Quick Takeaway for Aspirants: The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest and most prestigious honour in the field of cinema. Instituted in 1969 to commemorate the ‘Father of Indian Cinema' Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (who directed India's first feature film Raja Harishchandra in 1913), the award carries a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a cash prize of ₹15 lakh, and national recognition conferred by the President of India.
Origins & Landmark Milestones of Indian Cinema
Conferred annually at the National Film Awards by the Directorate of Film Festivals/NFDC, the award honors lifetime contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. From inaugural laureate Devika Rani in 1969 to titans like Satyajit Ray, Raj Kapoor, Lata Mangeshkar, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, Amitabh Bachchan, and Waheeda Rehman, the honor reflects Indian cinema's cultural evolution.
30 High-Yield Practice MCQs with Hidden Answers & Explanations
Master Indian cinema history, Dadasaheb Phalke laureates, technical milestones (Raja Harishchandra, Alam Ara Claude), National Film Awards, and FTII/NFAI preservation with these 30 practice questions.
Q1. What is the Dadasaheb Phalke Award officially recognized as in the Indian film industry?
- (A) A regional film critic trophy
- (B) India's highest and most prestigious award in the field of cinema
- (C) An international short film prize
- (D) A box-office commercial certificate
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) India's highest and most prestigious award in the field of cinema
Conferred annually at the National Film Awards, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's supreme cinema honour for lifetime contribution.
Q2. In which year was the Dadasaheb Phalke Award instituted by the Government of India to commemorate the centenary of Dadasaheb Phalke's birth?
- (A) 1954
- (B) 1960
- (C) 1969
- (D) 1975
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✓ Correct Answer: (C) 1969
The award was instituted in 1969 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on the 100th birth anniversary of Dhundiraj Govind Phalke.
Q3. Who is universally revered as the ‘Father of Indian Cinema', who directed India's first full-length indigenous feature film ‘Raja Harishchandra'?
- (A) Ardeshir Irani
- (B) Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (Dadasaheb Phalke)
- (C) V. Shantaram
- (D) Hiralal Sen
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (Dadasaheb Phalke)
Dadasaheb Phalke made Raja Harishchandra in 1913, pioneering screenwriting, camera operation, film processing, and theatrical distribution in India.
Q4. In which year was India's first indigenous full-length silent feature film ‘Raja Harishchandra' released at Coronation Cinematograph in Mumbai?
- (A) 1911
- (B) 1913 (3rd May)
- (C) 1915
- (D) 1920
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) 1913 (3rd May)
Premiered on 3rd May 1913, Raja Harishchandra was a 40-minute silent film that marked the commercial and artistic dawn of Indian cinema.
Q5. Who was the inaugural recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, honored at the 17th National Film Awards in 1969?
- (A) Nargis Dutt
- (B) Devika Rani (the ‘First Lady of Indian Cinema')
- (C) Sohrab Modi
- (D) Prithviraj Kapoor
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Devika Rani (the ‘First Lady of Indian Cinema')
Pioneering actress and co-founder of Bombay Claudes Devika Rani was the first recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1969.
Q6. What medallion, certificate, and cash prize accompany the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the President?
- (A) Rajat Kamal, scroll, and ₹5 lakh
- (B) Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, certificate, and a cash prize of ₹15 lakh
- (C) Bronze statue and ₹10 lakh
- (D) Gold trophy and ₹1 crore
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, certificate, and a cash prize of ₹15 lakh
The award carries a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, an embroidered ceremonial shawl, a citation, and a cash purse of ₹15 lakh.
Q7. Who was the director of India's first-ever sound film (Claude) ‘Alam Ara', released in March 1931 at Majestic Cinema in Mumbai?
- (A) Dadasaheb Phalke
- (B) Ardeshir Irani
- (C) Bimal Roy
- (D) Himanshu Rai
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Ardeshir Irani
Ardeshir Irani directed ‘Alam Ara', introducing spoken dialogues and songs to Indian cinema under the famous tagline ‘All Talking, Singing and Dancing'.
Q8. Which iconic song from ‘Alam Ara' (1931), sung by W.M. Khan, is celebrated as the first recorded song in Indian cinema history?
- (A) Aayega Aanewala
- (B) De De Khuda Ke Naam Pe Pyaare
- (C) Chalat Musafir Moh Liyo Re
- (D) Tauba Tauba
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) De De Khuda Ke Naam Pe Pyaare
Wazir Mohammed Khan played a mendicant and sang the historic first song of Indian cinema accompanied by harmonium and tabla.
Q9. Which legendary filmmaker and actor was posthumously awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1971, the first posthumous recipient in history?
- (A) Guru Dutt
- (B) Prithviraj Kapoor
- (C) Bimal Roy
- (D) K.L. Saigal
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Prithviraj Kapoor
Prithviraj Kapoor, founder of Prithvi Theatres and iconic patriarch of the Kapoor family (famous as Emperor Akbar in Mughal-e-Azam), was honored posthumously.
Q10. Which legendary playback singer, acclaimed as the ‘Nightingale of India', was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1989 before receiving the Bharat Ratna in 2001?
- (A) Asha Bhosle
- (B) Lata Mangeshkar
- (C) M.S. Subbulakshmi
- (D) Geeta Dutt
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar recorded thousands of songs across 36 Indian languages over seven decades, receiving the Phalke Award at the 37th National Film Awards.
Q11. Which younger sister of Lata Mangeshkar, celebrated as one of the most versatile playback singers in cinema history, won the Phalke Award in 2000?
- (A) Usha Mangeshkar
- (B) Asha Bhosle
- (C) Meena Khadikar
- (D) Alka Yagnik
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle won the Phalke Award in 2000 for her seven decades of playback mastery spanning gazals, pop, classical, and cabaret numbers.
Q12. Which legendary Bengali filmmaker, creator of the Apu Trilogy and recipient of an Honorary Oscar, received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1984?
- (A) Ritwik Ghatak
- (B) Satyajit Ray
- (C) Mrinal Sen
- (D) Tapan Sinha
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray, recognized as one of the greatest directors in world cinema history, won the Phalke Award at the 32nd National Film Awards.
Q13. Which pioneer of parallel and social-realist cinema, director of ‘Bhuvan Shome', was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2003?
- (A) Shyam Benegal
- (B) Mrinal Sen
- (C) Adoor Gopalakrishnan
- (D) Govind Nihalani
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Mrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen along with Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak formed the triumvirate of New Indian Cinema, winning major international honors at Cannes and Venice.
Q14. Which Malayali filmmaker, pioneer of modern cinema in Kerala and 16-time National Film Award winner, received the Phalke Award in 2004?
- (A) G. Aravindan
- (B) Adoor Gopalakrishnan
- (C) John Abraham
- (D) K.G. George
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Adoor Gopalakrishnan (creator of Swayamvaram, Elippathayam, and Vidheyan) revolutionized Indian art cinema with his masterly narratives.
Q15. Which celebrated Assamese music maestro, composer, lyricist, and singer was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1992 before receiving the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 2019?
- (A) Jyoti Prasad Agarwala
- (B) Dr. Bhupen Hazarika
- (C) Bishnu Prasad Rabha
- (D) Jayanta Hazarika
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Dr. Bhupen Hazarika
The ‘Bard of Brahmaputra' Dr. Bhupen Hazarika introduced Assamese folk soul and social justice music to world cinema.
Q16. In which year were the National Film Awards originally established by the Government of India as the ‘State Awards for Films'?
- (A) 1950
- (B) 1954
- (C) 1960
- (D) 1969
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) 1954
The 1st State Awards for Films were presented in 1954, with Marathi film ‘Shyamchi Aai' winning the inaugural President's Gold Medal for Best Feature Film.
Q17. Which directorate under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting organizes the National Film Awards and International Film Festival of India (IFFI)?
- (A) National Film Development Corporation (NFDC)
- (B) Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)
- (C) Films Division
- (D) National Film Archive of India
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✓ Correct Answer: (A) National Film Development Corporation (NFDC)
Following the consolidation of government media units in 2022, NFDC organizes the National Film Awards, Dadasaheb Phalke Awards, and IFFI.
Q18. Which legendary Tamil actor, cultural icon, and politician nicknamed ‘Thalaivar' was conferred the 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2019?
- (A) Kamal Haasan
- (B) Rajinikanth (Shivaji Rao Gaikwad)
- (C) Sivaji Ganesan
- (D) M.G. Ramachandran
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Rajinikanth (Shivaji Rao Gaikwad)
Superstar Rajinikanth was honored for his five decades of cinematic presence across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi cinema.
Q19. Which legendary Hindi cinema superstar, famously known as the ‘Shahenshah' of Bollywood, was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2018?
- (A) Dharmendra
- (B) Amitabh Bachchan
- (C) Jeetendra
- (D) Vinod Khanna
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan was conferred the Phalke Award at the 66th National Film Awards for his monumental five-decade career in cinema.
Q20. Which acclaimed actress, famous for classic masterworks like ‘CID', ‘Pyaasa', ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool', and ‘Guide', was conferred the 53rd Phalke Award in 2023?
- (A) Asha Parekh
- (B) Waheeda Rehman
- (C) Vyjayanthimala
- (D) Saira Banu
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Waheeda Rehman
Waheeda Rehman was celebrated for her sublime dramatic performances and dedication to Indian cinema's golden era.
Q21. Which leading actress of Hindi cinema, renowned as the ‘Jubilee Girl' of the 1960s and former CBFC Chairperson, won the Phalke Award for 2020?
- (A) Asha Parekh
- (B) Hema Malini
- (C) Zeenat Aman
- (D) Sharmila Tagore
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✓ Correct Answer: (A) Asha Parekh
Asha Parekh was recognized for her extraordinary box-office versatility and philanthropic leadership in healthcare.
Q22. Who was the first Indian actor to be awarded the title of ‘Chevalier' by the French Government, receiving the Phalke Award in 1996?
- (A) M.G.R.
- (B) Sivaji Ganesan
- (C) N.T. Rama Rao
- (D) Akkineni Nageswara Rao
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Sivaji Ganesan
Tamil dramatic colossus V.C. Ganesan (Sivaji Ganesan) was universally acclaimed for his expressive theatrical mastery.
Q23. Which Telugu cinema stalwart and founder of Annapurna Studios was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1990?
- (A) N.T. Rama Rao
- (B) Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR)
- (C) D. Ramanaidu
- (D) K. Balachander
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR)
ANR spanned over seven decades in Telugu cinema, helping relocate the Telugu film industry from Madras to Hyderabad.
Q24. Which legendary filmmaker and producer, known as the ‘Showman of Indian Cinema' and director of ‘Awara' and ‘Mera Naam Joker', won the Phalke Award in 1987?
- (A) Raj Kapoor
- (B) Shashi Kapoor
- (C) Shammi Kapoor
- (D) K. Asif
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✓ Correct Answer: (A) Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor collapsed during the ceremony at Sirifort Auditorium in May 1988; President R. Venkataraman broke protocol to walk down to present him the award.
Q25. Which Telugu director renowned for spiritual and classical dance-musical masterworks like ‘Sankarabharanam' and ‘Sagara Sangamam' won the Phalke Award in 2016?
- (A) K. Raghavendra Rao
- (B) K. Viswanath
- (C) Bapu
- (D) S.S. Rajamouli
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) K. Viswanath
Kasinadhuni Viswanath used traditional Indian classical music, Carnatic ragas, and Kuchipudi/Bharatanatyam to address social taboos.
Q26. Where is the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) – National Film Archive of India (NFAI) headquartered to preserve classic films?
- (A) Mumbai
- (B) Pune, Maharashtra
- (C) Chennai
- (D) Kolkata
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Pune, Maharashtra
Established in 1964 in Pune, NFAI preserves rare nitrate reels, original camera negatives, and audio tracks of classic Indian films.
Q27. Where is the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), premier national film school under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, located?
- (A) Mumbai
- (B) Pune, Maharashtra (on the heritage Prabhat Studios grounds)
- (C) Kolkata (SRFTI)
- (D) Chennai
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Pune, Maharashtra (on the heritage Prabhat Studios grounds)
FTII was established in 1960 on the historic grounds of Prabhat Film Company, training India's foremost cinematographers, editors, and directors.
Q28. Which legendary music composer duo won the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1998, famous for thousands of iconic songs with Lata and Rafi?
- (A) Shankar-Jaikishan
- (B) Kalyanji-Anandji
- (C) Laxmikant-Pyarelal
- (D) Majrooh Sultanpuri (lyricist 1993)
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✓ Correct Answer: (D) Majrooh Sultanpuri (lyricist 1993)
Majrooh Sultanpuri was the first lyricist to win the Phalke Award in 1993, while composer Naushad won in 1981 and B.R. Chopra won in 1998.
Q29. What is the permanent host city of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) since 2004?
- (A) New Delhi
- (B) Panaji, Goa
- (C) Mumbai
- (D) Kolkata
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Panaji, Goa
Goa became the permanent venue for IFFI in 2004, hosting international film competitions, masterclasses, and national homage tributes.
Q30. What is the primary cultural significance of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in Indian national public life?
- (A) Rewarding box-office film ticket sales only
- (B) Recognizing lifetime artistic genius, civilizational storytelling, and pioneering devotion that elevated Indian cinema into an enduring global cultural force
- (C) Promoting commercial satellite channels
- (D) Regulating theater ticket pricing
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✓ Correct Answer: (B) Recognizing lifetime artistic genius, civilizational storytelling, and pioneering devotion that elevated Indian cinema into an enduring global cultural force
The award pays tribute to the visual architects who mirror India's struggles, diverse heritage, music, and collective dreams through the art of cinema.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who was the first recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award?
Actress and film producer Devika Rani, co-founder of Bombay Claudes and celebrated as the ‘First Lady of Indian Cinema', won the inaugural award in 1969.
What does the Dadasaheb Phalke Award prize consist of?
The award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a traditional embroidered shawl, a certificate, and a cash prize of ₹15 lakh presented by the President of India.
