The day stars took over Delhi sky

NEW DELHI: Actors Amitabh Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut, Kalki Koechlin, directors Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Kabir Khan walked away with top honours at the 63rd National Film Awards on Tuesday. Bachchan, who won for 'Piku', is the only one to have bagged the honour in the 'best actor' category for the fourth time.

Presenting the awards President Pranab Mukherjee said it was sprecial how the National Film Awards recognised "living legends" like Bachchan as well as newcomers.

Thespian Manoj Kumar, who essayed the role of Bhagat Singh nearly half a century ago, was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke award, Indian cinema's most coveted honour. He in turn presented the President with a Sai Baba statuette while accepting the award to a standing ovation. Kumar started his career in 1957 and is famous for his patriotic roles in films like Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Purab Aur Paschim, and Shaheed, among others.

Describing Kumar's films, I&B minister Arun Jaitley said the actor-director's films played an important part in contextualising Indian history, like the freedom struggle, as well as the plight of farmers.

This is the third National Award for Kangana, who won the 'best actress' honour for 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns'. The multilingual `Baahubali' was recognised as `best film', while Sanjay Leela Bhansali received the 'best direction' award for 'Bajirao Mastani'. The Salman Khan-starrer Bajrangi Bhaijaan won 'best popular film'.

The `best Hindi film' award was gi ven to `Dum Laga Ke Haisha', and the special jury award to Kalki Koechlinstarrer Margarita With A Straw.

`Masaan', directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, received the Indira Gandhi award for `best debut film of a director'.

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National Awards: Third Win For Kangana Ranaut

Kangana Ranaut has scored her third National Award for Tanu Weds Manu Returns, sources have told NDTV. Amitabh Bachchan has won Best Actor for Piku.

The multi-lingual blockbuster Baahubali has won Best Film and Sanjay Leela Bhansali has been awarded Best Director for Bajirao Mastani.

Kangana, 29, won the Best Actress National Award last year for Queen and the Best Supporting Award for Fashion in 2009. Tanu Weds Manu Returns, co-starring R Madhavan, was 2016's first 100 crore hit.

This will be 73-year-old Mr Bachchan's fourth win after Agneepath, Black and Paa.

The Awards will be announced later this morning. 

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Amitabh Bachchan Painted Delhi PINK. No One Noticed?

An amused Big B, 73, wrote on his blog: "Huummmmpphh. Ran out of breath bending down backwards laughing my strengths out. My strengths, strengths. My stomach. So why the hysteria? The masked wonder on the streets of crowded Delhi and ne'er an eye is raised. This is what what life is all about buddy"

Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan who walked through the streets of Delhi without being recognised on Saturday, today disclosed that he was in the city to shoot for a new project - filmmaker Shoojit Sircar's project PINK.

The actor, 73, who is still filming in the capital, shared images from the sets on social media. Directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, the film also co-stars Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari and Andrea Tariang and releases on September 16 this year.

On his blog, Big B also shared this picture of himself in a state of reverie, admiring the view in a park. The actor wrote: "Leave me to the elements dear ones. They invite my conscience and my breath. They fill me with the air of immense solitude. To think to ruminate to decipher and to execute. What must be, to be, to be done."

On Saturday, the actor admitted that he was amused that he had managed to remain incognito and said he 'ran out of breath laughing my strengths.'

He had written on his blog: "Huummmmpphh. Ran out of breath bending down backwards laughing my strengths out. My strengths, strengths. My stomach. So why the hysteria?

The masked wonder on the streets of crowded Delhi and ne'er an eye is raised. This is what what life is all about buddy. It's called indifference, unrecognisable, and even if recognisable not interested in recognising. Happens to all that were once recognisable, shall happen to all. It's not something that shall bring the oceans at your feet!!"

 Besides PINK, Big B will also be seen in the much-hyped TE3N which also features Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a key role and which opens on May 20. The actor admitted to a fan that he was 'really excited' about the film.

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'Sholay' revisited at Hema Malini's music album release

After 40 years, 'Sholay' stars Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Dharmendra and Hema Malini, apart from filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, shared the stage together at the music release of an album by Bollywood's 'Dream Girl'. Hema Malini's debut music album 'Dream Girl' was released at an event here on Monday night.

"And after 40 years the team of 'Sholay' got together in one frame this evening (Monday night), a music release of an album of Hema ji," Big B posted on his blog early Tuesday morning.

"Two of our team Sanjeev Kumar and Amjad Khan we have lost. Time waits for no one... But time also acknowledges the wait," he said, adding: "Dharamji and Hemaji live behind my house... Dharamji on the lane behind my back wall, and Hemaji a few feet further away, and we never get to meet each other. "How strange that we had to meet and get together at an event."

The song 'Aji suniye to zaraa' in the album has been sung by the actor-filmmaker-MP Hema Malini with singer Babul Supriyo, who is also its composer. A line of the track has the lyrics 'Big B se leke paaji', hinting at Amitabh and Dharmendra, who are lovingly called Big B and Dharam paaji in industry circuits. 

At the launch of the album by Saregama, Hema Malini said: "Art and entertainment is what keeps me going; it is a part of me now. I had not explored my singing talent before and I am therefore very excited to showcase this side of me to the audience. Hope they continue to shower their love on me as they have done over the past years."

It was back in 1973 that Hema Malini was inspired by the legendary Kishore Kumar to sing. Since then, she had it on her agenda to launch a music album.

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