Veteran Malayalam actor Thilakan has been chosen to receive the prestigious Padma Shri award from the Government of India.

Besides Thilakan, Bollywood stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Helen, cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, noted singer Hridaynath Mangeshkar, ghazal singer Penaz Masani, World billiards champion Pankaj Advani, former hockey player Balbir Singh Khullar, Keralite singer K.P. Udayabhanu and playback singer Udit Narayan are also Padma Shri awardees. Shooter Abhinav Bindra, who fetched India's first individual Olympic gold medal, is awarded the Padma Bhushan.