PADMA Awards - Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, Sanjay Bhansali, Prasoon Joshi honoured
This year out of the 104 personalities, six well known people from the field of entertainment are being conferred upon the honour. These celebrities include – veteran actor Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, lyricist, screenwriter, ad guru Prasoon Joshi, music composer and lyricist Ravindra Jain and columnist and writer Tarak Mehta.
While Bhansali, Joshi, Jain and Mehta have been bestowed with a Padma Shri; Kumar and Bachchan have been honoured with a Padma Vibhushan.
Below are the reactions and gratitude of actors after receiving the Padma award.
Reacting to the honour Dilip Saab's lovely wife Saira Banu said, "We are both delighted. My husband deserves the very best honours for the work that he has done and the man that he is."
Amitabh Bachchan felt the enormity of the honour was yet to sink in. "I am greatly humbled and overwhelmed by this recognition. My grateful thanks to the government for conferring this award on me."
The Big B says the honour is attributable to the love of his audience. "I dedicate this recognition to the fans and well-wishers who have been with me. In awarding me the Government recognizes the Indian film industry of which I am a small but extremely proud part."
Prasoon Joshi who's been honoured with the Padma Shri says, "When years of hard work gets recognized, especially by the Government, one feels humbled and motivated."
There is a personal reason why this award is extra-special for Prasoon. "Among the honours and recognition that I've received this honour is the most special as it means a lot to my parents and elders in the family and it has made them most happy. I want to thank our Government and the committee that considered my work as a writer in the field of poetry, cinema and communications to be worthy of this prestigious laudation."
Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali who is currently busy shooting the historical epic Bajirao Mastani says he was humbled and honoured. "My Devdas and Black received a record number of popular awards. I enjoyed the experience of getting so many popular awards. I enjoyed the feeling when Devdas was screened in the competitive section at Cannes. But getting the Padma Shri is a different high. It comes from the government. And it means that the responsible people whom run our country recognize my work and consider it worthy of the honour."
