Anant Nag Dedicates Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024 to Karnataka

"All this was possible because of Kannadigas...": Anant Nag dedicates Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024 to Karnataka

Bengaluru, September 17

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.

Speaking about the honour, Nag said he was grateful that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had tweeted about the recognition. He then turned his attention to the role Karnataka played in his journey.

"All this was possible because of Karnataka and Karnataka only," Nag said he had dedicated the honour to Karnataka, just as he had done when he received the Padma Bhushan in 2025.

He described the state's film ecosystem and audience as central to his ability to build a career across different kinds of cinema.

"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 audience and very discerning audience," he said, in a conversation with ANI.

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 here. 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. And I had, when I entered the stage at the age of 18, for about five years I worked there in theatre. And then I started getting these opportunities.

And then I saw that it's difficult to do art films. Films of, say, Shyam Benegal, Satyu, and people like that in Mumbai, all the time. Then when I came here, the atmosphere was very different. There was an audience for art films, there was an audience for, you know, sober commercial films and all. So what I could do here, I couldn't have done anywhere else in India," he said.

"So I kind of, that's how I stayed back in Bangalore only. Made this house here. All this was possible because of Karnataka and Karnataka only. As I said again, I wouldn't have been able to do this anywhere else. Because here it was very different, atmosphere was different. The people of Karnataka love the world of arts. So it all helped, came together, and today this has materialised," the 'K.G.F' actor said.

Anant Nag was born on September 4, 1948, in Karnataka. He made his acting debut in the Kannada feature film 'Sankalp' and later made his Hindi debut with 'Ankur'.

Over a career spanning more than five decades, he has appeared in more than 300 films across Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil and Marathi cinema.

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.

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. The decision followed the recommendation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award Selection Committee of the Central Government.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced that the award will be presented to Nag at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony on September 22 at Kevadia in Gujarat.

Nag's recognition comes after a career marked by work across multiple Indian film industries. He has won five Filmfare Awards and five Karnataka State Best Actor Awards. His other honours include the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award and Karnataka State Lifetime Achievement Award. He also holds an Honorary Doctorate from Bangalore University (North).

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. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2025.

Instituted in 1969, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was first presented to Devika Rani. The award commemorates Dadasaheb Phalke's contribution to Indian cinema; Phalke directed Raja Harishchandra, India's first full-length feature film, in 1913.

The highest award in Indian cinema, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award recognises "outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema". It comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl and a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.

— ANI