MUMBAI: Friday, veteran bollywood actor Pran Sikand was chosen to be honoured by the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award.

This award is the highest official recognition and honour for film personalities in India. The Dadasaheb Phalke Awards honour a prominent film personality every year. With the film industry completing 100 years of cinema this year, it is even more special for Pran to receive this auspicious award on May 3.

Pran, who is now 93 years old, has starred in over 350 films. The actor began his journey as a hero in 1940 with ‘Yamala Jat’. But as the years progressed he excelled at villainous roles in numerous films including classics like ‘Milan’ (1967), ‘Madhumati’ (1958) and ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’ (1964).

Pran’s son Sunil Sikand was ecstatic. He said, “It is an amazing thing. We are happy and honoured. My father is watching the news on TV right now.”

Pran has acted with megastars of cinema like Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand, the actor also recommended Amitabh Bachchan to director Prakash Mehra for ‘Zanjeer’. He received the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and also was awarded as the ‘Villain of the Millennium’ by Stardust in 2000.

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award consists of a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a cash prize of a million and a shawl.