Telugu actor Chiranjeevi overwhelmed by Padma Vibhushan honour

Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi has been left overwhelmed and humbled after being honored with the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award in India. The prestigious Padma Awards for 2024 were announced on the eve of Republic Day. Expressing his gratitude in a video message, Chiranjeevi thanked his fans, friends, and well-wishers for their unwavering support throughout his career.

Chiranjeevi, who has acted in over 160 films in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, and Kannada languages, has been a prominent figure in the Indian film industry for more than four decades. This is his second Padma award, having previously received the Padma Bhushan in 2006.

The actor, known for his versatile roles in movies like ‘Vijetha’, ‘Indra‘, ‘Shankar Dada M.B.B.S.’ among others, took a hiatus from acting in 2007 to pursue a career in politics. He founded the Praja Rajyam Party in 2008 but later returned to the silver screen with the 2017 film ‘Khaidi No 150’.

The Padma Vibhushan recipient is also renowned for his humanitarian work. In 1998, he established the Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust (CCT) and the Chiranjeevi Blood and Eye Banks, which have become the largest recipients of blood and eye donations in the state.

Among other recipients of the Padma Awards this year are Vyjayanthimala, Mithun Chakraborty, Usha Uthup, Pyarelal Sharma, and many more luminaries from various fields. Chiranjeevi expressed his gratitude towards the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognizing his contributions with this prestigious honor.