KARACHI: Singer-cum-actor Ali Zafar seems to have garnered a lot of love, name, fame and respect in Bollywood. So much so that after having received his first Stardust Award last year, the music industry’s wonder boy will be bringing home another award at the 143rd Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award Ceremony. The event takes place on May 3 in Mumbai.
An excited Zafar, who had just landed in Mumbai for the event, said, “To have been granted this prestigious award, alongside the likes of the biggest Indian film industry legends, is a huge honour for me. One can only dream of such things and when dreams become realities, life becomes fascinating. This award is also a vivid manifestation of the belief that an artist and his art know no boundaries. Neither does love.”
The event is held annually and is named after the pioneer of the Indian film industry Dadasaheb Phalke, who made the first Indian motion picture Raja Harishchandra in the year 1913. The event is attended by some of the senior-most industry members which include producers, distributors, exhibitors and actors. It is one of the most prestigious events for Indian cinema and every Bollywood actor dreams of being honoured with a Phalke award.
Besides Zafar, Vidya Balan, Vinod Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Ekta Kapoor and Parineeta Chopra will also be awarded at the event. It is pertinent to mention that this award is not the same as the Government of India’s ‘Dadasaheb Phalke Award’.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2012.
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great gesture from the people of India. Good luck Ali.
shushant you are supportive i hope you will support me also in the same manner.
@T: No need to act like saint..Both sides are like that..Lol..
rediculuous...!!!
Stop war start movie
Congrats ALI...To receive Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award is g8 achievement bcoz it is one of the few credible Awards in INIDA...Even Amir khan who does not accept any Award has received this Award.Best of luck...luking forward to see some g8 hit 4m u.....
@ayesha_khan: "the notion that all Indians hate all Muslims is so strong in Pakistan that no amount of facts can actually change that notion and make people realize the fallacy of that notion."
We did not create this notion ourselves. The notion has been created because of the comments you Indians give on this website. And they are always full of hatred, sarcasm, and disgusting remarks. So naturally it means all Indians hate us. Correct your own actions if you want us to believe otherwise.
The man had hired a PR agent to apparently make his way into Bollywood and it has worked out for him. Spreading his news into the media and no headlines about other actors to be felicitated, sure is clever and commendable.
Shows big heart of Indians! Zafar you should be grateful to Indians
@Arjun: Yes arjun i see you along with your group of indian commenter have been 'positively' commenting on news items related to pakistan. You guys make it a point to make negative comment on anything related to pakistan i am just amazed your obsession. You don't see all the 'positive' comments from your fellow country men on this news item? It would be a lot better if Indian comment-ors stop spamming pakistani news sites.
This award is not for best actor award or something, it is 'New talent of the year' award. Parineeti Chopra is also getting the same award. Yes he is new talent in the industry so got the award. But headlines are very big, if you search Parineeti you will not find headline news for her award but you will find it for Ali Zafar.
@ayesha_khan: going by the comments on this news site seems like the pakistan loving indians are out in force.
Ayesha_Khan, don't waste your time on Pakistani newspapers. It's pointless.. these people see nothing but negatives in us Indians.
I've been following pretty much all the news he has been garnering since he came into the fray, and i must say i'm extremely happy about this development. I follow pakistani artists and music and i must say the talent that i find in pakistan is immense and its rather disturbing that they have to come to India to find success. I know for a fact if the pakistani entertainment industry is give the necessary boost, it can simply outshine any competitor in the industry concerned. but for nw, Way to go ALI !
Its very true Pakistan has very much telent in various fields. Pakistanis are holding a decent amount of medals world wide. If Pakistan govt. is good then there may big deference than current position.
@Asad: "Why are indian producers and directors investing time money and resources in making movies with pakistani actors singers? No one is forcing them not anyone is forcing them to give them awards."
They also use services of Nepalis e.g. Udit Narain and Manisha Kiorala and Bengali artistes like Runa Laila. In India if someone is talented they will succeed. So religion, nationality are not the primary factors in recognizing talent in India. Please rememeber it is not just Indian producers and directors are hiring Pakistani talent. If ordinary Indians discrimnated against Pakistanis and did not go to movies which had Pak singers or actors then sheer commercial interest would force the producers and directors to turn away from Pakistani talent.
Indians do not hate ordinary Pakistanis - contrary to what yuo have been ld to believe. If they did no-one would watch Ali Zafar or listen to RFAK songs. We do (and this includes most Indian Muslims like myself) have a problem with Pakistani elites approach towards India - repeatedly starting wars, sending jihadis to India and sponsoring terror attacks. It looks like that approach is changing. If that happens, it will be beneficial to both countries because we can then spend more to address real problems of health, education, infrastructure, unemployment. But until Pakistan continues to somehow harbour the notion that it can snatchIndian land away from India this happy state will be difficult o achieve.
@Pakistani: "Wouldn’t it had been better if a Pakistani said the same thing instead of you"
Ofcourse. But did not see any Pakistanis saying that - the notion that all Indians hate all Muslims is so strong in Pakistan that no amount of facts can actually change that notion and make people realize the fallacy of that notion. Incidentally I did not inadvertently refer to the notion as "All Indians hate all Muslims". This is because even though there 150 million other Indian Musims like me, India alwys gets referred as Hindu nation in Pakistan.
@True Muslim Paki: We've talent but not appreciation :-(
Also to all well meaning Pakistani commentors: If we say something against Ali Zafar, its not because he is a pakistani. I pay money to watch movies and I have an opinion. Ali Zafar does need to work on dialogue delivery. SRK is not my favorite actor, so Ali better find his own way to deliver lines.
Congrats to Ali Zafar. As mentioned in the article, this is not to be confused with GOI's "Dadasaheb Phalke Award". That is given to only one individual every year, and is sort of a big deal. Something like a lifetime achievement award. If Ali got that, it would mean retirement.
Can be awarded under Child Artist Catogory
@Rajendra Kalkhande: Trust an Indian troll to pat themselves on their back. Wouldn't it had been better if a Pakistani said the same thing instead of you.
I hope the message of this award is "Talent always wins - border or no border."
This guy hardly knows anything about acting.worst actor ever
dosent deserve.
We have much talent, & many of them make it big in India, but fail in Pakistan. Its definitely a honour.
MashaAllah :)
I don't think he deserves coz there are far better actors in india than him . But anyways this shows india's BIG heart .
dadasaheb phalke is a big award, congratulations to the entire nation
Hearty congratulations to Ali Zafar. This simply proves that Indians appreciate and reward the talent irrespective of nationality, race and religion.