For a generation that grew up watching Kannada cinema, or Doordarshan reruns of Malgudi Days, the news was not a surprise. Anant Nag has won the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. He is one of Indian cinema’s legends, and he has been chosen for the country’s highest award in the field. Government officials will present the honour to him on September 22. The function will be held in Kevadia, Gujarat. It is part of the 72nd National Film Awards. It also marks the start of the 75th year of independence.

It is hard to fit a lifetime into a brief summary. Still, let us try. Nag began his acting career in Kannada cinema with the film Sankalpa in 1973. That same year, he made his Hindi debut in Shyam Benegal’s Ankur. The film also starred a young Naseeruddin Shah. The film gave Nag a place in the parallel cinema canon studied in film schools. The career he built for himself is rare. Even as he kept lending his talent to films about social issues, he also acted in mainstream movies. He balanced both with ease. For over 50 years, he acted in more than 300 films. They were in many languages, including Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil and Marathi. He also starred in the famous TV series Malgudi Days. As Swami’s father, his gentle comic timing made him a beloved face in Indian homes. What’s more, none of this is old news, as one might expect from the trajectory of such an actor’s career. He continues to take up roles in some of the biggest hits of the year. He was seen in Mungaru Male, Gaalipata and Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu, and KGF: Chapter 1, introducing a new set of fans to his work that they likely weren’t familiar with, given the massive star power of the film.

Nag has also been awarded plenty of awards before this. Nag has won five Filmfare Awards and five Karnataka State Best Actor Awards. His other honours include the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award, and a Karnataka State Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received a doctorate from Bangalore University. Last year, he was given the Padma Bhushan, one of our highest civilian honours. Alongside acting, Nag built a parallel career in politics. He has been a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council since 1988. He also served as an MLA until the 1999 elections. During that period, he was Minister of State for Bangalore City Development. It is an unusual exit for an actor of his stature. But he has never followed the beaten path.

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was started in 1969. It has gone to some of India’s most famous personalities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, and Asha Parekh, among others. The award is named after D. D. Phalke. He was India’s first filmmaker, who made Raja Harishchandra, the first full-length Indian movie. So, Nag now joins an elite list. Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his pleasantries on social media. He praised the actor’s contribution to Indian cinema, especially the Kannada film industry.

Nag has always seemed modest about his craft. He has also turned away from the glare of fame and fortune. Even though he is an actor, he has often been seen in the company of politicians. People say he brushed off the fanfare around the award as something minor. In many ways, this is the best proof of who he is and what his career means. That career has lasted several decades and is still going.