Veteran actor Ashok Saraf was honoured with the Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu for his remarkable contribution to Indian cinema. The moment was deeply emotional for Saraf and a proud occasion for his fans. While returning to Mumbai from Delhi after the ceremony, Saraf received a heartwarming surprise mid-air. The flight he boarded was being piloted by his niece, Captain Aditi Paranjpe. As soon as she saw her uncle on board, Captain Paranjpe could not hold back her joy. Before takeoff, she made a special announcement inside the cabin. She said, “I am Captain Aditi Paranjpe and I welcome you all on board. This is a very special and emotional flight for me. My uncle Ashok Saraf is travelling with us today. He was recently honoured with the Padma Shri award. As his niece and as the captain of this flight, it is a proud moment for me. I request all of you to join me in congratulating him with a round of applause.”
Aditi later shared a video of this moment on her Instagram account and described it as an emotional experience. In the video, Saraf is seen standing up and expressing his gratitude to the passengers as they clapped for him.
Known fondly as "Mama," Ashok Saraf was born in Mumbai in 1947. He started his acting career in 1969 and has worked in more than 300 films. He acted in Marathi and Hindi movies.
Saraf made his debut with the Marathi film "Janaki." Some of his popular Marathi films include "Aytya Gharat Gharoba," "Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi," "Balache Baap Brahmachari," "Bhootacha Bhau," and "Dhumdhadaka." He is famous for his comic roles.
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He also performed in theatre and made a mark in Hindi cinema. His role in the film "Singham" received wide acclaim. Saraf acted in several Hindi films such as "Gupt," "Koyla," "Yes Boss," "Karan Arjun," and "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya."
After receiving the honour, Saraf expressed his heartfelt gratitude. “It is a matter of great happiness and this honour means a lot to me. This award is a high honour. I am glad that I was considered for this award. It means that I have actually done something in my life,” Saraf said. “This award means a lot to me.”