Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag has been selected for the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, making him the second Kannada actor to receive India’s highest honour in the field of cinema after Dr Rajkumar. The Government of India announced the honour on September 16, 2026, recognising Nag’s contribution to Indian cinema and a career spanning more than five decades. The award will be presented at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony in Kevadia, Gujarat, on September 22. 0
The announcement is particularly significant for Kannada cinema. Dr Rajkumar became the first Kannada actor to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1995. More than three decades later, the honour returns to a leading figure of Kannada cinema with Anant Nag.
Anant Nag Is Second Kannada Actor to Receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Anant Nag’s selection marks an important moment in the history of Kannada cinema. Dr Rajkumar, one of the most influential figures in Kannada film history, was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1995.
Since then, no other Kannada actor had received the country’s top cinematic honour until Nag’s selection for the 2024 award.
There is, however, an important distinction when discussing Karnataka’s connection with the award. Cinematographer V. K. Murthy, who was from Karnataka, received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2008. His award recognised his contribution to Indian cinema, particularly his landmark work in Hindi films. Therefore, Nag becomes the second Kannada actor to receive the honour, following Dr Rajkumar. 1
Government Announces Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024 for Anant Nag
The Press Information Bureau said the Government of India selected Anant Nag on the recommendation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award Selection Committee. The award recognises his contribution to Indian cinema and his illustrious cinematic journey.
The honour is officially designated the Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024, although it will be presented in 2026 at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on September 22 in Kevadia, Gujarat. 2
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Nag, highlighting his versatility, effortless performances and contribution to Indian cinema, particularly Kannada cinema. 3
Anant Nag’s Five-Decade Journey in Indian Cinema
Born on September 4, 1948, Anant Nag has built a career that spans more than five decades. His journey began with theatre before he moved into films and eventually became one of the defining actors of Kannada cinema.
The Government of India’s 2025 Padma Awards citation describes Nag as a veteran Kannada film actor known for his versatility and contribution to Indian cinema over five decades. 4
His film career has also crossed linguistic boundaries. Nag has worked in Kannada, Hindi and several other Indian languages, allowing his performances to reach audiences well beyond Karnataka.
From ‘Sankalpa’ and ‘Ankur’ to a Career Spanning Generations
Nag made his film debut in 1973 with the Kannada film Sankalpa. The same year, he also appeared in Shyam Benegal’s Ankur, marking his entry into Hindi cinema and India’s parallel cinema movement. 5
His association with filmmakers and actors from India’s parallel cinema movement established a different dimension to his career. Rather than being confined to conventional commercial roles, Nag became known for performances that often relied on subtlety, realism and emotional depth.
Over the decades, he moved comfortably between mainstream Kannada films and more critically oriented cinema. This versatility became one of the defining characteristics of his career.
Anant Nag’s Contribution to Kannada Cinema
For Kannada audiences, Nag’s filmography includes several enduring titles. His work includes films such as Bayalu Daari, Kanneshwara Rama, Naa Ninna Bidalaare, Chandanada Gombe, Benkiya Bale, Ganeshana Maduve and Gowri Ganesha.
He also continued working with younger generations of Kannada filmmakers, appearing in films such as Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu, Raajakumara and Gaalipata 2.
His appearance in KGF: Chapter 1 and KGF: Chapter 2 introduced his work to a new pan-Indian audience. He played Anand Ingalagi, the narrator whose account frames the story of Rocky and the Kolar Gold Fields.
‘Malgudi Days’ Took Anant Nag to a Wider Indian Audience
Anant Nag’s contribution was not limited to cinema. His association with the much-loved television series Malgudi Days, directed by his younger brother Shankar Nag and based on R. K. Narayan’s stories, remains an important part of his legacy.
Nag appeared in the series, which was produced in Kannada and subsequently reached viewers across India through dubbed versions and television broadcasts.
The series helped introduce Nag to audiences who may not have been familiar with his extensive Kannada film career, strengthening his recognition beyond the regional film industry.
Anant Nag and Shankar Nag: The Brothers Who Left a Mark on Kannada Cinema
Anant Nag’s career is also closely connected to that of his younger brother, Shankar Nag, who was an actor and filmmaker in Kannada cinema.
The brothers worked together on several projects and became an important screen and creative partnership in Kannada cinema. Their association with Malgudi Days remains particularly memorable.
Shankar Nag died in a road accident in 1990 at the age of 35, bringing a premature end to a career that had already established him as a major creative force in Kannada cinema.
Anant Nag and the Parallel Cinema Movement
One of the distinctive aspects of Anant Nag’s career has been his association with India’s parallel cinema movement.
His work with filmmakers such as Shyam Benegal and other major directors allowed him to explore characters that were often grounded in everyday life rather than the larger-than-life conventions of mainstream cinema.
His early Hindi work included films such as Ankur, Manthan and Bhumika. These films helped establish him as an actor capable of moving between regional cinema and the broader Indian film landscape.
At the same time, he continued to remain closely associated with Kannada cinema rather than permanently shifting his career to Hindi films.
Why Anant Nag’s Dadasaheb Phalke Award Is Significant
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India’s highest recognition for an individual’s contribution to the growth and development of cinema. For Kannada cinema, Nag’s selection has an additional historical significance because it follows Dr Rajkumar’s 1995 honour by 31 years. 6
Nag’s career also represents several generations of Indian cinema. He began in the 1970s, worked through the parallel cinema movement, became a major figure in Kannada commercial cinema, appeared on television and later found a new generation of viewers through films such as the KGF franchise.
His recognition therefore comes not simply for a particular performance but for a sustained contribution to Indian cinema across decades and mediums.
Anant Nag Also Received Padma Bhushan in 2025
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award follows another major national honour for Nag. In 2025, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to the arts.
The President of India conferred the honour on Nag during the Civil Investiture Ceremony in New Delhi in May 2025. The official citation described him as a veteran Kannada film actor recognised for his versatility and contribution to Indian cinema over more than five decades. 7
With the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Nag becomes the seventh Indian recipient to have received both the Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Award, according to the Indian Express. 8
What Anant Nag’s Award Means for Kannada Cinema
Kannada cinema has experienced significant national and international visibility in recent years, but its history extends much further than the current wave of pan-Indian films.
The careers of actors such as Dr Rajkumar and Anant Nag represent different eras of that history. Rajkumar became a towering figure of mainstream Kannada cinema, while Nag built a career that connected commercial films, parallel cinema, television and contemporary productions.
Nag’s Dadasaheb Phalke recognition places another landmark in that long history and acknowledges an actor whose career has remained connected to Kannada cinema for more than five decades.
Anant Nag Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Key Facts
- Award: Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024
- Recipient: Veteran actor Anant Nag
- Announcement: September 16, 2026
- Award ceremony: 72nd National Film Awards
- Date: September 22, 2026
- Venue: Kevadia, Gujarat
- Kannada cinema connection: Second Kannada actor to receive the award after Dr Rajkumar
- Dr Rajkumar’s award: Dadasaheb Phalke Award, 1995
- V. K. Murthy: Karnataka-born cinematographer who received the award in 2008 for his contribution to Indian cinema
- Padma Bhushan: Conferred on Anant Nag in 2025
Bottom Line
Anant Nag has become the second Kannada actor to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award after Dr Rajkumar, bringing the honour back to a leading figure of Kannada cinema 31 years after Rajkumar’s recognition.
From theatre and the parallel cinema movement to mainstream Kannada films, television and the pan-Indian success of the KGF franchise, Nag’s career has crossed generations and formats. The Government of India’s decision recognises that five-decade contribution to Indian cinema. 9
The award will be formally presented to Anant Nag at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony in Kevadia, Gujarat, on September 22, 2026.
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