From playback to the big screen: Padma honours for India's entertainers

The Padma Awards 2026 once again made room for the worlds of cinema, music and popular culture, honouring a clutch of figures who have shaped how India watches and listens. Among this year's recipients in the field of art are some of the most recognisable names in entertainment, three of them recognised posthumously, a reminder that the awards often arrive as a final tribute. These honourees sit in the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri tiers, separate from the actor Dharmendra, who was awarded the hi