Since gaining freedom in 1947, India has instituted numerous awards to honor and acknowledge its citizens who have shone and excelled in various fields. For instance, for people who have rendered valuable contribution towards Nation Building or made India proud and shine, there is the Bharat Ratna which is the highest civilian award in the country. Likewise there is the Param Vir Chakra (PVR) which is India’s highest military award given for acts of bravery in the face of the enemy. Then there is the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (formerly the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna) which is India’s highest sporting honor. And finally we have the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest honor in cinema, which is presented annually by the President of India to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the growth and development of Indian cinema.
For the year 2024, the Dadasaheb Phalke award was given to none other than the so-called sexy dusky Bengali Babu Mithun Chakraborty. For many, this was something long overdue. Mithun is one of the most underrated and underappreciated actors in the country. In the later parts of his film career many of his films certainly did not do well at the box office and critics came out of the woodwork to write him off as a disaster and a humiliation. In fact I won’t deny that his performances in some of his later films might be laughable or uninspired. But if we take a look at his life, his personal struggles and his film career in totality, all will agree that Mithun is today the most deserving candidate for the Dadasaheb Phalke award. This is not a question of whether one likes him and his films but it’s more about giving credit where it is due.
The life story of Mithun is nothing short of miraculous. It’s all about how a total outsider who had no connection in the film industry could come to the dream city Bombay and become the most sought after actor of his era. Besides, he had dark complexion and that was enough for anyone in the show business to reject him at first glance. Moreover, far from having a godfather in the industry, he did not even have a spot where he could lay down his head. Many also thought that he would be more suited for villain character rather than lead roles. In other words, nobody thought that he would one day be cast as the main lead hero alongside some of the most dazzling heroines in some of the most iconic films of all times.
Mithun came into prominence in the early 1980s when his films began to taste massive commercial success. And in the 1980s Mithun was undoubtedly one of the biggest film-stars in the country, perhaps second only to Amitabh Bachchan. In fact in the 1980s he was in such demand that there were times when he was simultaneously shooting for more than 10 films at a time as directors and producers considered him their safest bet. The success and status of Mithun can be judged from the mere fact that Mithun was the highest tax payer in the country during 1988-89 and then again for five straight years from 1994 -1999.
So how did a total outsider who had no godfather in the film industry, no money, no connection and the wrong skin color become the most sought after actor of his time and the highest tax payer in the second-most populous country in the world? This is really worth investigating and digging out.
During the early 1980s, many film enthusiasts considered Mithun as the poor man’s Amitabh Bachchan. This might have come as no surprise at a time when Bachchan was the biggest name in the industry. Mithun was younger than Amitabh by about 8 years, Mithun was shorter, darker and also did not have the deep manly voice. So it is no wonder that he was labeled as the poor man’s Amitabh Bachchan. But as Mithun was featured in more and more films and his films began to do very well, his versatility as an actor became obvious and he became not the poor man’s Amitabh Bachchan but the biggest rival of the Big B.
Mithun won national award for his film “Mrigayaa” as early as 1976 and he went on to win two more national wards. His most acclaimed films are “Disco Dancer” and “Pyar Jhukta Nahin”. If we look at his performances in his films one can clearly see his versatility. His dialogue delivery has always been impressive and he can score splendidly well in the comedy scenes also. After the success of his film ‘Disco Dancer’ he was cast as a dancing hero in many succeeding films. Whether he was a real good dancer may be subject to debate today but back in the 1980s his dancing prowess was not considered silly or childish but as magnetic and alluring.
I won’t consider myself as an avid fan of Mithun or that I have a soft corner for him. But in the 1980s I grew up watching his films and to my young naïve mind as a young boy, he was the biggest star of Indian cinema. It was only years later when I came of age that I realized that there were other film personalities much bigger. My favorite films of Mithun would include “Sagar Sangam”, “Prem Pratigya” and “Pyar Hua Chori Chori”. In all these films, the versatility of Mithun is obvious for everyone to see. Watching these films would make everyone admit that he can be a serious actor, a romantic hero, a comedian, a dancing hero or even a cult personality.
Another thing one can certainly notice about the personality of Mithun is that despite his dark complexion and unconventional looks there is a certain undeniable aura and style which he exhibits in his demeanor. One can see his magnetic style not only on the big screen but also in all his public appearances, public speeches and interviews including during his acceptance speech at the recent award ceremony. Though an old man now, he remains admirably stylish and fashionable and he can communicate well both on and off the screen. In other words, he has all the ingredients to shine on the big screen though he was initially considered as not being fit even for sidekick roles.
Mithun also said that when he first landed in Bombay he used to look at the giant posters of film-stars displayed across the city and dream about his picture also being displayed in grand manners someday. He did not have to wait long as within a few years his pictures were everywhere from posters to film magazines and he became one of the most recognizable faces though his dark complexion never left him. When he was tasting initial success, many considered him as only a so-called B-grade actor probably because of his skin color and because he did not have any godfather. Some of the leading actresses were even warned against working with Mithun lest they harm their image and career by associating with him. But Mithun rose above all these prejudices and outshone everyone.
After it was announced that Mithun would be the recipient of the Dadasahed Phalke award 2024, some critics alleged that he was being given the award only because of his association with a certain political party. But isn’t it funny that critics always have something to say whether something is going good or bad. Whether one likes him or not, the fact remains that Mithun has made an impact with his life and the history of Indian cinema would be incomplete without Mithun’s story. And so today when the Indian government has acknowledged and honored his contribution to Indian cinema with the Dadasaheb Award, it is deliverance of justice and reviving and acknowledging a long forgotten rags to riches story that can inspire people of all genres and generations to come.
Mithun is not a believer of the gospel. So we cannot draw biblical conclusions from his life story. But nevertheless his life story is so rich and has all the ingredients to inspire and motivate people of all cultures and genres. In his acceptance speech at the Dadasaheb Phalke award ceremony, Mithun said that he felt like God had repaid him all his dues along with interest. So, have you ever felt like God has repaid you with all that is owed to you along with interest? For me, I can resonate with this. If even a non-believer can utter such words in awe and gratitude, how much more should we, believers of the gospel, rest assured in the believe that our true and living God will bring justice into our lives sooner or later and pay us all that is owed to us one way or the other.
