Never give up on your dreams: Mithun Chakraborty reflects on his journey to receiving Dadasaheb Phalke Award

The award, presented by President Droupadi Murmu, is the highest accolade in Indian cinema, celebrating lifetime achievements in the industry.

The legendary actor was met with a standing ovation from attendees, including dignitaries and fellow artists.

During his acceptance speech, Mithun reflected on his journey in the film industry, sharing poignant anecdotes from his early career. "My God, my Respected President, my Respect Minister, and all the best people on the dais, I have been on this stage three times. After receiving my first National Award, I was overwhelmed by the praise, and it distracted my focus," he recalled.

He humorously recounted a conversation with a producer after a screening of his debut film 'Mrigayaa'.

"After finishing the film, I asked a senior colleague how he felt about it. He complimented my acting but cheekily remarked on my attire, saying he could only imagine how I'd look with clothes on. It struck me later that I was bare in the film," Mithun recalled, sparking laughter in the audience.

Mithun also candidly shared his journey through the highs and lows of the industry, particularly after winning his first National Award. "I thought I had become Al Pacino. I began to treat producers dismissively. But reality hit when a producer kicked me out of his office. That day, I realized I was not Al Pacino, and it marked the end of my delusions," he shared, emphasizing the lessons learned from his experiences.

The actor addressed the prejudice he faced regarding his skin colour, revealing, "Many told me that dark-skinned actors wouldn't survive in Bollywood. I prayed to God, Could you change my colour? But eventually accepted that I couldn't alter my complexion. Instead, I focused on my dancing skills, determined to become so remarkable that audiences would overlook my skin colour. That's how I transformed into the 'sexy, dusky Bengali babu,'" he stated, earning applause from the audience, including Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Reflecting on his career, Mithun remarked, "I received nothing on a platter; everything I earned was through hard work. I often questioned God for my struggles, but after receiving this award, I feel at peace and will never complain again."

In an inspiring conclusion to his speech, Mithun encouraged aspiring actors: "Never stop dreaming. Remember, when you go to sleep, don't let your dreams sleep. If I can do it, so can you."

Affectionately known as 'Mithun Da' by his fans, Mithun Chakraborty made his film debut in 1976 with 'Mrigayaa', where he captivated audiences with his versatile acting.

His portrayal of a Santhal rebel earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor in his debut, and he later won two additional National Film Awards for 'Tahader Katha' (1992) and 'Swami Vivekananda' (1998).

Beyond acting, Mithun has made a significant impact in the music industry with iconic dance numbers like 'I Am a Disco Dancer', 'Jimmy Jimmy', and 'Super Dancer'. These tracks have become timeless classics, loved by generations of fans.

Most recently, Mithun Chakraborty appeared in Vivek Agnihotri's critically acclaimed film 'The Kashmir Files', further solidifying his legacy in Indian cinema.

The 70th National Film Awards ceremony was held at Vigyan Bhawan on Tuesday. Here's the full list of winners:

Best Film: Aattam (Malayalam)

Best Debut Film: Fouja (Haryanvi)

Best Film providing wholesome entertainment: Kantara (Kannada)

Best Feature Film promoting national, social, and environmental values: Kutch Express (Gujarati)

Best Film in AVGC: Brahmastra Part 1 (Hindi)

Best Director: Sooraj Barjatya - Uunchai (Hindi)

Best Actor in Leading Role: Nithya Menen - Thiruchitrambalam (Tamil), Manasi Parekh - Kutch Express (Gujarati), Rishab Shetty - Kantara (Kannada)

Best Actor in Supporting Role: Neena Gupta - Uunchai (Hindi), Pavan Raj Malhotra - Fouja (Gujarati)

Best Child Artiste: Sreepath - Malikappuram (Malayalam)

Best Action Direction: Anbariv - KGF Chapter 2 (Kannada)

Best Choreography: Jani Master, Sathish Krishnan - Thiruchitrambalam (Megham Karukatha) (Tamil)

Best Lyrics: Naushad Sadar Khan - Fouja (Salaami) (Gujarati)

Best Music Direction: Pritham (songs) - Brahmastra Part 1 (Hindi), AR Rahman (background music) - Ponniyin Selvan Part 1 (Tamil)

Best Makeup: Somnath Kundu - Aparajito (Bengali)

Best Costume Design: Niki Joshi - Kutch Express (Gujarati)

Best Production Design: Ananda Addhya - Aparajito (Bengali)

Best Editing: Mahesh Bhuvanend - Aattam (Malayalam)

Best Sound Design: Anand Krishnamoorthi - Ponniyin Selvan Part 1 (Tamil)

Best Screenplay: Anand Ekarshi (screenplay writer) - Aattam (Malayalam), Arpita Mukherjee and Rahul V Chittella (dialogues) - Gulmohar (Hindi)

Best Cinematography: Ravi Varman - Ponniyin Selvan Part 1 (Tamil)

Best Playback Singer: Bombay Jayshree - Saudi Vellakka CC 225/2009 (Chaayum Veyil) (Malayalam), Arijit Singh - Brahmastra Part 1 (Kesariya) (Hindi)

Best Tiwa Film: Sikaisal

Best Telugu Film: Karthikeya 2

Best Tamil Film: Ponniyin Selvan Part 1

Best Punjabi Film: Baghi Di Dhee

Best Odia Film: Daman

Best Malayalam Film: Saudi Vellakka CC 225/2009

Best Marathi Film: Vaalvi

Best Kannada Film: KGF Chapter 2

Best Hindi Film: Gulmohar

Best Bengali Film: Kaberi Antardhan

Best Assamese Film: Emuthi Puthi

Manoj Bajpayee (actor) - Gulmohar (Hindi)

Sanjay Salil Chowdhury (music director) - Kadhikan (Malayalam)

Best Non-Feature Film: Ayena

Best Debut Film: Madhyantara

Best Biographical/Historical/Compilation Film: Aanakhi Ek Mohenjo Daro

Best Arts/Culture Film: Ranga Vibhoga/Varsa

Best Script: Mono No Aware

Best Narrator: Murmurs of the Jungle

Best Music Direction: Fursat

Best Editing: Madhyantara

Best Sound Design: Yaan

Best Cinematography: Mono No Aware

Best Direction: From the Shadow

Best Short Film: Xunyota

Best Animated Film: The Coconut Tree

Best Non-Feature Film Promoting Social and Environmental Values: On the Brink Season 2 - Gharial

Best Documentary: Murmurs of the Jungle

Best Critic: Deepak Dua

Best Book on Cinema: Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography.