NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee today presented the National Film Awards to this year’s winners who included Bollywood star Akshay Kumar (best actor) and Rajesh Mapuskar (best director) as well as the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke to renowned filmmaker and actor K Viswanath.
He said he was happy that the 64th edition of the awards represented a “microcosm” of India and celebrates the diversity of languages, customs, religions and culture.
“Indian cinema and its diversity conveys the underlying spirit of brotherhood, tolerance, acceptance and co-existence. The inherent strength of unity in spite of diversity was our cultural heritage which was inherited through ages,” Mukherjee said during the ceremony.
Viswanath became the 48th recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke award, the highest recognition in Indian cinema, which consists of a golden lotus, a citation, cash prize of Rs 10 lakh and a shawl. (AGENCIES)
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