After it was announced on Saturday that Kangana Ranaut, Karan Johar and Ekta Kapoor will be awarded the Padma Shri this year, several members of the film fraternity such as Anil Kapoor, Kajol, Riteish Deshmukh, Twinkle Khanna, Juhi Chawla and Bhumi Pednekar wished them on social media. Singers Suresh Wadkar, Adnan Sami and actress Sarita Joshi will also be honoured with the fourth highest civilian honour of the country. Anil Kapoor, who will be seen in Karan Johar's directorial project Takht, showered love and wishes on the filmmaker on Twitter and wrote: "Congratulations, Karan Johar! This is incredible and well deserved! May you keep adding more feathers to your hat!" His congratulatory message for Ekta Kapoor read: "Congratulations, Ekta Kapoor! This is an amazing milestone and the recognition of all your hard work! Keep soaring high!"
Congratulations, @karanjohar!! This is incredible and well deserved!! May you keep adding more feathers to your hat! pic.twitter.com/dhK075Ldod
— Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) January 25, 2020
Congratulations, @ektaravikapoor! This is an amazing milestone and the recognition of all your hard work! Keep soaring high! pic.twitter.com/m2vxmAo7EJ
— Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) January 25, 2020
Kajol, who is one of Karan Johar's close friends and has also worked with him in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaaenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, tweeted: "Karan Johar, congrats on this honour. Well-deserved and so happy for you!"
@karanjohar congrats on this honour. Well deserved and sooooo happy for you !
— Kajol (@itsKajolD) January 26, 2020
Karan Johar's childhood friend Twinkle Khanna wished him like this: "Congratulations K! This is yet another validation of what I have always known-that you are truly special!"
Congratulations K! This is yet another validation of what I have always known-that you are truly special!
— Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) January 26, 2020
Juhi Chawla, in her congratulatory message, made a reference to Karan Johar's autobiographical book An Unsuitable Boy and wrote: "The Unsuitable Boy is highly suitable! Congratulations Padma Shri Karan Johar!"
The Unsuitable Boy is highly Suitable ..!!! Congratulations Padmashri Karan Johar ..!!!!!!!! @karanjohar #PadmaAwards2020
— Juhi Chawla (@iam_juhi) January 26, 2020
Tweets of congratulations also arrived from Riteish Deshmukh, who wrote for Karan Johar: "Dearest Karan Johar, thrilled to know that soon you will be known as #Padmashri Karan Johar - you truly deserve it my friend. More power to you, may you keep engaging, entertaining audiences all over the world with your craft. Love you" and for Ekta Kapoor: "Dear Ekta Kapoor, your immense contribution to the landscape of entertainment industry as we see it today has been duly recognised - Congratulations on being awarded the #Padmashri - the ones who take risks are the ones who break barriers."
Dearest @karanjohar , thrilled to know that soon you will be known as #Padmashree Karan Johar - you truly deserve it my friend. More power to you, may you keep engaging, entertaining audiences all over the world with your craft. Love you
— Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) January 26, 2020
Dear @ektaravikapoor Your immense contribution to the landscape of entertainment industry as we see it today has been duly recognised - Congratulations on being awarded the #Padmashree - the ones who take risks are the ones who break barriers.
— Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) January 26, 2020
Bhumi Pednekar's congratulatory message for Kangana Ranaut, Karan Johar and Ekta Kapoor read: "Congratulations Ekta Kapoor, Karan Johar and Kangana Ranaut on being awarded the #PadmaShri for your contribution to cinema! Karan, Ekta it is an absolute honour for me to be able to work with you both ... Congratulations again!" Bhumi is working with Karan Johar for his upcoming film Takht and she will also be seen in Ekta Kapoor's Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare along with Konkona Sen Sharma.
Congratulations @ektaravikapoor, @karanjohar and #KanganaRanaut on being awarded the #PadmaShri for your contribution to cinema ! Karan, Ekta it is an absolute honour for me to be able to work with you both ... Congratulations again !
— bhumi pednekar (@bhumipednekar) January 26, 2020
Congratulatory messages also poured in from the likes of Nimrat Kaur, Kunal Kohli, Rahul Bose, Goldie Behl, Milap Zaveri, Karisma Tanna, Kapil Sharma, Rahul Dev and Shruti Seth:
Huge congratulations @karanjohar on receiving the #PadmashreeAward!!! Your relentless contributions and indispensable voice for the industry is deeply cherished and admired by one and all
— Nimrat Kaur (@NimratOfficial) January 26, 2020
Many, many congratulations @karanjohar ! Stoked for you! Here's looking to you to go from strength to strength. #PadmaShri #PadmaAwards2020
— Rahul Bose (@RahulBose1) January 25, 2020
Congrats Karan!!!! From Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to now what an inspiring journey!!! Such a well deserved Honor!!! More power to you! https://t.co/deTfp9UUQW
— Milap (@zmilap) January 25, 2020
Winning a national honour like the Padma Shri is an exemplary feat. Congratulations @karanjohar @ektaravikapoor for winning this award. So happy and proud of you both. Years of effort and hard work has paid off
— goldie behl (@GOLDIEBEHL) January 26, 2020
@karanjohar congrats Karan. Hiroo Aunty must be so proud. Yaah Uncle is missed even more, on days like this. Big hug.
— kunal kohli (@kunalkohli) January 25, 2020
@Rangoli_A congrats to #KanganaRanaut on the #PadmaShri & on #Panga jumping in collections by more than double. Today might go into double digits. Amazing. #PowerofGoodCinema
— kunal kohli (@kunalkohli) January 26, 2020
— Karishma Tanna (@KARISHMAK_TANNA) January 26, 2020
Congratulations Ekta always proud of u jai mata di #PadmaAwards2020 https://t.co/7ZtOqoGvgC
— Kapil Sharma (@KapilSharmaK9) January 26, 2020
Many congratulations! Truly well deserved .. Your innovation, hard work & creativity gave gigantic proportions to the small screen, creating jobs for so many .. stay blessed
— Rahul Dev Official (@RahulDevRising) January 25, 2020
Congratulations @ektaravikapoor https://t.co/RO8zi0oPsQ
— Shruti Seth (@SethShruti) January 25, 2020
The awards were announced ahead of India's 71st Republic Day and the list comprises the names of 118 prominent personalities from different fields such as literature, art, education, medicine, sports, social work, public affairs and science.
Last year, actors Manoj Bajpayee, Mohanlal, actor-choreographer-director Prabhudeva and musician Shankar Mahadevan received their Padma Awards from President Ram Nath Kovind in New Delhi. Actor Kader Khan was posthumously honoured with the Padma Shri for his priceless contribution to cinema.
