Overview
- The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced the honour, with the presentation set for the 71st National Film Awards in New Delhi on September 23, 2025.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Mohanlal as an epitome of excellence and versatility, joining a wave of congratulations from political leaders and film industry peers.
- Mohanlal said he is deeply humbled by the recognition and expressed gratitude on X, noting his enduring indebtedness to the art of cinema.
- Coverage highlights a four-decade career spanning 350–400+ films across Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi, five National Film Awards, and the Padma Shri (2001) and Padma Bhushan (2019).
- Reports note he is only the second figure from Malayalam cinema to receive the honour, after filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan in 2004.