IANS

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan might have celebrated his 64th birthday Wednesday but his aura and charisma still have a global appeal.

In July, he became the first Indian star to be awarded with an honorary degree from a British university when De Monfort University in Leicester conferred on him the Doctorate of Arts.

And now the French government has decided to honour him with the country's prestigious Legion d'Honneur award for his contribution to Indian and international culture.

The award will be presented to Bachchan by France's ambassador to India, Dominique Girard, at a ceremony here soon.

"Bachchan is being given the Legion d'Honneur in recognition of his 'contribution to Indian and international culture'," said a spokesperson for the French embassy here.

The Legion d'Honneur is awarded for outstanding achievements in culture, science and industry and in military field.

Bachchan will also be honoured at the Marrakech Film Festival in Rabat, Morocco, later this month.