Daily Times

MUMBAI – Considering the Bollywood celebrities who have made it to the Padma awardees’ list this year, “it’s good that I did not get one”, says veteran actor-writer Kader Khan.

This year, names like Rajinikanth, Anupam Kher, Priyanka Chopra, Madhur Bhandarkar, SS Rajamouli, Udit Narayan and Malini Awasthi, among others, are in Padma awardees’ list, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported on Sunday.

On being told the names of the industry colleagues who won Padma awards this year, the 79-year-old actor said, “… it’s good that they did not give me a Padma Shri. I have neither flattered anyone in my life, nor will I ever. I don’t want these awards if they have been given to people (in the industry) who got it this time.”

Khan sounded especially upset with actor Anupam Kher. “What has he done except singing praises for (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi,” he said. “I am not contesting the government’s decision of conferring him with the award but the only thing I want to know is the credentials that I lacked for it (the award),”he added.