NEW DELHI: Actor Mohanlal received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award from President Draupadi Murmu. Mohanlal received the award in front of a large audience at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw congratulated Mohanlal on stage with the words, "Congratulations to the Real OG Mohanlal. Thaangal oru uggran actor aanu(You are a great actor).

As a representative of the Malayalam film industry, I am deeply humbled to be the youngest recipient and only the second ever from the state to be bestowed with this national recognition. This moment is not mine alone. It belongs to the entire Malayalam cinema fraternity. I see this award as a collective tribute to our industry, legacy, creativity and resilience.

When I first received the news from the Centre, I was

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