Naseeruddin receives Aditya Vikram Birla Kalashikhar Puraskar

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah received the Aditya Vikram Birla Kalashikhar Puraskar at 'Sangit Kala Kendra Awards', which was recently held virtually.

Two emerging stars, Neel Choudhary and Irawati Karnik were also honoured with the prestigious awards.

"We rejoice at the spirit of our founder president, Aditya Vikram Birla and his love for the performing arts. The Sangit Kala Kendra's, 'Aditya Vikram Birla Kalashikhar Puraskar' and the 'Kalakiran Puraskars' were instituted in 1996 as a befitting memorial to, Adityaji. Through it, we create a significant pathway for a singular recognition of exemplary talent in this domain," said Rajashree Birla, President, 'Sangit Kala Kendra'.

She added, "Theatre is the central theme for this year's awards. At a personal level, both Adityaji and I loved watching plays and films. A lot of our Sunday evenings were thus spent like that. Among our favourite actors was Naseeruddin Shah, whom we watched in theatres and on screen."

Talking about Naseeruddin Shah, she said: "His breakthrough roles have hit both the screen and the theatre for over 40 years. The films and the theatre roles still keep rolling and we see him do the most challenging roles with amazing ease. Having you receive this award, Naseeruddin ji, is truly a fulfilling moment for all of us at 'Sangit Kala Kendra'. We respect you and we admire you."