It was a time when action stars and energetic dance numbers were drawing crowds to theatres. Moving away from that trend, a fair-complexioned man representing the ordinary person began filling cinema halls through naturalistic acting, incredible versatility, and remarkable timing.More than 50 years into his cinema career, the actor who has often experienced eventful Septembers is set for another milestone: Anant Nag has been conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, which will be presented to him during the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony on September 22 at Kevadia, Gujarat.Anant Nag, who received the Padma Bhushan last year, has now been selected for India’s highest honour in cinema. Spanning more than five decades, his career includes five Filmfare Awards, five Karnataka State Best Actor Awards, the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award, and the Karnataka State Lifetime Achievement Award.Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X on Wednesday: “Congratulations to the legendary Anant Nag Ji on being conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. For several decades, his effortless performances, remarkable versatility and brilliance have left a very strong mark on Indian cinema, particularly Kannada cinema. In whichever role he has played, he brought rare depth and authenticity. This is indeed a richly deserved honour for a truly distinguished artist.”Also Read | 31 Years after Dr Rajkumar, Anant Nag brings Dadasaheb Phalke Award to Kannada cinemaKnown to fans as an evergreen hero, Anant Nag has acted in at least 300 films across South Indian languages and Hindi. He will be the second Kannada artist to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award after Dr Rajkumar, and the seventh Indian to receive both the Padma Bhushan and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.Early lifeThe 78-year-old actor was born Anant S Nagarakatte on September 4, 1948, in Mumbai, Maharashtra. His family roots trace back to Shirali in Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada district, and he was raised in educational institutions run by mutts and ashrams in Karnataka. He has spoken at several events about his ancestors from Kashmir, who migrated toward Karnataka generations ago.As a student at St Xavier’s in Mumbai, Nag was introduced to theatre and strongly influenced by English plays. He performed in productions directed by stalwarts such as Satyadev Dubey, Girish Karnad, and Amol Palekar, acting across Konkani, Kannada, Marathi, and Hindi plays for about five years. In 1973, he made his Kannada film debut with Sankalpa and also appeared in Shyam Benegal’s Ankur, earning early recognition at the Karnataka State Film Awards.Story continues below this adThrough the 1970s and 80s, Nag became a central figure of the parallel cinema movement, starring in Benegal’s acclaimed films Nishant, Bhumika, Manthan, and Kaliyug, alongside works with M S Sathyu and Girish Karnad. During this period, his younger brother Shankar Nag joined him, ushering in an experimental golden era for Kannada cinema. In 1986, Anant Nag played the lead role in the landmark television series Malgudi Days, which earned national acclaim and awards.Alongside parallel cinema, Nag became a sensation in Karnataka through hit comedy films like Ganeshana Maduve, Gauri Ganesha, Golmaal Radhakrishna, and Maneli Ili Beedili Huli. While action and dance numbers dominated trends, his roles as ordinary men earned consistent praise from audiences and critics alike.The Nag brothers established a strong body of joint work with films like Minchina Ota, Accident, Anthima Ghatta, and Ramarajyadalli Rakshasaru in the 1980s. Anant Nag received four state best actor awards, three for 1980s films. In 2011–12, he received the D Vishnuvardhan Award for lifetime achievement.Brother’s death, political stintA major blow arrived on September 30, 1990, when his brother Shankar Nag died in a road accident. The brothers had invested heavily in Sanket Studio, which subsequently incurred large losses. Nag spent much of his later years repaying these debts.Story continues below this adInfluenced by socialist ideas during his Mumbai years, Nag joined the Janata Party in the 1980s after former Karnataka chief minister Ramakrishna Hegde encouraged him. He served in the Karnataka Legislative Council from 1988 to 1994, was later elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Malleshwaram, and served as the Bengaluru Development Minister. He distanced himself from active politics in 1996 after an attempted attack by miscreants while he was taking his daughter to school, choosing thereafter to focus primarily on acting.In 2025, the government honoured Nag with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, for his contributions to the arts. Over the years, Nag has publicly supported the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing himself at a 2022 event as a “big fan” and “devotee”. He supported the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019 and praised Modi’s leadership during a book release event in August regarding the NEET paper leak issue.Personal lifeIn 1987, Anant Nag married film actress Gayathri, who later retired from acting. The couple has a daughter, Aditi Nag, who has stayed away from the film industry. A passionate Carnatic singer, Nag also authored a Kannada biographical book about his brother in 2010 titled Nanna Thamma Shankara (My Brother Shankara).