Rajinikanth gets Padma Vibhushan; Padma Shri for Priyanka and Ajay Devgn

Superstar Rajinikanth and classical singer Girija Devi have been awarded Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award this year. While Bollywood actors Ajay Devgn and Priyanka Chopra got Padma Shri.

Veteran actor Anupam Kher and singer Udit Narayan have been awarded Padma Bhushan.

Rajinikanth, one of the most celebrated actors of his generations, is already a recipient of Padma Bhushan.

Since making his film debut in 1975, the actor saw a steady rise to stardom, which continues even today. Girija Devi, 86, already a Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan recipient, is known as thumri queen for popularising the genre. 

Anupam Kher, known for his outstanding character roles in a career spanning over three decades, received Padma Bhushan with Udit Narayan, who ruled Bollywood playback singing in the '80s and '90s. Both Kher and Narayan are already Padma Shri winners. 

Actors Ajay Devgn and Priyanka Chopra have been named for Padma Shri awards, besides a posthumous Padma Shri for actor Saeed Jaffrey. 

Devgn is known for his intense performances in films like “Zakhm”, “The Legend of Bhagat Singh”, “Omkara”, “Gangajal”, “Apaharan” and “Drishyam”. 

Priyanka Chopra, who won the National award for “Fashion”, has turned up critically acclaimed performances in movies like “Kaminey”, “Agneepath”, “Barfi!”, “Mary Kom” and “Bajirao Mastani”. 

Saeed Jaffrey, who passed away last year, starred in as many as 100 Hindi films, including acclaimed projects like Satyajit Ray's “Shatranj Ke Khiladi”, “Gandhi” and “My Beautiful Laundrette”. 

The Padma awards, which are announced on the eve of the Indian Republic Day, are conferred by the President at a function in Rashtrapati Bhawan in March/April every year. 

Source: Indian Express