Veteran actor Ashok Saraf, who’s a known name in the Hindi and Marathi entertainment circuits, was conferred with the Maharashtra Bhushan Award 2023 for his contribution to the arts. It is the highest award given by the state government. The chief minister of the state, Eknath Shinde, shared the news on X on Tuesday and congratulated the actor. 

Reacting to the news, in a chat with ABP Majha, the actor said, “Thanks to this award, I feel that my efforts till now have finally paid off. Audience should like the roles I play and all my work, that’s always my aim. I am thankful to everyone who has supported and helped me in this journey. I also want to thank Nivedita (Saraf, wife; actor) on this occasion.”

Celebs like cricketer Ajinkya Rahane and actor Amit Behl also congratulated him on X.

Saraf entered showbiz in 1969 with a Marathi film, Janaki, and in a career spanning more than five decades, he’s starred in almost 200 films. On TV, he is known for shows like Hum Paanch. Some of his noted Hindi and Marathi films are Karan Arjun (1995), Joru Ka Ghulam (2000), Ashi hi Banwa Banwi (1988) and Chaukat Raja (1991). He was also a part of Genelia Deshmukh’s Ved (2022).