Veteran actor Anil Rastogi on Padma Shri, his dual career in science and art, and the viral PM Narendra Modi video
A Padma Shri for 83-year-old scientist-actor Anil Rastogi in the field of art means the world. “I had never imagined this as it’s truly a very big honour. Before me, from Lucknow, late Raj Bisaria saheb had got this award in the theatre field (in 1991) and he was my guru,” says the veteran actor.
He tells HT City, “Getting it from the President of India (Droupadi Murmu) in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah (home minister), other dignitaries and my wife Sudha Rastogi (ex-teacher) in the audience filled me with pride.”
A scientist and an actor, he has excelled in both fields. “I have worked in the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), which is a lab of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and this year for the first time three people have got Padma Shri but other two got in science and myself in art. Our CSIR director general N Kalaiselvi felicitated me in New Delhi this year.”
He is a fellow of both UP Sangeet Natak Academy in art and National Academy of Sciences.
“Ever since it was announced there was a wait. This will be my second award from the President. I got Sangeet Natak Academy awards in 2024 but that was at Vigyan Bhawan. First time I received this civilian honour at the Ganatantra Mandap (earlier Durbar Hall) at the President House which is a very proud moment.”
Last year he had three film releases Ek Chatur Naar, Bengal 1947, Rautu Ka Raaz and Bolo Har Har Shambhu. He is next gearing up for Neelesh Mishra’s film The Last Batsman where he plays a dementia patient.
He has done 80 films and multiple OTT series and TV shows. With the play Beyond The Curtain, a biography inspired by Anton Chekhov’s story, Rastogi has completed a century of plays.
‘Shocked to see the viral video’
After the award ceremony Rastogi was shocked to find himself amidst a controversy. His video suggested that the PM extended his hand towards him and he walked past ‘ignoring’ him. “I was shocked to see that it had gone viral. During the rehearsal we were told about the protocols which was to just gesture from a distance. Which I did! Later, I saw that video where the PM was probably extending his hand to greet and I missed it. No one will do this intentionally,” he clarified and had also put it on social media.
