When 83-year-old Ghulam Hussain Faizee’s name was announced for the Dada Saheb Phalke Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award, he perhaps envisioned the long journey he travelled and witnessed the initiation of Film and Cinema in Udaipur.

The prestigious award ceremony was conducted at Mumbai on May 3, 2012 where Ghulam Hussain was awarded for his remarkable contribution to the Hindi film industry. The honor was presented in the presence of many distinguished personalities of Bollywood including Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar and Subhash Ghai at the Tulip Star Hotel, Juhu, Mumbai.

“Ghulam Hussain started his career as an exhibitor at Picture Palace at the age of 18 years, in 1948-49. Soon after the construction Ashoka Cinema in 1959, he joined it as a Manager while continuing the management of Picture Palace as well.

In the year 1968, soon after the construction of Swapnalok, he managed this entity as well. He has been at the helm of management of all the four iconic theatres of Udaipur – Picture Palace, Ashoka, Chetak and Swapnalok, all managed simultaneously under him”, said Mumtaz Hussain, his son in conversation with UT.

Ghulam Hussain, being a prolific social worker all his life, has also been a Municipal Councillor in the 60’s and 70’s.

He was even awarded with Silver Jubliee award in 1975 and Golden Jubliee Award in 2000. Currently, he is the General Manager of both Picture Palace and Ashoka Cinema.

On his return to Udaipur from Mumbai after getting the award, the staff of Ashoka Cinema and Picture Palace welcomed him, in the presence of the owners Mukund Sanghi and Kanika Sanghi.