Actress Rani Mukerji and veteran screenwriter Salim Khan were among the special honourees at the 62nd Maharashtra State Film Awards, held at Ravindra Natya Mandir in Prabhadevi, Mumbai, on September 9.
Rani received the Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in the presence of Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar. Accepting the honour, she spoke about her deep connection to Maharashtra and Mumbai, calling the city her birthplace, the place where she built her career and an inseparable part of her life. She said Mumbai had given her an identity, an audience and a career, and had also become her home and her safe place, adding that the recognition would always remind her of the city and state that shaped her journey. She also reflected on her approach to acting over the years, saying she has consistently gravitated toward characters that felt truthful, portraying women with courage and flaws who refused to fade into the background or wait to be rescued.
Salim Khan, one of Hindi cinema’s most influential screenwriters, was honoured with the Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement Award. He did not attend the ceremony in person, with his wife, veteran actress Helen, accepting the award on his behalf. Speaking to the media afterward, Helen conveyed his gratitude to those who have continued to follow and support him over the years, and offered a reassuring update on his health, describing it as very good, seven months after a hospitalisation in February this year that drew visits from several figures across Bollywood. Salim Khan, alongside long-time writing partner Javed Akhtar, is known for co-writing landmark films including ‘Zanjeer’, ‘Deewaar’, ‘Sholay’, ‘Don’, ‘Trishul’ and ‘Dostana’.
The ceremony also marked the 125th birth anniversary of filmmaker V Shantaram, with music composer Hridaynath Mangeshkar receiving the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award and actor-director Prasad Oak honoured with the V Shantaram Special Contribution Award.
