Anant Nag has dedicated the Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024 to the people and unique cultural environment of Karnataka.
IMAGE: Anant Nag in Plus.
Key Points
- The Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest film honour, recognises Anant Nag’s over five-decade contribution to Indian cinema, spanning more than 300 films.
- Nag will receive the award at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony on September 22 in Kevadia, Gujarat.
Anant Nag has dedicated his prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024 to the people of Karnataka, crediting the state’s filmmakers, audiences and cultural environment for shaping his more than five-decade career.
The actor said the opportunities and atmosphere he found in Karnataka allowed him to pursue both art films and commercial cinema in ways he felt would not have been possible elsewhere in India.
‘All this was possible because of Karnataka and Karnataka only’
IMAGE: Deepti Naval, Sonali Bendre and Anant Nag in Anahat.
“All this was possible because of Karnataka and Karnataka only,” Nag said, dedicating the honour to Karnataka, just as he had done when he received the Padma Bhushan in 2025.
“This would not have been possible for me anywhere else,” Nag said, referring to what he described as the distinctive atmosphere and working conditions in Karnataka.
He specifically acknowledged producers, directors, actors and actresses, while placing particular emphasis on the audience: “They’re a very, very educated and a very discerning audience.”
Nag also spoke about his pride in Karnataka’s ‘sanskriti, culture and sanskara‘, saying the state’s appreciation for the arts helped bring together the circumstances that enabled his career.
“When I was 12, I was sent to Bombay. But when I came back for a film here, I got opportunities. I saw that this is the place where I can, you know, do something about it. Because I was employed in a bank as a college student. When I entered the stage at the age of 18, I worked in theatre for about five years. I started getting these opportunities.
“I saw that it’s difficult to do art films. Films of, say, Shyam Benegal, (M S) Sathyu, and people like that in Mumbai, all the time. When I came here, the atmosphere was very different.
“There was an audience for art films, and an audience for, you know, sober commercial films. So what I could do here, I couldn’t have done anywhere else in India. So that’s how I stayed back in Bangalore, made this house here,” he said.
A Career Shaped by Karnataka
IMAGE: Master Manjunath and Anant Nag in Malgudi Days.
Born Anant Nagarkatte on September 4, 1948, he is one of the well known names in Kannada cinema. He has worked in more than 300 films, including over 250 Kannada films. His work includes films in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Malayalam and English. He made his acting debut in the Kannada feature film Sankalp and later made his Hindi film debut in Shyam Benegal’s Ankur.
His body of work includes Malgudi Days, among other notable projects.
In 2023, Nag marked the golden jubilee of his 50-year career in cinema.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Nag on X: ‘Congratulations to the legendary Anant Nag Ji on being conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. For several decades, his effortless performances, remarkable versatility and brilliance have left a very strong mark on Indian cinema, particularly Kannada cinema. In whichever role he has played, he brought rare depth and authenticity. This is indeed a richly deserved honour for a truly distinguished artist.’
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award
IMAGE: Shabana Azmi and Anant Nag in Ankur.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024 is being conferred on Nag in recognition of his outstanding and invaluable contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. It will be presented at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony on September 22 at Kevadia in Gujarat.
Nag has also won five Filmfare Awards and five Karnataka State Best Actor Awards. His honours include the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award and Karnataka State Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2025.
He also holds an honorary doctorate from Bangalore University (North).
Beyond Cinema
IMAGE: Smita Patil and Anant Nag in Bhumika.
Beyond cinema, Nag served as a member of the Karnataka legislative council from 1988 to 1994 and as a member of the legislative assembly from 1994 to 1999.
During his tenure in the assembly, he held office as minister of state for Bangalore City Development.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
