Kajol gets Padma Shri

Kajol, Tabu and Irrfan Khan will be awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour, it was announced today (January 25). Veteran actors Shashi Kapoor and Waheeda Rahman are being honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour, this year.

"It's an honour and a pleasure when you are selected for the Padma Shri and I thank all those who thought me worthy of it. I am very, very happy with the way this year has started," Kajol said on hearing the news.

Daughter of veteran actress Tanuja and late Bengali filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee, Kajol made her Bollywood debut with the not-so-successful movie 'Bekhudi' in 1992 at the age of 17.

But the 35-year-old got commercial success with her second movie 'Baazigar' where she starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan for the first time and after that there was no looking back. She gave hit after hit including 'Karan Arjun', 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge', 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' and most recently 'My Name Is Khan'.

Tabu, one of the most talented actresses in the Hindi film industry, debuted in Bollywood with the commercial movie 'Vijaypath', but it was offbeat films like 'Maachis' and 'Chandni Bar' that brought her accolades and awards.

Irrfan Khan, known for his unconventional and powerful performances in 'Salaam Bombay', 'Maqbool', 'Life... In A Metro' and 'The Namesake", has also made a place for himself in Bollywood.

Shashi Kapoor, one of the most charming actors of his time, who is not keeping well and moves in and out of hospital in Mumbai, charmed Hindi moviegoers with films like 'Jab Jab Phool Khile', 'Waqt', 'Silsila', 'Deewar', 'Kabhi Kabhie' and 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram'.

He also featured in international projects 'The Householder', 'Shakespearewallah' and 'Heat and Dust'.

In his more than six-decade-long career, Shashi Kapoor also ventured into production and made films like 'Junoon', 'Kalyug', 'Utsav', '36 Chowringhee Lane' and 'Vijeta'. He also produced and directed 'Ajooba'.

The ethereal Waheeda Rehman, best known for her performances in movies like 'Pyaasa' and 'Guide', is currently not in India. She has already been awarded the Padma Shri in 1972.

Born into a Muslim family in Tamil Nadu, the 74-year-old veteran started her tryst with Indian cinema with the Telugu film 'Jayasimha' in 1955 and a year later made her debut in Bollywood with 'C.I.D', in which she played a small role.

A Guru Dutt discovery, Waheeda got her big break in her mentor's 'Pyaasa' and later she featured in his cinematic masterpieces like 'Kaagaz Ke Phool', 'Chaudhvin Ka Chand' and 'Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'.

Waheeda also featured in 'Guide' with Dev Anand. Based on R.K. Narayan's novel, it is considered a most remarkable movie for its screenplay, direction, performances and music. In fact the film bagged all the main Filmfare awards of the year including the actress for her.

She is also known for her dance and one sees her graceful moves in songs like 'Paan khaye sainyaan hamaro', 'Kaanton se kheench ke yeh aanchal' and 'Piya tose naina'.

She continued to do various films through the 1970s and 1980s, but after 'Lamhe' in 1991, she took a long sabbatical. It was only over a decade later that she returned to the big screen with projects like 'Om Jai Jagadish', 'Rang De Basanti' and 'Delhi 6'.

Waheeda won her first National Award for her performance in the 1971 film "Reshma Aur Shera".

Singer Usha Uthup, veteran Kannada filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli, Malayalam director Shaji N. Karun and actor Jayaram Subramaniam were also among the recipients of the Padma Shri this year. Veteran composer Khayyam, the man behind the soulful music in 'Kabhi kabhie nere dil mein' and 'Dil cheez kya hai', was also honoured with the Padma Bhushan.

IANS