India’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur announced that the Indian Film Personality of the Year Award for 2021 will be conferred on actress-turned-politician Hema Malini and adman-poet-lyricist Prasoon Joshi.

Announcing the awards Thakur yesterday said, “I am delighted to announce the names of Ms. Hema Malini, Actor, Member of Parliament from Mathura, UP and Mr. Prasoon Joshi, Lyricist and Chairperson, CBFC as the Indian Film Personality of the Year 2021. Their contributions to the field of Indian cinema spreads over decades and their body of work has enthralled audiences across generations. They are Indian cinematic icons who are admired and respected the world over.  They shall be conferred this honour at the 52nd International Film Festival of India in Goa.”

Malini, also known as the Dream Girl in her heydays of film acting and now a BJP Member of Parliament, hails from Tamil Nadu. She has had a diversified career as an Indian actress, writer, director, producer, dancer and politician having made her acting debut in 1963 with the Tamil film ‘IdhuSathiyam’.

She was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2000, the fourth-highest civilian honour awarded by the Indian Government.

Joshi is a lyricist, screenwriter, poet and chairperson of film certification board CBFC. Currently, he is also the Chairman Asia and CEO of McCann World Group India.

Having published his first book of prose and poetry at the age of 17, Joshi entered the realm of Indian cinema as a lyricist in 2001 with Rajkumar Santoshi’s ‘Lajja’.