Anant Nag, second Kannada star to win Dadasaheb Phalke

Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag has been awarded the esteemed Dadasaheb Phalke Award, making him the second artist from the state to receive this prestigious accolade. This honor follows his recent Padma Bhushan award, which was bestowed upon him a year ago. Prior to Anant Nag, Dr. Rajkumar was the only Kannada actor to receive this recognition in 1995.

Anant Nag, who made his acting debut in 1973 with the film Sankalpa, has appeared in over 300 movies spanning more than five decades, with more than 250 of those performances being in the Kannada language. Born Anant Nagarkatte in 1948 in Uttara Kannada district, the actor began his acting career in various regional languages, including Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, and Konkani, with a strong foundation in theatre, primarily nurtured in Mumbai.

Anant Nag has received five Karnataka State Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement award. The actor expressed his gratitude, stating that the Padma Bhushan was a rehearsal for this significant honor and dedicating the Phalke award to the people of Karnataka. The award will be presented to Anant Nag at the 72nd National Film Awards Ceremony on September 22, 2026 in Kevadia, Gujarat.