Anil Kapoor conferred with `Lalitha Kala Samrat` title

Hyderabad: Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor was conferred the title of `Lalitha Kala Samrat` at the second mega cultural festival of T Subbarami Reddy Lalitha Kala Parishat here. At a function organised at the Shilpa Kala Vedika here this evening, Union Minister for Rural Development Vilas Rao Deshmukh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy who participated as chief guests felicitated Kapoor with a shawl, memento, citation and Veena before presenting him the award. Kapoor, who recalled his early days as an actor while acting in a Telugu movie, said he still feels attached to Telugu cinema and added that he was honoured to receive the award. Film producer Allu Arvind, actors Suhasini, Anoushka, Allu Arjun and Poonam Kaur besides Indian Idol winner Sree Ramchandra were presented with `TSR Lalitha Kala Parishat` awards. On the occasion, noted actress and Rajya Sabha MP Hema Malini paid obeisance to Goddess Durga through a Kuchipudi ballet while well-known playback singers S P Balasubramaniam and Chitra rendered a musical nite. T Subbarami Reddy, MP and chairman of the Parliamentary standing committee on Science & Technology, said the festival was being organised as part of the Parishat`s aim to promote culture, arts, theatre and literature. Dada Saheb Phalke awardee Akkineni Nageswara Rao and noted film producer and Dadasaheb Phalke awardee Daggubati Ramanaidu were among others present. PTI