Sobhita Dhulipala joins for family photo with Naga Chaitanya at ANR ceremony honouring Chiranjeevi 

Sobhita Dhulipala and Naga Chaitanya

On Monday, the Akkineni family hosted a special event marking the 100th birth anniversary of Akkineni Nagarjuna Rao. The whole Akkineni family was present for the event. Actress Sobhita Dhulipala who is engaged to Naga Chaitanya also graced the event and even posed for family pictures with the Akkineni clan. Sobhita was dressed in a green saree for the occasion with minimal make up and her tresses flowing over one side of her shoulder.

Sobhita and Naga Chaitanya who got engaged last month at an intimate ceremony in Hyderabad will soon be tying the knot. The bride-to-be recently had her Pasupu Danchatam, a cherished Telugu ritual, that heralds the start of the wedding celebrations. It is a ritual that is followed in the Telugu speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana which marks the beginning of wedding festivities. It is held after the engagement ceremony and before the haldi The ritual involves women pounding turmeric in a pestle, and the turmeric is then stored for use in other wedding functions. The ceremony also involves decorating the house and inviting guests to participate.

Amitabh Bachchan honours Chiranjeevi

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Monday felicitated veteran actor Chiranjeevi with the ANR National Award in Hyderabad, celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Before presenting the award to Chiranjeevi, Big B spoke highly of the actor in his speech. He also expressed gratitude to Nagarjuna and his family for inviting him to such a prestigious event."I feel deeply honoured that you have chosen me to honour my dear friend and colleague Chiranjeevi. Whenever I call he is always there. Thank you Charianjeevi and Nag for giving me a part in your film, thanks to Vyjayanti films, and Nag Ashwin for giving me part in your film. Now I can proudly say that I am a member of the Telugu film industry," he said."Thank you Chiranjeevi for your friendship, concern, love, affection, humility and hospitality. You sent me so much lunch that I would have fed the whole hotel today. Please treat me as a member of Telugu film industry from now on. Thank you so much," Amitabh said.Chiranjeevi got emotional while receiving the award from Big B. As a mark of respect, he bowed down in front of Amitabh, touched his feet and sought his blessings.

The award instituted by the Akkineni International Foundation annually honours artists for their lifetime contribution to cinema.