Malayalam cinema legend, Mohanlal, who was feted with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award, said in his acceptance speech that cinema is the beating heart of his soul which empowers his art and creativity.

The actor started his speech as he greeted the dignitaries and the audience in the packed hall of Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital. He said, “It`s with profound pride and gratitude that I stand before you today, having received the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award, an honor instituted by the Government of India, in the name of the revered father of Indian cinema. As a representative of the Malayalam film industry, I am deeply humbled to be the youngest recipient and only the second ever from the street to be bestowed with this national recognition. This moment is not mine alone. It belongs to the entire Malayalam cinema fraternity”.