Jaipur, Oct 3 (IANS): Bollywood star Hema Malini on Thursday said that her husband and renowned film star Dharmendra also deserves the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

“Every year this award is given to an artist. I think Dharamji should too get this award. In fact, Dharmi ji should have got the award 10-15 years ago. This time Mithun has got it. He is a very good actor and person too,” the veteran actor told media persons in Kota after presenting her Durga Nritya Natika.

Earlier, this week the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was awarded to Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty.

The Actress added: “I am feeling quite good after coming to Kota. I never thought that the city would be so good and there would be so much greenery here. When I saw the riverfront from the plane, it looked very beautiful."

She added that whenever there is a reference to sarees, the name of Kota Doria saree comes up. “Kota is famous for sarees,” she said.

She said after the dance drama in Kota, she will be performing a Durga dance drama in Mathura.

Hema, who is an MP from Mathura, said that she had done a roadshow in Haryana ahead of the election.

"Our government has done a lot of work in that state. Our government has also done work on the environmental front. PM Modi started the campaign for plantation drive in the country. The ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign is being run in the whole country," she added.