Why India's highest Cinema award given in the name of Dadasaheb Phalke?

Dadasaheb Phalke Award is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

To commemorate the Dada Saheb Phalke the government of India has started the Dada Saheb Phalke Award in 1969.
The recipient is honoured for their "outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema". The winner of Phalke award is selected by a committee consists of eminent personalities from the Indian film industry.

Aamitabh Bachchan is selected for the 66th Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2018 while in the 2017 this award was given to Vinod Khanna.

What is Dadasaheb Phalke Award?

Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema. It is given for the "outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.”

Who was Dadasaheb Phalke?

Dhundiraj Govind Phalke was the real name of Dadasaheb Phalke. He was born on 30 April, 1870 in a Marathi-speaking Chitpavan Brahmin family at Trimbak, Maharashtra. He took training in drama and photography in Sir JJ School of Art, Mumbai. After that he went to Germany and learned to make films there. When he returned to India, he made the first silent film Raja Harishchandra which was India's first full-length feature.

Why is India's highest Cinema award given in the name of Dadasaheb Phalke?

The India's highest award in cinema is given in the name of Dadasaheb Phalke because he is credited of making Raja Harishchandra that was the first feature film in India, and is thus called the father of Indian cinema. Dadasaheb Phalke Award was introduced in 1969 by the government to recognise the contribution of film personalities towards the development of Indian Cinema.

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Who is responsible for organising Dadasaheb Phalke Award?

Dadasaheb Phalke Award is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. This award is given to those who have outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema and the recipient is selected by a committee consisting of eminent personalities from the Indian film industry. The award comprises 'Swarna Kamal' (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of ₹1,000,000.

Let us tell you that Dadasaheb Phalke Academy also gives three awards in the name of Dadasaheb Phalke, which are as follows: Phalke Ratna Award, Phalke Kalpataru Award and Dada Saheb Phalke Academy Awards.

Do you know that Bombay High Court in 2006 directed the Directorate of Film Festivals to consider only those films which are not censored. This judgement was challenge by the Directorate of Film Festivals in the Supreme Court and the decision was in favour of the Directorate of Film Festivals. After that award was announced in the middle of the year 2008 because the reason for the delay in the court verdict. Thus, the 2007 award was announced in September 2009 and in the same year the year 2008 was announced on January 19, 2010 and the year 2009 was announced on 9th September, 2010.

Who was the first recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award?

The first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani, who was honoured at the 17th National Film Awards. 

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