Veteran actor Anant Nag has been selected for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, bringing national recognition to a career that has spanned more than five decades and crossed linguistic and cinematic boundaries.
The Government of India announced the honour on Wednesday, recognising Anant Nag for his contribution to Indian cinema. The award is scheduled to be presented at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony in Kevadia, Gujarat, on September 22, 2026.
For Anant Nag, the recognition marks another significant milestone in a career that began with theatre and went on to encompass Kannada cinema, Hindi films, television and productions in several other Indian languages.
Anant Nag entered the world of acting through theatre before making his feature-film debut with the Kannada film Sankalpa in 1973. His early years in cinema also saw him become part of the parallel cinema movement, with filmmaker Shyam Benegal’s Ankur marking his Hindi-film debut.
Over the decades, Anant Nag established himself as a familiar presence in Kannada cinema while also working in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Marathi films. His career has included hundreds of films, with his performances earning recognition across different generations of audiences.
The journey of Anant Nag has included films from very different cinematic traditions. His work has ranged from socially rooted and realistic cinema to mainstream Kannada productions, allowing him to build a career that has remained relevant across changing generations and styles of filmmaking.
Among the Kannada films associated with Anant Nag are Bayalu Daari, Chandanada Gombe, Naa Ninna Bidalaare, Benkiya Bale, Gowri Ganesha and many. His screen presence also extended to television, with his work in Malgudi Days becoming another memorable part of his career.
The recognition comes after several other honours received by Anant Nag over the course of his career. He was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2025 for his contribution to the arts. He has also received multiple Karnataka State Film Awards and Filmfare Awards during his career.
The career of Anant Nag has extended beyond acting as well. His involvement in public life saw him serve as a Member of the Karnataka Legislative Council and later as a Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. He also served as Minister of State for Bangalore City Development.
The announcement of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award has brought fresh attention to the breadth of Anant Nag’s contribution to Indian cinema. His work has connected different eras of Kannada filmmaking while also giving him a presence in cinema beyond Karnataka.
For Anant Nag, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award represents recognition of a long association with acting, beginning with theatre and developing through decades of film and television appearances. The presentation on September 22 will formally add the country’s highest cinema honour for lifetime contribution to the long list of distinctions associated with Anant Nag’s career.
For Kannada cinema, the honour is also significant as Anant Nag becomes the second Kannada actor to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award after Dr. Rajkumar, who received the honour in 1995.
