South Filmstars Ajith, Balakrishna, Shobana, and Anant Nag Conferred with Padma Bhushan in 2025
The Padma Bhushan is awarded for “distinguished service of high order”. The four awardees from the film world this year are regarded as icons in their field. We take a look at their careers and achievements.
Chennai, 26 January 2025: Four prominent South Indian film personalities—Ajith Kumar, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Shobana, and Anant Nag—have been honored with the prestigious Padma Bhushan award this year for their significant contributions to Indian cinema.
- Ajith Kumar, one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars, is celebrated for his versatility and immense fan following.
- Nandamuri Balakrishna, a legendary figure in Telugu cinema, is lauded for his enduring impact and contribution to the industry.
- Shobana, the acclaimed actress from Malayalam cinema, is recognized for her stellar performances and dedication to her craft.
- Anant Nag, a veteran actor from Kannada cinema, has been honored for his rich and varied body of work across multiple languages.
The Padma Awards were announced on Saturday (January 25), a day ahead of Republic Day, honouring eminent personalities in arts, social work, public affairs, science, business and more. After the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan, the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Shri are the highest civilian awards (in that order).
The Padma Vibhushan is awarded for “exceptional and distinguished service”, while the Padma Bhushan is conferred to individuals for “distinguished service of high order”. The Padma Shri is awarded for “distinguished service in any field”. This year, seven people were conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, 19 were awarded the Padma Bhushan and 113 received the Padma Shri, with 139 awardees in total. The highest number was in the category of arts (51).
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