Big B to be bestowed with Lifetime Achievement Award
Legendary Bollywood actor to be honoured at this year's DIFF
Dubai: 2009 will end on a high note for legendary Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan as he is bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award at the forthcoming Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF)
After having featured in nearly 200 films and countless advertisements, the Big B of Bollywood will be decorated in a glittering ceremony for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema during DIFF in December. Fondly known as the Big B, the 67-year-old actor expressed his excitement at being decorated in Dubai.
“I strongly believe that cinema has the power to influence people and bring all of us together for a greater purpose – of peace, brotherhood and solidarity. By showcasing films from around the world and creating a platform for healthy dialogue, DIFF has taken cinema to its next level of social relevance. Personally, I am humbled by this recognition from Dubai, a city I consider as my second home,” said Bachchan in a statement.
He also hoped the award would act as a bridge between the cinema lovers of the Indian subcontinent and the Arab world.
Known best for his testosterone-charged ‘angry young man’ roles in hits such as Zanjeer and Agneepath, Bachchan is one of the few Indian actors who have pushed the artistic boundaries. Case in point: his latest film Paa sees Bachchan play a 13-year-old boy afflicted with a rare disease.
Meanwhile, DIFF Chairman Abdul Hamid Juma said this year’s recipient was a truly deserving candidate.
“No one from Indian Cinema has made a bigger impact on the world. The Lifetime Achievement Award is recognition for an artist whose performances have inspired billions- going well beyond his intended audiences from the sub-continent. Honouring Amitabh Bachchan is akin to celebrating an institution, who has had an everlasting impact on generations spanning across the Middle East and the rest of the world.”
