Dada Saheb Phalke Award Winners

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest honor in Indian cinema given to recognize lifetime contributions to the film industry.

The Directorate of Film Festivals, a part of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), presents it annually at the National Film Awards Ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.


About Dadasaheb Phalke


Dadasaheb Phalke, born Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, is widely regarded as the 'Father of Indian Cinema' for his pioneering work. 

He was a visionary screenwriter, director, and producer who directed India's first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1913).

During his 19-year career, which began long before India's independence, he directed 95 feature-length films and 27 short films. Some of his notable works include:


  • Mohini Bhasmasur (1913)
  • Satyavan Savitri (1914)
  • Lanka Dahan (1917)
  • Shri Krishna Janma (1918)
  • Kaliya Mardan (1919)

 It was in his honor (birth centenary year), the Government of India established the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1969. 

The prize includes a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh.



Award Recipients & Firsts


The first recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was actress Devika Rani (the First Lady of Indian Cinema), who received it at the 17th National Film Awards in 1969. 

So far, only two people from Kerala's film industry have received the award: Adoor Gopalakrishnan (2004) and Mohanlal (2023).

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award has been delayed on more than one occasion. 

One such event was in 2019, the 66th National Film Awards, which include the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, were delayed due to the Lok Sabha elections.

While the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant delay for several years, it was not the only reason for past postponements. 

For instance, Rajinikanth was selected for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2019, but he received it in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, Asha Parekh was selected for the 2020 award and received it in 2022.

  • Total no. of Dadasaheb Phalke awards that have been presented as of 2025 – 55.
  • The first person to be honored with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1969 – Devika Rani.
  • No. of women who received the  Dadasaheb Phalke Award – 8.
    • Devika Rani (1969)
    • Ruby Myers (Sulochana) (1973)
    • Kanan Devi (1976)
    • Durga Khote (1983)
    • Lata Mangeshkar (1989)
    • Asha Bhosle (2000)
    • Asha Parekh (2020)
    • Waheeda Rehman (2021)
  • The first male actor to win the Dadasaheb Phalke Award – Prithviraj Kapoor (1971).
  • The First Director to be awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award – Bomireddi Narasimha Reddy (Telugu).
  • The first singer to receive the award Dadasaheb Phalke Award – Lata Mangeshkar (1989).
  • First Music Director to win the Dadasaheb Phalke Award – Pankaj Mullick (1972).
  • The first actor to receive the award posthumously – Prithviraj Kapoor (1971).
  • The winners of  the Dadasaheb Phalke Award who were was honored posthumously –
    • Prithviraj Kapoor (1971)
    •  Vinod Khanna (2017)
  • The first producer to receive the award in 1970 – Birendranath Sircar.
  • The first cinematographer to win the Dadasaheb Phalke Award – V. K. Murthy.
  • The First South Indian to win the Dadasaheb Phalke Award – B. N. Reddy.
  • The first South Indian Actor to win the Dadasaheb Phalke Award – Akkineni Nageswara Rao (1990).
  • No. of Malayalis to win  Dadasaheb Phalke Award – 2.
  • The First Malayali to be honored with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award – Adoor Gopalakrishnan.
  • 55th recepient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award – Mohanlal.
  • The Youngest recepient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award – Mohanlal (65 years old).
  • The Oldest recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award – Manna Dey (90 years old).


List of Dadasaheb Phalke Award Winners (1969-2023)


Below is the Dadasaheb Phalke Award Winners list with Year, Recipient, Field & Film Industry:


YearRecipientFieldFilm Industry
1969Devika RaniActressHindi
1970Birendranath SircarProducerBengali
1971Prithviraj Kapoor (Posthumously)ActorHindi
1972Pankaj MullickMusic ComposerBengali, Hindi
1973Ruby Myers (Sulochana)ActressHindi
1974Bommireddy Narasimha ReddyDirectorTelugu
1975Dhirendra Nath GangulyActor, DirectorBengali
1976Kanan DeviActressBengali
1977Nitin BoseDirector, Cinematographer, ScreenwriterBengali, Hindi
1978Raichand BoralMusic Composer, DirectorBengali, Hindi
1979Sohrab ModiActor, Producer, DirectorHindi
1980Paidi JairajActor, DirectorHindi, Telugu
1981Naushad AliMusic ComposerHindi
1982L. V. PrasadActor, Producer, DirectorTelugu, Tamil, Hindi
1983Durga KhoteActressHindi, Marathi
1984Satyajit RayDirectorBengali
1985V. ShantaramActor, Producer, DirectorHindi, Marathi
1986B. Nagi ReddyProducerTelugu
1987Raj KapoorActor, DirectorHindi
1988Ashok KumarActorHindi
1989Lata MangeshkarPlayback SingerHindi, Marathi
1990Akkineni Nageswara RaoActorTelugu
1991Bhalji PendharkarProducer, Director, WriterMarathi
1992Bhupen HazarikaPlayback SingerAssamese
1993Majrooh SultanpurilyricistHindi
1994Dilip KumarActorHindi
1995RajkumarActorKannada
1996Sivaji GanesanActorTamil
1997Kavi PradeepLyricistHindi
1998B. R. ChopraProducer, DirectorHindi
1999Hrishikesh MukherjeeDirectorHindi
2000Asha BhoslePlayback SingerHindi, Marathi
2001Yash ChopraProducer, DirectorHindi
2002Dev AnandActor, Producer, DirectorHindi
2003Mrinal SenDirectorBengali
2004Adoor GopalakrishnanDirectorMalayalam
2005Shyam BenegalDirectorHindi
2006Tapan SinhaDirectorBengali, Hindi
2007Manna DeyPlayback SingerBengali, Hindi
2008V. K. MurthyCinematographerHindi
2009D. RamanaiduProducer, DirectorTelugu
2010K. BalachanderDirectorTamil, Telugu
2011Soumitra ChatterjeeActorBengali
2012PranActorHindi
2013GulzarLyricistHindi
2014Shashi KapoorActorHindi
2015Manoj KumarActorHindi
2016Kasinadhuni ViswanathDirectorTelugu
2017Vinod Khanna (Posthumously)ActorHindi
2018Amitabh BachchanActorHindi
2019RajnikantActorTamil, Hindi
2020Asha ParekhActressHindi
2021Waheeda RehmanActressHindi
2022Mithun ChakrabortyActorHindi, Bengali
2023MohanlalActorMalayalam



📝SideNotes:

  • Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting – Ashwini Vaishnaw.
  • India's first talkie film – Alam Ara (1931).
  • Founder of the Hindustan Cinema Films Company – Dadasaheb Phalke.
  • Founder of the Bombay Talkies – Devika Rani.
  • First Lady of Indian Cinema – Devika Rani.
  • The 'Showman' of Indian cinema – Raj Kapoor.
  • The 'Evergreen Star' of Bollywood – Dev Anand.
  • The 'Tragedy King' of Indian cinema – Dilip Kumar. 
  • Nightingale of India – Lata Mangeshkar.
  • The pioneer music director who was the first to introduce playback singing in Indian cinema – Rai Chand Boral.
  • First female chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (Censor Board) of India – Asha Parekh (1998).

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