Bachchan on Dadasaheb Phalke Award win: Deeply grateful and humbled

The actor will be given a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl and a cash prize of Rs. 10L.

He is, however, not new to these accolades.

Among other honors, the actor won National Awards for Agneepath, Black, Paa and Piku.

In 2015, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, while in 2001 and 1984, he got the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, respectively.

Javadekar, while making the announcement about "The legend Amitabh Bachchan" winning the Dadasaheb Phalke Award said, "The entire country and international community is happy. My heartiest Congratulations to him."

Soon the news spread like wildfire, and congratulatory messages started pouring in from every corner of the country, including from Bollywood, politicians, and other personalities.

Superstar Rajinikanth noted, "You richly deserve this commendable honour !"

Apart from these, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister Smriti Irani, veteran Congress leader and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, among others rushed in with their congratulatory messages.

While Naidu called him an inspiration, Irani stated, "no one deserved the #DadaSahebPhalkeAward more."

"Your legendary contribution to Indian cinema will continue to inspire crores of people," wrote Goyal.

Bachchan's son Abhishek said he is "Overjoyed and so, so proud!," while his daughter Shweta wrote on Instagram, "Whose your Dada (Saheb Phalke)? Uncontainable excitement, pride, tears, and general hysteria!Congratulations Papa."

Last year, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in cinema, was bestowed upon Vinod Khanna posthumously, Bachchan's co-star in movies like Amar Akbar Anthony, Muqaddar Ka Sikander, etc.

Khanna died in April 2017.

Now a bit about Bachchan's career.

He debuted with Saat Hindustani in 1969.

Anand (1971) followed, but Rajesh Khanna's super-stardom eclipsed Bachchan's performance.

He couldn't deliver much until Zanjeer happened, and then there was no stopping him.

His success run however received a jolt in 1983, when he faced a life-threatening accident on Coolie sets, and was later diagnosed with Myasthenia gravis.

Bachchan quit films, and joined politics for three years, which didn't really prove to be a smart move.

He returned to films with Shahenshah in 1988, a box office hit, but again a period of lull struck him, until Agneepath happened, for which he won the National Award.

Several flops followed, and Bachchan went into semi-retirement for five years.

In 1996, ABCL was launched.

The production company was the biggest jolt for Bachchan.

Just within a year, it incurred losses worth millions, faced legal battles with the Bombay HC restraining Bachchan from selling off Prateeksha and two flats till recovery is done.

Then as the century turned, so did Bachchan's fortunes.

In 2000, he appeared in Mohabbatein and hosted KBC, and the rest is history.

Congratulations, Sir!