Thiruvananthapuram | The Kerala government on Saturday felicitated superstar Mohanlal for winning the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour in Indian cinema, at an event held in the state capital.

Expressing his gratitude, Mohanlal said the felicitation in his home state was more emotional than the award ceremony in New Delhi. “This is the land where I was born and raised. Its air, its buildings, its memories are part of my soul. Such emotions cannot be acted out,” he said.

Recalling his early journey, the veteran actor spoke of moving to Chennai with friends to work with director Fazil and said cinema had allowed him to witness societal changes over the decades.

“An actor is like clay shaped by directors, writers and cameramen. I have faced both success and criticism, and I take them equally,” he added.

Mohanlal dedicated the award to society, saying, “Without the audience, nothing can be achieved. This recognition belongs to them,” while also acknowledging the support of his family and friends.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who presented the honour, described Mohanlal as “the pride of every Malayali,” praising his versatility and immense contribution to Indian cinema.

He cited Mohanlal’s acclaimed performance in 'Vanaprastham', screened at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival, and said he was amazed at how the actor had portrayed diverse characters with ease.

“In 1986 alone, he acted in 34 films, whereas today actors take up only two or three films a year,” Vijayan noted, wishing him many more milestones as Malayalam cinema approaches its centenary.

Mohanlal was presented with a memento, a scroll, and a painting by A Ramachandran.

The event was attended by Ministers V Sivankutty, Saji Cherian, K N Balagopal, and G R Anil, along with veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, who won the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2004; actresses Ambika, Renjini, and Malavika; director Joshiy; CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan; and MP A A Rahim.