Introduced in 1954, the Filmfare Awards are now recognized as the most glamorous honors in Indian cinema.

In fact, it's referred to by many as the Indian counterpart of the Academy Awards.

Read ahead to learn more!

When it comes to Indian cinema, Filmfare Awards is a term that we cannot help but mention. They have been honoring the artistic as well as the technical excellence of the film industry since their inception. Be it actors, directors, musicians, editors, sound designers, or others - almost every person in the film fraternity dreams to win a Filmfare Award at least once in a lifetime. Moreover, the award ceremony - sponsored by several private companies - is no less than a festival for film buffs all across the country. In this article, we'll have a look at some interesting yet lesser-known facts about the prestigious awards.

The initial name was 'Clare Awards'

The Filmfare Awards were initially known as Clare Awards - after the Times of India film critic Clare Mendonca (as he had died a couple of months before the first award ceremony took place). Later, after a poll among the Filmfare readers, the name was changed to Filmfare Awards.

Gregory Peck was the guest of honor at the first award ceremony

One of the greatest stars ever in Hollywood, Gregory Peck was invited as the guest of honor at the first Filmfare Award Ceremony (March 21, 1954). He could not make it to the function due to a flight delay from Colombo. However, he did attend the after-party that was held at Wellington Club, Mumbai.

'Gully Boy' has won the highest number of awards

As of 2021, Zoya Akhtar's 'Gully Boy' holds the record of winning the highest number of Filmfare Awards. It received 13 awards at the 65th Filmfare Awards, breaking the record of 'Black' (11). Both 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' and 'Devdas' are next in line, as they won 10 awards each in 1996 and 2003 respectively.

The award ceremony was postponed for two years

The Filmfare Awards winners of 1985 were announced in 1986, and the ceremony was scheduled to be held at the end of the year. However, it was finally postponed to the next year, as Bollywood (called 'Bombay Film Industry' at that time) went on a strike against the Government of Maharashtra in 1986. For obvious reasons, the Filmfare awards were not given for 1986 and 1987.

Many big celebs once rejected the awards

Many major celebrities of the Hindi film industry once rejected the Filmfare Awards. For example, Lata Mangeshkar refused to accept her first Filmfare Award as she found that the trophy was in the shape of a woman that was not dressed. The list also includes Pran, Prithviraj Kapoor, Vyjanthimala, Kumar Sanu, Sonu Nigam, Reena Roy, and others.

Filmfare Awards have come a long way. Now, let's just wait and see who all win the prestigious awards in the coming years.