Shashi Kapoor chosen for Dadasaheb Phalke award

Charming Shashi Kapoor, whose nuanced acts in memorable films like "Deewar", "Satyam Shivam Sundaram", "Trishul" and "Kabhi Kabhie" captivated Hindi film buffs, will be conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2014, it was announced on Monday.

The veteran actor-producer, 77, is the 46th winner of the honour, conferred by the government for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian Cinema. "Yessssssss! Shashi Kapoor to get the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke award for contribution to Indian Cinema. Well deserved uncle. God Bless," his nephew, actor Rishi Kapoor, tweeted soon after the news broke.

"Third Padma Bhushan and third Phalke award in the family. Prithviraj Kapoor and Raj Kapoor being the other recipients," he added. Born in 1938, Shashi is a well-known actor and producer from the famous Kapoor family, a film dynasty in Bollywood. The younger brother of late Raj and Shammi Kapoor, who were both actors par excellence, he started his tryst with acting at the age of four, with plays directed and produced by his father Prithviraj Kapoor.

He started acting in films as a child in the late 1940s. His best known performances as child artist were in "Aag" (1948) and "Awaara" (1951), where he played the younger version of the character played by his elder brother Raj. When he grew up, he made his debut as a leading man in the 1961 film "Dharmputra", and went on to appear in more than 100 Hindi films.

A popular name in Bollywood during the 1960s, 1970s and until the mid-1980s, Shashi was one of India’s first actors to go international. He is known internationally for starring in many British and American films, notably Merchant Ivory Proudctions run by Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, such as "The Householder" (1963), "Shakespeare Wallah" (1965), "Bombay Talkie" (1970) and "Heat and Dust"(1982).

He also starred in other British and American films such as "Siddhartha" (1972) and "Muhafiz" (1994). In 1978, Shashi set up his production house Film Valas, which produced critically acclaimed films such as "Junoon" (1978), "Kalyug" (1981), "36 Chowringhee lane" (1981), "Vijeta" (1982) and "Utsav" (1984).

He also produced and directed a fantasy film titled "Ajooba", which had Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi in the lead role. In 2011, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan, and he is also a proud recipient of three National Film Awards. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award entitles him to a Swarn Kamal (Golden lotus), a cash prize of Rs.10 lakh and a shawl.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Arun Jaitley conveyed his congratulations on the occasion, a statement said. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, congratulating Shashi Kapoor on the award, said in a tweet that "his sensitive portrayal of human emotions has touched many a heart".