Amitabh Bachchan, A.R. Rahman honoured at 3rd Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Awards

Mumbai, April 24 (IANS) It was an evening worth remembering as many distinguished artistes from the Hindi, Marathi, and Tamil film industries were honoured at the 3rd Late Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award ceremony in Mumbai's Vile Parle area on Wednesday.

Veteran Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan was feted with the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award for his exemplary contributions to the field of cinema in a career spanning over five decades and running.

Bachchan, 81, received the award on the memorial day of Deenanath Mangeshkar, the theatre-music veteran and the father of the Mangeshkar siblings. Singer Usha Mangeshkar, the third eldest of the Mangeshkar siblings, presented the award to Bachchan.

The song 'Lag Jaa Gale' was played as he accepted the award in the presence of fellow dignitaries on the stage.

The actor remembered a past ceremony where he started speaking in Hindi, only to see his speech being met with a strong reaction from the audience which said, "Aye Marathi Marathi".

To this, the Big B replied, "Mi Marathi shikat aahe (I'm learning Marathi)."

Oscar and Grammy-winning music composer A.R. Rahman, who is earning praises for his album for the Imtiaz Ali directorial 'Amar Singh Chamkila', was also feted with the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award for his contributions to the field of music.

Actors Randeep Hooda, Ashok Saraf, playback singer Roopkumar Rathod, and actress Padmini Kolhapure were also honoured at the event for their works.