India ‘s Malayalam-language cinema superstar Mohanlal has been named the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest film honor. The country’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed the selection, with the award to be presented at the 71st National Film Awards in New Delhi on Sept. 23.

The award – instituted in 1969 in memory of Indian cinema pioneer Dadasaheb Phalke, director of “Raja Harischandra” (1913), India’s first full-length feature, who is considered the father of Indian cinema – is given for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.

Mohanlal, whose career spans nearly five decades, has acted in more than 360 films across the Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi languages. Known for acclaimed performances in title

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