Mohanlal has been named the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest honor in cinema, with the presentation scheduled for September 23, 2025 at the 71st National Film Awards in New Delhi. The government announcement recognizes the 65-year-old Malayalam star for a four-decade body of work that spans mainstream blockbusters and acclaimed dramas.
The selection committee cited his “iconic contribution to Indian cinema,” a career that includes more than 400 screen credits across Malayalam and other Indian languages. He previously received the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, civilian honors that marked his influence beyond the film industry.
He becomes only the second Malayali film figure to receive the lifetime achievement award after filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, underscoring Kerala’s long-running creative footprint in national cinema. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award, instituted in 1969 and conferred by the Indian government, honors sustained contributions to the growth and development of film.
Congratulatory messages followed swiftly from political leaders and artists, with the prime minister praising Mohanlal’s versatility and long-standing impact on Indian screens. Industry peers from Kerala and beyond highlighted his ability to move between commercial entertainers and character-driven roles, a range that has helped carry Malayalam cinema onto wider platforms in recent years.
The ceremony will take place at Vigyan Bhawan, where the National Film Awards will honor winners for films certified in 2023. Mohanlal is expected to attend alongside other honorees as he formally accepts a distinction that has previously gone to some of Indian cinema’s most revered performers and filmmakers.
