Kamal Haasan gets standing ovation at IIFA 2023, says 'I'm blushing' - watch video

Screen icon Kamal Haasan was honoured with Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema at the IIFA 2023 in Abu Dhabi. Receiving the award, the sexagenarian actor, who entered filmdom at the age of three and half years, said he is thankful and humbled as the love of the audience allowed him to be around for so long.

Abu Dhabi: Veteran actor Kamal Haasan received a standing ovation at IIFA 2023 when he was conferred with the award for Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema on Saturday. Music maestro AR Rahman gave the award to Haasan, who looked dapper in a black suit.

As soon as Haasan received the trophy, everyone including Salman Khan and fans stood up from their seats and applauded the Vishwaroopam. The audience literally erupted in a frenzy of cheers, whistles and claps. On bagging the golden trophy, Haasan expressed his gratitude, saying, "I grew up in cinema..I came here when I was three and half..You have been kind enough to allow me to survive till this stage..I am very thankful and humbled."

Haasan has been a part of the entertainment industry for many years and is known for his outstanding performances in several hit films like Chachi 420, Nayagan, Mahanadi, Indian, Vikram and many more. Haasan began his career as a child artist in the 1960 Tamil film Kalathur Kannamma, bagging the President's Gold Medal.

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He won the first of his four National Awards for his performance as a school teacher whose selfless devotion to a young woman suffering from retrograde amnesia leaves him heartbroken in the 1982 Tamil film, Moondram Pirai, which was remade three years later in Hindi as Sadma.

Over the years, he has distinguished himself as an actor, filmmaker, screenplay writer, playback singer and TV host, working in not just Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films, but also in the Hindi and Bengali industries. Recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, Haasan is one of Indian cinema's living legends. (With agency inputs)