Actor Rajinikanth's Dadasaheb Phalke Award has been hailed by his friend and colleague of many years, Kamal Haasan. In a tweet shared shortly after Union Minister Prakash Javadekar announced that the 70-year-old superstar would receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2019, Mr Haasan wrote, "The superstar and my dear friend Rajinikanth, who proved that fans can be won by screen appearances, deserves it 100%." Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan made 16 films together since 1975's Apoorva Raagangal, which was Rajinikanth's debut. Their shared credits include Moondru Mudichu, 16 Vayathinile and Thillu Millu. See Kamal Haasan's tweet here:
Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan were last seen together in 1985's Hindi film Geraftaar, also starring Amitabh Bachchan - Rajinikath appeared in a cameo. Rumours that the two actors will be reuniting on screen have so far not been confirmed.
In a tweet shared today, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar wrote, "Happy to announce Dadasaheb Phalke award for 2019 to one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema Rajnikant ji. His contribution as actor, producer and screenwriter has been iconic." The award should have been announced last year but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown as were the National Film Awards for 2019 - these were announced recently. Singers Asha Bhosle and Shankar Mahadevan, actors Mohanlal and Biswajeet, and filmmaker Subhash Ghai Were on the jury that selected Rajinikanth for the Dadasaheb Phalke, India's highest award for cinematic achievement.
Amitabh Bachchan, who co-starred with Rajinikanth in iconic blockbuster Hum, preceded him as the recipient of the 2018 Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Filmmaker K Balachander, who gave both Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth their breaks in Arangetram and Apoorva Raagangal respectively, received the award in 2010.