Yash Chopra, producer of Bollywood blockbusters like
Deewar
,
Kabhi Kabhi
and
Dil to Pagal Hai
, on Thursday received the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award, the topmost honour in the film industry, from President APJ Abdul Kalam amidst standing ovation.
Kalam also gave away the 49th National Film Awards in several categories, eight of which went to Aamir Khan's Lagaan, which lost out in the race for Oscar last year.
Actor Aamir Khan received the award for Lagaan directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar in the Best popular film category.
Renowned actress Tabu shared the best actress award for her sensitive depiction of a beer bar dancer in Chandni Bar, with South Indian star Shobana for her role of a lonely mother in Mitr-My Friend.
Malayalam actor Murali was given the best actor award for his role in Neythukaran (The Weaver) which revolves around a committed political worker caught in a web of shifting values.
Girish Kasaravalli was presented the award for best feature film for his Dweepa while B Lenin took the award for Best Director for Tamil film Oruku Nooruper (hundred people in a hamlet), a tale of a revolutionary.
Departing from the three-year old tradition, Kalam made a brief speech in which he told the film personalities to win the hearts of people with their "stories, smiles and songs and reduce the pains" of those suffering from heart ailments.
{{/usCountry}}Departing from the three-year old tradition, Kalam made a brief speech in which he told the film personalities to win the hearts of people with their "stories, smiles and songs and reduce the pains" of those suffering from heart ailments.
{{/usCountry}}He said at a teleconference with 500 heart surgeons this morning, he was told that heart diseases afflicted Indians because of lack of exercise, high fat diet and sufferings.