New Delhi: Actress Raveena Tandon has been awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of the Republic of India, for her contribution to Indian cinema over the last three decades. Raveena grabbed the attention of cinema lovers way back in 1991 with her very first film ‘Patthar Ke Phool’ that turned out to be a blockbuster hit at the box office. She is also the first actress from that era who delivered back-to-back hits within a single year like ‘Ladla’, ‘Andaz Apna Apna’, ‘Aatish’, ‘Mohra’, ‘Main Khiladi Tu Anari’ 'Dilwale' and 'Imtihaan' in 1994. Following her annus mirabilis, Tandon continued to churn out one hit after another, like ‘Khiladiyon Ke Khiladi’ and ‘Rakshak’, ‘Ziddi’, ‘Aunty No.1' and ‘Gharwali Baharwali’, ‘Dulhe Raja, ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ and several other romantic comedies.
The new millennium brought out a new shade of this versatile actress. Forever striving for a challenge, Tandon started on a journey of experimentation, performing unique and challenging roles in films like ‘Daman: A Victim Of Marital Violence’ for which she won not only universal acclaim but also the National Film Award for Best Actress. From portraying a middle-class Bihari housewife in 'Shool', to playing an uncompromising politician in 'Satta', to her atypical performance in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Aks, Raveena continued to garner praise and acclaim.
What many don’t know or appreciate, is that despite being the daughter of the renowned film director Ravi Tandon, she had to struggle throughout her career, first as an apprentice thrown at the deep end by a doting yet morally and ethically uncompromising father and later as someone who liked to experiment and venture off the beaten track much to the chagrin of directors accustomed to repeating masala copies. In an industry burdened with the stigma of nepotism, all she inherited was fierce determination and a steely resolve to walk alone, unassisted, and far. From a teeny-bopper to one of India’s most acclaimed actresses, she may indeed have journeyed far, but her journey is anything but over.
Sharing her excitement at being bestowed with this honour, Raveena said: “It is always a wonderful feeling to have one’s work appreciated and honoured by one’s country. Such appreciation may, at first glance, feel like the reward that signifies the culmination of my journey, it is anything but; for this will spur me on to bigger and greater things in the field that I so love. This is a special day. My country has honoured me. I feel that I belong. Thank you, India! I owe this to my father".