New Delhi: Padma awardee veteran actress Asha Parekh will be conferred with Dadasaheb Phalke award for 2020, for her exemplary lifetime contribution to Indian cinema, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur said on Tuesday.
Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Thakur wrote, “Honoured to announce that the Dadasaheb Phalke Selection Jury has decided to recognise & award Smt Asha Parekh ji for her exemplary lifetime contribution to Indian Cinema.”
“The Dadasaheb Phalke Award shall be presented by the Hon President of India at 68th NFA in Vigyan Bhawan,” he further added.
He also a posted a video, wherein the minister said, “Asha Parekh is an eminent film actress, who started working in the movies at the age of 10. She was first launched by ace director Bimal Roy in ‘Maa’ (1952). She has worked in more than 95 films, and she was the chairperson of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) from 1998-2001. She was also awarded with Padma Shri.”
“This is a proud moment for us that Ministry of Information and Broadcasting conducts National Film Awards (NFA) every year. In 68th NFA, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award will be given to Asha Parekh. The jury members of Dadasaheb Phalke Selection committee— Asha Bhosle, Hema Malini, Poonam Dhillon, Udit Narayan and TS Nagabharana, have nominated her. On September 30th, President Droupadi Murmu will present the award to Asha Parekh,” Thakur added.
She was the highest paid actress of her time, and was one of the most successful and influential actresses of all time in Hindi cinema.
Producer Subodh Mukherjee and writer-director Nasir Hussain cast her as the heroine in ‘Dil Deke Dekho’ (1959), opposite Shammi Kapoor, which made her a huge star. It also started a long association with Hussain who cast her as his heroine in six more films: Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961), Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963), Teesri Manzil (1966), Baharon Ke Sapne (1967), Pyar Ka Mausam (1969), and Caravan (1971).
Parekh was primarily known as a glamour girl, excellent dancer and tomboy in most of her films, until director Raj Khosla gave her a serious image by casting her in tragedienne roles in ‘Do Badan’ (1966), ‘Chirag’ (1969) and ‘Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki’ (1978).
In 2008, she was a judge on the reality show ‘Tyohaar Dhamaaka’. In 2017, her autobiography (co-written by Khalid Mohamed) titled "The Hit Girl" was released. (UNI)