MUMBAI: Indian film industry veterans Arjan Lulla, who is the founder of Eros International and Balram Ahuja of Ahuja Films and R.M Ahuja & Co have been honored with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

Lulla received the award for globalizing Indian cinema, whereas Ahuja has been conferred the award for his contribution in the field of distribution and finance feature films since the last 50 years.

They were honored in a ceremony that was held in Mumbai on 4 May. Lulla founded Eros in 1977, when he started the venture to export Indian films.

On the other hand, Ahuja entered the film industry in 1959 and is actively involved even today. He has been associated with various producers namely Ratan Mohan, Harish Shah, Vinod Shah, F.C.Mehra, Jugal Kishore, Subhash Desai, Manmohan Desai, Feroz Khan,Ram Maheshwary, Panalal Maheshwary, Banny Talwar and Tejnath Zar amongst others.