Speculations are rife that Megastar Chiranjeevi might be in line for a major national honour from the Union Government of India, owing to his cordial ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Although Chiranjeevi maintains that he is a non-political individual, he continues to share a warm rapport with leaders across parties, including the Telangana Congress government and Union Minister Kishan Reddy from the BJP.
His brother Pawan Kalyan’s active role in the ruling NDA alliance has further fuelled these speculations.
Earlier this year, Chiranjeevi was conferred the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award.
He is among the few actors to receive this recognition, joining the likes of Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth. Both of them later went on to receive Indian cinema’s highest honour, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
In this context, there is growing buzz that Chiranjeevi may be honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award next year.
However, Bandla Ganesh, producer and Telangana Congress leader, has made an even bigger claim that Chiranjeevi will be conferred with the Bharat Ratna, the nation’s highest civilian honour.
If true, it would be a historic moment, as even Amitabh Bachchan, often regarded as the face of Indian cinema, has not yet received that distinction.