The Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest honor in the field of cinema, is a tribute to the legendary filmmaker Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, who is often referred to as the “Father of Indian Cinema.” This prestigious award is given annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the growth and development of Indian cinema.
History of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Introduced in 1969, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was first awarded to the eminent filmmaker, Devika Rani, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to Indian cinema. The award is presented at the National Film Awards ceremony, and the recipient is chosen by a committee of distinguished filmmakers, actors, and cinema experts. Over the years, the award has come to symbolize the highest recognition in the Indian film industry, with past winners spanning a wide array of disciplines, including actors, directors, producers, and composers.
List of Dadasaheb Phalke Award Winners
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest honour in Indian cinema, presented annually by the Government of India. It is named after Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, popularly known as Dadasaheb Phalke, who is considered the father of Indian cinema. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the growth and development of Indian cinema. In the following table, you will find the complete List of Dadasaheb Phalke Award Winners (1969-2025).
| List of Dadasaheb Phalke Award Winners | ||
| Year (Ceremony) | Recipient | Film Industry |
| 1969 (17th NFA) | Devika Rani | Hindi |
| 1970 (18th NFA ) | Birendranath Sircar | Bengali |
| 1971 (19th NFA) | Prithviraj Kapoor | Hindi |
| 1972 (20th NFA) | Pankaj Mullick | Bengali and Hindi |
| 1973 (21st NFA) | Ruby Myers (Sulochana) | Hindi |
| 1974 (22nd NFA) | B. N. Reddy | Telugu |
| 1975 (23rd NFA) | Dhirendra Nath Ganguly | Bengali |
| 1976 (24th NFA) | Kanan Devi | Bengali |
| 1977 (25th NFA) | Nitin Bose | Bengali and Hindi |
| 1978 (26th NFA) | Raichand Boral | Bengali and Hindi |
| 1979 (27th NFA) | Sohrab Modi | Hindi |
| 1980 (28th NFA) | Paidi Jairaj | Hindi |
| 1981 (29th NFA) | Naushad | Hindi |
| 1982 (30th NFA) | L. V. Prasad | Telugu, Tamil and Hindi |
| 1983 (31st NFA) | Durga Khote | Hindi and Marathi |
| 1984 (32nd NFA) | Satyajit Ray | Bengali |
| 1985 (33rd NFA) | V. Shantaram | Hindi and Marathi |
| 1986 (34th NFA) | B. Nagi Reddy | Telugu |
| 1987 (35th NFA) | Raj Kapoor | Hindi |
| 1988 (36th NFA) | Ashok Kumar | Hindi |
| 1989 (37th NFA) | Lata Mangeshkar | Hindi and Marathi |
| 1990 (38th NFA) | Akkineni Nageswara Rao | Telugu |
| 1991 (39th NFA) | Bhalji Pendharkar | Marathi |
| 1992 (40th NFA) | Bhupen Hazarika | Assamese |
| 1993 (41st NFA) | Majrooh Sultanpuri | Hindi |
| 1994 (42nd NFA) | Dilip Kumar | Hindi |
| 1995 (43rd NFA) | Rajkumar | Kannada |
| 1996 (44th NFA) | Sivaji Ganesan | Tamil |
| 1997 (45th NFA) | Kavi Pradeep | Hindi |
| 1998 (46th NFA) | B. R. Chopra | Hindi |
| 1999 (47th NFA) | Hrishikesh Mukherjee | Hindi |
| 2000 (48th NFA) | Asha Bhosle | Hindi and Marathi |
| 2001 (49th NFA) | Yash Chopra | Hindi |
| 2002 (50th NFA) | Dev Anand | Hindi |
| 2003 (51st NFA) | Mrinal Sen | Bengali and Hindi |
| 2004 (52nd NFA) | Adoor Gopalakrishnan | Malayalam |
| 2005 (53rd NFA) | Shyam Benegal | Hindi |
| 2006 (54th NFA) | Tapan Sinha | Bengali and Hindi |
| 2007 (55th NFA) | Manna Dey | Bengali and Hindi |
| 2008 (56th NFA) | V. K. Murthy | Hindi |
| 2009 (57th NFA) | D. Ramanaidu | Telugu |
| 2010 (58th NFA) | K. Balachander | Tamil |
| 2011 (59th NFA) | Soumitra Chatterjee | Bengali |
| 2012 (60th NFA) | Pran | Hindi |
| 2013 (61st NFA) | Gulzar | Hindi |
| 2014 (62nd NFA) | Shashi Kapoor | Hindi |
| 2015 (63rd NFA) | Manoj Kumar | Hindi |
| 2016 (64th NFA) | K. Vishwanath | Telugu |
| 2017 (65th NFA) | Vinod Khanna | Hindi |
| 2018 (66th NFA) | Amitabh Bachchan | Hindi |
| 2019 (67th NFA) | Rajinikanth (Announced) | Tamil |
| 2020 (68th NFA) | Asha Parekh | Hindi |
| 2021 (69th NFA) | Waheeda Rahman | Hindi |
| 2022 (70th NFA) | Mithun Chakraborty | Bengali and Hindi |
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award continues to celebrate the brightest talents in Indian cinema, recognizing the contributions of individuals who have shaped the film industry through their remarkable work. From legendary actors and directors to composers and singers, each recipient of this prestigious award has played a pivotal role in transforming Indian cinema into a global phenomenon.
With its long-standing tradition of honoring excellence, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award ensures that the legacy of those who have contributed to the cinematic world will never be forgotten, and their work will continue to inspire future generations.
