Eighty-six-year-old Bhagwan arrived on a wheel-chair, which did little to mask his usual loud laugh. He was moved to tears as he spoke of Shantaram, whom he called his guru. He was given a cash prize of Rs 11,000.

Hailing from the Konkan, Bhagwan came to Mumbai with his father, a textile mill owner. He studied upto the fourth standard, and was an avid film buff.

``My father wanted me to work in a mill, and when I told him that I wanted at act, he slapped me very hard," he said today. Bhagwan is perhaps one of Hindi cinema's most neglected talents, relegated to playing second fiddle in comedies despite his 1951 classic musical Albela, with Geeta Bali. The `Shola jo bhadke' number from the film gave birth to the famous Bhagwansemi-bhangra shuffle. His hits include Sindbad The Sailor, Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje, Jhamela and Oonchi Haveli.