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Actors like Kamal Haasan, Vidya Balan, Paresh Rawal, cinematographer
Santosh Sivan and theatre personalities bag the awards in the art department
In keeping with the tradition, the names of the Padma recipients, India’s highest civilian awards, were announced on the occasion of Republic Day. This year, the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee has given consent to confer Padma Awards to 127 awardees. The list comprises two Padma Vibhushans, 24 Padma Bhushans and 101 Padma Shris. All the honours will be given to the recipients at the ceremonial function to be held around March-April.
While last year, the list of actors from Hindi films was impressive; Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila Tagore, Nana Patekar, Sridevi, Jaspal Bhati and director Ramesh Sippy, this year it was only Paresh Rawal and Vidya Balan who made the mark.
Rawal, theatre and Bollywood’s veteran character actor, who has starred in films like Hera Pheri, Sardar, Road to Sangam, Oh My God, to name a few, has been named for the Padma Shri, the country’s third highest civilian honour. “I learnt about this honour from my wife when I came back from a play from Ahmedabad. I was pleasantly shocked and surprised. A Padam Shri is more than an award. It’s not for a particular film, it’s an assessment of your work and like Kamal Haasan rightly said, ‘a Padam honour means that the nation is proud of you’,” said Rawal.
Balan who has earlier won a National Award for her film, The Dirty Picture has also been conferred with a Padma Shri. A varied and out-of-the-box body of work, her films in which she plays strong female protagonists include Ishqyia, Paa, The Dirty Picture and Kahaani. Said a delighted Balan, “I’m thrilled. I’m overjoyed. I’m overwhelmed. I’m honoured. I’m humbled! I’m running out of words to express my feelings and gratitude. To be receiving this honour from the government of my country is a matter of great pride for me and I dedicate this award to my family who make me, me!!”
In fact, the art (includes cinema) category threw up some surprises with the varied palette of winners.
A classical singer of the Patiala Gharana, Begum Parveen Sultana, well-known Tamil lyricist-writer Vairamuthu and South superstar and director, Kamal Haasan who has a career spanning more than five decades, with over 190 films in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam to his credit, were included in the list of the country’s third highest civilian honour, the Padam Bhushan.
Writer-director Sooni Taraporvala whose association with Mira Nair, dates back to writing the script for the Oscar-nominated Salaam Bombay, The Namesake and Mississippi Masala was a surprise as the last film she directed was Little Zizou in 2009. Understandably, she was elated at the honour. “Not in my wildest dream did I think that I would be honoured with a Padam Shri. It was a pleasant surprise and I am deeply honoured. In fact, when I got a call from the Home Ministry, I thought it was a prank call and called back to check. I have completed writing a script now and am approaching actors. I hope this recognition of my work helps me with this project!” said the writer-director.
Veteran Bengali actresses Sabitri Chatterjee and Supriya Devi, whose careers span five decades, have been conferred with the Padma Shri. While Chatterjee commented, “I am happy about this honour, but I must also say that it has come very late in my life. But later than never,” veteran Bengali actress, Supirya Devi, whose name was also announced refused to comment.
Renowned tabla player Vijay Ghate, who has accompanied eminent musicians like Hariprasad Chaurasia and Pandit Jasraj and theatre personality Bansi Kaul, founder of Rang Vidushak, a theatre group and institute in Bhopal have won the Padma Shri this year. Names of film-maker and cinematographer Santosh Sivan, theatre personality Mohammad Ali Baig, founder of the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival held in Hyderabad have also been announced for Padma Shri. “It is a toast to all those artistes, devoted to serious theatre across the country. I am the youngest recepient of this award in theatre and the fine arts, and I dedicate this to my father, Qadir Ali Baig, and the pioneering work that he did in the seventies. ,” said Baig. Hindi and Marathi television actress and social worker, Nayana Apte Joshi, musician Musafir Ram Bhardwaj, Manipuri dancer Elam Endira Devi, Kathak dancer from Bengal Rani Karnaa, film animator Ram Mohan and dancer Kalamandalam Sathyabhama are the other recipients of the Padma Shri.
Being conferred with the Padma Awards, may be a secret desire of artistes with an interesting body of work, but when their names are announced, the recepients are excited, surprised and overwhelmed.
Date Diary
Jal postponed
The release date of Jal directed by Girish Malik has been pushed forward by a week. Slated to release on March 21, the film will now release on March 28. Starring Purab Kohli, Kirti Kulhari, Tannishtha Chatterjee, the film will be distributed by DAR Film Distributors.
Indra Kumar to direct daughter Shweta
After giving the blockbuster hit, adult comedy Grand Masti last year, Indra Kumar has now taken upon himself to revive his daughter Shweta’s film career on track. Shweta had made her acting debut in Himesh Reshammiya’s Karzzz. Shweta will be seen playing the romantic lead in Super Nani. Besides, that, Kumar has plans to make two other films featuring his daughter in the lead. “Yes, I will be making two films, one will be a romantic and the other is a different story, the details of which will be revealed later,” said Kumar. — JS
