingly began to take interest in the disco genre and disco culture during that era.
Mithun’s dancing style, shimmering outfits including headbands, resonated with the audience while Bappi Lahiri’s infectious music added magic to songs like “Jimmy Aaja” and “I am a Disco Dancer.”
The journey from Calcutta to Bombay hasn’t been easy for Mithun. He was a Naxalite before entering movies, however, a family tragedy forced him to quit the group, risking his life. He made a great mark in commercial and art films in the years to follow. He has made immense contributions not only to Hindi cinema but also to Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Oriya cinema.
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Mithun Chakraborty is considered one of the best dancing heroes in Bollywood, and he is known for his ‘Disco and Desi’ fusion style. The actor will be remembered for memorable movies like Disco Dancer, Shaukeen, Humse Hai Zamana, Pasand Apni Apni and many more.
Speaking to the media, the actor said, “Once, I was in Bombay. I didn’t have food; I slept in my car, and I was so scared. After such a big honor, I feel I have no one, and I can only say that I dedicate this award to my family and to the fans all over the world who bring joy to our country.”
“Almost 76 films later, you can say that my life has never been very smooth. I have had to fight for everything. But sometimes the result comes like this, and then you forget all this pain. God has given life,” Mithun concluded profoundly.
Besides his talent, charisma, and contribution to Indian cinema, Mithun Da will always be remembered for his cheerful and down to earth demeanour by his loyal fans.