Veteran Bollywood actress Asha Parekh was honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award this year for her contribution to Indian cinema. She received the award on September 30, just one day before her 80th birthday.

On receiving the award, the veteran actress said, "It is a huge honour to have received Dadasaheb Phalke Award. It makes me very grateful that the recognition comes to me just one day before my 80th birthday."

The five-member Dada Saheb Phalke Award committee -- comprising Asha Bhosle, Hema Malini, Poonam Dhillon, Udit Narayan, and TS Nagabharana -- decided on Parekh's name for the honour.

Asha Parekh started her acting career at the age of 10. She is known for starring in over 95 films that include "Kati Patang", "Teesri Manzil", "Baharon Ke Sapne", "Pyar Ka Mausam", and "Caravan".

#WATCH | Delhi: Veteran actress Asha Parekh receives Dadasaheb Phalke Award at 68th #NationalFilmAwards ceremony.

"It is a huge honour to have received Dadasaheb Phalke Award. It makes me very grateful that the recognition comes to me just one day before my 80th b'day," she says pic.twitter.com/0jxGE16cT1
— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2022

Not many know that she started her career as a child artist with the 1952 film "Aasmaan" and went on to star in Bimal Roy's "Baap Beti" two years later. She made her debut as a lead actress in the 1959 movie "Dil Deke Dekho" opposite Shammi Kapoor.

She also directed the TV drama "Kora Kagaz" in the late 1990s.

Asha Parekh was also honoured with the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award, in 1992.

Courtesy: Free Press Journal