Leading Malayalam actor Jayaram was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri award.
A pleased Jayaram said: “I’m very happy as Padma Shri is an award given by the Government of India. I got it due to the blessing of my elders. It is recognition of my work as an artist, percussionist, Chenda player and mimicry artist”
Jayaram was shooting along with Mohanlal and Dileep for Rafi Mecartin’s comedy multi-starrer China Town in Ramoji Rao studios in Hyderabad when he came to know that he had received the Padma Shri.
Says Jayaram: “During the shoot of an important scene Mohanlal came up to me and congratulated me and called out loud Padma Shri Jayaram. It was then I realised that I got the Padma Shri.”
From Kerala cine field the other Padma recipients are poet ONV Kurup who was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, while ace director Shaji N Karun was awarded the Padma Shri.