In his final Mann Ki Baat address of 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to four legendary figures of Indian cinema—Raj Kapoor, Mohammed Rafi, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, and Tapan Sinha—on the occasion of their birth centenary year.
Speaking in his monthly radio broadcast, the prime minister said: "In 2024, we are celebrating the birth centenary of several film personalities who were instrumental in bringing global recognition to the country... The lives of these personalities is a source of inspiration for our film industry."
"Through his films, Raj Kapoor ji made the world aware of India's soft power," PM Modi added.
Mohd Rafi's magical voice would touch the heart of every listener, added the prime minister.
"He had an incredible voice. Be it devotional songs, romantic songs or sad songs, he made every emotion come alive with his voice. The fact that the youth of today also listens to his songs with the same passion is a testament to his greatness as an artist. This is the true meaning of timeless art," he said about the singer.
Modi praised ANR for taking Telugu cinema to "newer heights"
"His films beautifully depicted Indian traditions and values." "Tapan Sinha ji's films gave a new vision to society. His films conveyed the message of social consciousness and national unity," Modi added in the monthly broadcast.
The birth centenaries of Raj Kapoor, the iconic showman of Hindi cinema, and Mohammed Rafi, one of the most celebrated playback singers whose voice could convey a spectrum of emotions, were recently observed on December 14 and December 24, respectively.
Akkineni Nageswara Rao, widely known as ANR, was a legendary figure in the Telugu film industry, with a career spanning over seven decades and numerous iconic films. His 100th birth anniversary was celebrated on September 20.
Tapan Sinha, a renowned Bengali cinema director of the 1970s and 1980s, was part of a prominent quartet alongside Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, and Mrinal Sen. He would have turned 100 on October 2.
(With Inputs: PTI)
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