Bollywood celebs who were awarded posthumously

Sridevi, the legendary actress left for heavenly abode on February 24, 2018, in Dubai after accidentally drowning in a bathtub. Her death sent shock waves throughout the nation.

The actress had worked in as many as 300 films in multiple languages. Earlier this year, she was remembered at the Academy Awards and was recently honoured with the Best Actress award at the National Film Awards. At the Cannes Film Festival, she received special recognition for her contribution to Indian cinema. Sridevi received a special salute at Titan Reginald F. Lewis Film Honours and a special visual footage was screened in her honour in the presence of filmmakers from across the world.

Filmmaker Subhai Ghai collected the award on behalf of her family. Sridevi's husband Boney Kapoor reportedly said that Janhvi, Khushi and he were overwhelmed to see the recognition the actress has received for her body of work and that her work and life has touched many hearts across the world and she has been an inspiration to millions.

The world of cinema has truly produced a lot of artistic gems since its inception in the early 20th century. A lot of legendary artists have since come and gone, leaving their mark on cinema and the general psyche forever. This year too has been no less shocking with a demise of one of the most iconic actresses of Hindi cinema that is Sridevi. However, it is clear that even though these great and talented people are no longer with us, their legacy certainly lives on. And in order to respect these souls, some major awards have been conferred to them posthumously. Let us take a look at few such celebs…

The world of Bollywood reeled with shock for weeks after the untimely demise of legendary actress Sridevi on February 24th, 2018. As tragic as her demise was, her family did get a small consolation in the form of one the country’s highest honours being conferred upon her. On April 13th, it was announced that Sridevi has been given the National Award for Best Actress for her last released film ‘Mom’. Her husband Boney Kapoor later said that he was truly overwhelmed by the respect being bestowed upon her. Now, the producer along with his daughters Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor have accepted this prestigious award on Sridevi’s behalf.

Although veteran actor Vinod Khanna did live to see 70, his death was tragic and shocking nonetheless. The actor breathed his last on April 27th 2017 after battling cancer for months. However, the actor who already had a plethora of awards had one more big honour under his name. Mr. Khanna was awarded the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award which is one of the highest honours conferred in the National Awards. With this achievement, the veteran actor has now paved his way into Bollywood’s wall of fame.

Rajesh Khanna was undoubtedly a phenomenon in the Hindi film industry. During the peak of his career, Mr Khanna enjoyed unparalleled fame and fan following. Fondly called as Kaka by his fans, he was the definition of a legend. But the Bollywood giant also succumbed to cancer after battling for more than a year. Naturally, considering his legacy and his contribution to Indian cinema, he was conferred with the highest civilian honour the country can give, which is the Padma Bhushan which he received in 2013.

Satyajit Ray is a name that is synonymous to the word cinema itself. Although the writer-director was far more popular in West Bengal, his works have made an impact in not just the country, but the whole world. This is the reason why he was conferred with the Akira Kurosawa Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival posthumously. The honour is given to masters in the field of direction and Ray won the award in the same here that he passed away that is in 1992. Even to this day, his work continues to influence regional, national and world cinema.

The legendary filmmaker passed away in the year 2012 as he was right in the middle of a project. The film in question was the Shah Rukh Khan starrer ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’ and his death led to the entire film industry entering a state of mourning. Later on, in 2013, he was given a posthumous Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for his impeccable contribution to the world of cinema. The filmmaker is still celebrated in the Hindi film industry with an entire award show in the year 2013 dedicated to him.

Being the son of the famous composer SD Burman, music ran in the veins of his son and heir RD Burman. The famous music composer is credited with revolutionising the music industry in India and although he passed away far too soon in 1994, his music has immortalised him. However, even after his passing, he did receive on an award in the year 1995. Burman won the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director for the film ‘1942: A Love Story’, which was his last composition before his demise. In spite of his last years being a bit rocky, RD Burman is still respected among musicians and singers.

Veteran actor Ashok Kumar lived to the ripe old age of 90 and other than acting made his name in acting and homeopathy too. However, his passing away was still a blow to Indian cinema for his contributions to the art were unparalleled. Ashok passed away on December 10th 2001 due to heart failure but he did receive a posthumous award. In the year 2007, the veteran actor a Special Award at a major award show for leaving behind a wonderful legacy. As for other honours like National Award and Padma Bhushan, the actor was conferred with him while he lived, thus making up for quite a good life.