Amitabh Bachchan at an event in Mumbai.
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan will receive the Padma Vibhushan, the government announced on the eve of Republic Day and the actor says he owes his Padma Vibhushan to his fans and the 'generosity of the people that decide.'
He tweeted:
On his blog, Big B wrote: "The Government of India has decorated me with the highest Padma Award of the country, the Padma Vibhushan. I have no words to express my gratitude to the powers that be and am most humbled and overwhelmed by the generosity of the people that decide or sit on judgment on this."
In another tweet, he wrote, "On Awards (Rabindranath) Tagore said, 'Awards are a shield that cover your scars, wounds, mistakes and failures and humble you into accepting the journey rather than the destination'."
This is Big B's third Padma honour - he received the Padma Shri in 1983 and the Padma Bhushan in 2000.
This brings the total of Padma honours in the Bachchan family to seven. Big B wrote, "There are totally now 7 Padma Awards in the family. My Father - the Padma Shree and the Padma Bhushan; Jaya - Padma Shree; Aishwarya - Padma Shree; Amitabh Bachchan - Padma Shree, Bhushan and Vibhushan. So honoured and grateful to the Govt of India for all these recognitions."
He added on his
blog,: "In one family this must be perhaps the only reference or case in the country. I feel blessed and honoured, fortunate and humbled, overwhelmed and submerged by the affection and love of the people."
In a career spanning over 40 years, Mr Bachchan has delivered acclaimed performances in movies like
Deewar, Agneepath, Sholay and
Don.
The 72-year-old actor's recent career graph charts films like
Black and
Paa. This year, Amitabh Bachchan stars in
Shamitabh, Piku and
Wazir.
Actor Dilip Kumar is also to receive the Padma Vibhushan. Dilip
saab, who real name is Yusuf Khan, is admired and feted for films like
Aan, Daag, Devdas, Madhumati, Paigham, Mughal-E-Azam, Ganga Jamuna, Leader and
Ram Aur Shyam.
After working for about six decades, he bid adieu to the arclights in 1998. His last movie was
Qila.
This year's Padma list also includes honours for filmmakers Jahnu Baruah, who will receive the Padma Bhushan, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who will receive the Padma Shri. South Indian actor Kota Srinivas Rao will also receive the Padma Shri.