Mumbai (Commonwealth Union)_ Bollywood icon Madhuri Dixit was bestowed with the Special Recognition for Contribution to Bharatiya Cinema award at the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), held in Goa. The prestigious award was presented by Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, who lauded the most popular Bollywood diva for her exceptional talent, acting and dancing skills, and four-decade-long contribution to the film industry.
Taking to social media, Minister Thakur expressed his admiration for Dixit, stating, “An icon across the ages, @MadhuriDixit has graced our screens with unparalleled talent for four incredible decades. From the effervescent Nisha to the captivating Chandramukhi, the majestic Begum Para to the indomitable Rajjo, her versatility knows no bounds. Today, we are filled with admiration as we present the ‘Special Recognition for Contribution to Bharatiya Cinema’ Award to the talented, charismatic actress who has redefined excellence in cinema, at the 54th International Film Festival of India. A celebration of an extraordinary journey, a tribute to an everlasting legacy!”
The 54th edition of IFFI commenced with a star-studded ceremony at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium on November 20th, attracting notable figures from the film industry. Attendees included Vijay Sethupathi, Sara Ali Khan, Pankaj Tripathi, Sunny Deol, Karan Johar, Shantanu Moitra, Shreya Ghoshal, and Sukhwinder Singh, among others.
The festival’s opening film, “Catching Dust,” a thriller by award-winning British filmmaker Stuart Gatt, set the tone for the nine-day cinematic extravaganza. “About Dry Grasses” by French director Nuri Bilge Ceylan was highlighted as the Mid-fest film, while “The Featherweight” directed by Robert Kolodny served as the closing film.
Renowned filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani leads a five-member jury for the festival’s newly introduced category, the best web series (OTT) award. The jury panel includes Divya Dutta, Prosenjit Chatterjee, and filmmakers Krishna DK and Utpal Borpujari. The inaugural Best Web Series Award features 32 entries across 10 languages from 15 OTT platforms. Speaking on the significance of the OTT awards, Minister Anurag Thakur noted the industry’s exponential growth since the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasized that the introduction of these awards acknowledges the outstanding content creators on OTT platforms, celebrating the dynamic landscape and the sector’s annual growth rate of 28 percent.
