Mohanlal To Receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award; Actor Responds to RGV’s Wishes
"I only see his comment as a form of black humour," said actor Mohanlal, responding to Ram Gopal Varma's distinct way of wishing.
Mohanlal was awarded the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the country's highest cinema honour, on Saturday for his contributions to Indian cinema. The award will be presented at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony on September 23. He became the youngest winner of the Award and the second Malayali, after legend Adoor Gopalakrishnan, to be conferred with the award. Among the many social media posts and statements that attracted attention were those made by his colleague Fazil, who said he had expected Mohanlal to win this award several years ago.
Megastar Mammootty posted saying that Mohanlal was entirely deserving of this. However, among all the posts, the one that attracted the most discourse was the one posted by director Ram Gopal Varma on X, right after the announcement was made.
He wrote, “I don’t know much about #DadasahebPhalke except that he’s made the 1st ever film, which I didn't see and I never met anyone who saw it, but from what I saw and know of @Mohanlal , I think Dadasaheb Phalke should be given the MOHANLAL AWARD.” (SIC)
Mohanlal, who spoke to the media after he reached Kerala upon winning the award, said he looked at Ram Gopal Varma’s post as a form of “black humour.” He said RGV was known for making opinions that were very different and went on to call him a friend as he answered a question from the press. He also went on to talk about the two films they had worked on together, Aag (2007) and Company (2000).
Speaking to the press, the actor expressed his gratitude at receiving the award, dedicating it to the Malayalam film industry. “I speak with a deep sense of humility and gratitude here. This is a proud moment and I cannot enjoy this alone. I’m sharing this with everyone, the audience, the people I have worked with in the past, the ones I am working with in the present and those I will work with in the future,” Mohanlal said.
Earlier this month, the actor made headlines when Peaky Blinders Actor Cosmo Jarvis named Mohanlal in his list of best actors. The star from hit shows such as Shogun and Peaky Blinders, named Mohanlal as part of his list of 40 best actors of the world. The list features world cinema greats such as Charlie Chaplin, Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Viggo Mortensen, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix. The star’s fans have celebrated the inclusion in the list.