From ‘Ankur’ to ‘Malgudi Days’, Anant Nag’s five-decade journey earns Phalke honour

NEW DELHI: Veteran actor Anant Nag, whose career spans Kannada cinema, Hindi films and the much-loved television series ‘Malgudi Days’, will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, the government announced on Wednesday, recognising more than five decades of work across languages.The 78-year-old actor will be presented with India’s highest cinema honour at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony in Kevadia, Gujarat, on September 22, 2026. The recognition follows the Padma Bhushan conferred on him in 2025.Announcing the selection, the government said Nag’s cinematic journey had “inspired generations of artists and enriched the cultural landscape of the nation”. He was chosen on the recommendation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award Selection Committee.Nag made his film debut with the Kannada feature ‘Sankalp’ and entered Hindi cinema with ‘Ankur’.