The highest civilian honour received by Indian film star Kamal Haasan from the Government of India is which of the following awards?

Introduction / Context:
Kamal Haasan is one of the most celebrated actors and filmmakers in Indian cinema, particularly known for his work in Tamil films. Like several other prominent artists, he has been honoured by the Government of India with civilian awards. Understanding which specific Padma award he has received helps in mastering the honours and awards segment of general knowledge. This question asks you to pick the highest civilian honour that has actually been conferred on him.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The subject is Kamal Haasan, a famous Indian actor and filmmaker.
- The options include Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Bharat Ratna, and Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
- The focus is the highest civilian honour that he has already received, not a theoretical maximum.

Concept / Approach:
As with other Padma related questions, we need both the hierarchy of awards and the factual record of which ones this person has actually received. Kamal Haasan has been honoured with both Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. Padma Bhushan is the higher of the two. There is no official record of him receiving Padma Vibhushan or Bharat Ratna. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India very prestigious film award but is separate from the civilian order of Padma awards and therefore should not be confused with them when the question is explicitly about highest civilian honour.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the order of Indian civilian awards from highest to lower: Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.
Step 2: Identify which of these have been conferred on Kamal Haasan.
Step 3: Remember that he has received Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan for his contribution to Indian cinema.
Step 4: Recognise that he has not been awarded Padma Vibhushan or Bharat Ratna.
Step 5: Among the awards he has received, Padma Bhushan is the highest, so it is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Biographical sketches of Kamal Haasan in exam books and reliable articles mention that he received the Padma Shri earlier in his career and later the Padma Bhushan. There is no mention of Padma Vibhushan or Bharat Ratna in connection with him. Thus, cross checking with such sources supports the conclusion that Padma Bhushan is the highest civilian honour he has obtained.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Padma Shri is a civilian honour he received, but it ranks below Padma Bhushan and therefore is not his highest award.
Padma Vibhushan is higher in the civilian hierarchy but has not been bestowed upon Kamal Haasan, so it does not meet the requirement of the question.

Bharat Ratna is India highest civilian award, but Kamal Haasan has not received it, so choosing it would be factually incorrect.

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India top film award for lifetime contribution to cinema, not part of the civilian Padma order; the question specifically asks for a civilian honour from the Government of India, which points to the Padma series.

Common Pitfalls:
A common error is to confuse the Dadasaheb Phalke Award with Padma awards, assuming that any prominent film personality must have received it or that it automatically ranks as the highest honour. Another pitfall is forgetting that the question is about awards actually received, not theoretically highest. Paying close attention to the wording avoids such confusion.

Final Answer:
The highest civilian honour received by Kamal Haasan is the Padma Bhushan.