Saif borrowed Kirron Kher’s trophy...
Vidhu Vinod Chopra shared it...
Mala Sinha was suddenly “tense”
Anecdotes from the green-room...
January 6, 2007... Saturday...It was a red-letter day for Screen. It wasn’t just our golden lady who was being unveiled, for the 13th time, but also our rejuvenated trade weekly that over the last 56 years has grown steadily in stature to become the Bible of the film fraternity. Today, as you can see, Screen is bigger... and brighter. And it is still the last word in infotainment. And that was perhaps why we were able to persuade Union Information & Broadcasting Minister, Priyaranjan Das Munshi, and the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh to do the honours and launch our new-look broadsheet along with Editor-in-Chief and CEO of The Indian Express Group Shekhar Gupta. It’s truly a new beginning for us in the New Year with resolutions galore ...
One of those resolutions was to come up with yet another chart-topper. Last year with TRPs as high as 9.6, the Hero Honda-sponsored Star Screen Awards had undoubtedly been the Television Event of the Year. We knew expectations would be sky-high and were prepared for endless brain-storming. But surprisingly, a lot of things fell into place at the first meeting itself. With comedy keeping the cash counters jingling at the box-office through the last 12 months and our own super success still fresh in our minds, we knew we wanted the Laughter Challenge team back in the spotlight. But time constraints demanded that we prune down our ha-ha-anchors from four to two. And there was little debate on the can’t-do-without duo: It had to be Raju Shrivastav and Navin Prabhakar. The Kings of Comedy were such a riot that the day after, when I called up office, I was accosted on the line by our telephone operator who had loved our show ... And Gajodhar bhaiya and Julie bar girl best of all...Can we dare believe that we’ve found the mantra to success that has been eluding so many of our dream-catchers for so long?
Keeping Raju and Navin company on stage were two lovely ladies—Minissha Lamba and Isha Koppikar. Minissha’s fragile beauty can literally bring the dead to life. Isha we’d been in talks with for the last two years and soon after Don hit the theatres, she walked into our script with a magic remote and the sweet seduction of ‘Aaj ki raat ... ’.
Isha’s only grouse was that our D-day came too early in the new year and slogging was doubly hard when the hangover has still to clear. We could empathise with our dancing doll but well, we had to admit that the air-of-revelry only added to the madhoshi, especially when we had Bipasha Basu flirting with our senses. It was a rather sweet sight to see her steady beau make an early entry, heading straight for Bipasha’s mobile trailer just before her act, wanting to steady shaky nerves though his “girl” herself was in high spirits. John Abraham was running a high temperature and clearly low, but that did not stop him from sitting besides Bipasha, out in the public eye, once she was done with her star act. For this much-in-love couple love clearly means... being there for each other.
That’s obviously Shahid and Kareena Kapoor’s pyaar ka superhit formula too. The cute twosome are rarely far away from each other these days. And since they were performing on the same stage, they turned up for rehearsals together and alternatively assessed each other’s performances.
It was our “creative brain” Mohammad Morani who came up with the idea of having a star swing on a sloping ramp. He promised that it would be a definite show-stopper. But who had the agility and audacity to pull off such a stunt? We could come up with only one name ...Shahid Kapoor. Every woman’s dream lover after Vivah, Shahid who has been a part of Shamiak Davar’s troupe, gave expression to Mohammad’s dream.
Just before Shahid was to go on stage, Kareena wandered into the green-room and sat back to watched her boyfriend on a 32-inch telly. Oblivious to the knowing smiles, she had her eyes peeled on the screen through the seven-minute medley, a buttoned-up black greatcoat-cum-gown covering up her little golden dress. The velvet sheath came off a half-hour later when Kareena herself zoomed on to centerstage in a spiffy red car for her Don dhamakedaar act. And hearts melted when we spotted Shahid balanced on some crates backstage, watching his Bebo on TV. For this winsome-twosome love obviously means ... sharing moments.
It was Mohammed’s suggestion that we bring the old and the new ‘Kamini’ face-to-face on stage, giving Kareena the opportunity to eulogize her “Helen aunty”. Mohammed’s brainwave was greeted with a coffee toast and loud cheers the first time he voiced it. The cheers doubled ... and tripled ... on the nite itself.
It had taken some amount of persuasion to get Helen to stage a comeback. Even after she gave her consent there were daily calls as the perfectionist meticulously worked on the details of her costume, make-up, entry and exit with us. And in the end every effort was worth its weight in gold as the two divas matched steps to give us our Kodak moment.
We had tried to cajole script-writer Salim Khan to come out of hibernation and join in the festivities given the fact that it was not just his begum but even his beta who were our scene-stealers for the evening. Salim sahab could not be weaned away from his self-imposed hibernation but the rest of the Khan khandaan that included the sexy-sexy Malaika staunchly rallied behind their star-performers. Brother Arbaaz had to be literally torn away to the satellite city for Priyadarshan’s Dhol shoot. The shoot in Pune also robbed us of the presence of Tanushree Dutta and Kunal Khemu, both of whom would have liked to watch the action ‘live’.
While Helen was tirelessly diligent, Salman missed one rehersal after another. By the time he finally turned up it was the afternoon of the show and his choreographers, Bosco-Caesar, were ready to tear his hair out in frustrated fistfuls wondering what Salman would do on stage since he hadn’t once practised his steps. Radiating supreme confidence the superstar assured him that his act would be memorable. Knowing Salman we believed him and were ready for the grand finale. However, even we were taken by surprise when his electrifying performance had ladies fainting ... literally. That’s the power of Salman Khan!
Even though we say this ourselves, we have a way of wooing the so-called Bollywood brats who from experience we know to be really gentle lions. It wasn’t just Salman Khan who pulled out all stops for us. Even the ever-elusive (especially when it comes to award shows) Sanjay Dutt showed up, dashing in a suit and tie, with his would-be-biwi (so the tabloids say) Manyata by his side. He even entrusted his golden lady to her. Sanjay’s timing was perfect. He walked in...And his name was announced as winner of the Critics’ Choice Award. The announcement was greeted with a loud uproar from the assembled gathering. And as crowd-favourite Munnabhai loped up to accept his gilded statuette from Simi Garewal and Konkana Sen Sharma who were a delightful contrast in black-and-white, he looked visibily jubilant. When we pointed out to him that may be his late father Sunil Dutt or perhaps the Mahatma himself had guided him to our gates just in time, Sanjay grinned endearingly, “Ek nahin to doosre Bapu ne bachaya”.
Sanjay made it ... just. Saif, debonair in a suit, missed it... By the time he was able to extricate himself from the traffic snarl, his award for Best Actor in a Negative Role had been picked up by his Omkara producer. He looked tense and distraught when he was escorted to the green-room to be readied as a presenter. His first call was for a cigaratte. When our editor Bhawana Somaaya joked that she might have a packet in her bag, he insisted we hunt out her bag so he could take a much-needed drag.
“For me the professional new year begins with the Screen Awards. And I was confident I’d win this time. By being late again, I’ve lost the moment ... Lost the glory. God knows if I’ll win again at the other places,” he sighed. We had to make it up to our chosen ‘Bad Man’. And even though Mohammed was elsewhere epiphany struck in a flash. Why didn’t we present Saif with his award again, on stage, before he made a lady’s day. His dimpled smile lit up the room.
Relaxed now he was ready to make small talk. “Soha wanted to come too but she was confused, wondering if she should be sitting with the Rang De Basanti unit or with me. Eventually, she couldn’t be with either because she had to fly out to Istanbul. As for amma she’s in mourning (Sharmila’s just lost her mother),” he explained conversationally.
Afraid that he would take off once he had the golden lady in his hands, we requested Saif to pose with a trophy before he stepped into the arclights. “But I don’t have my trophy yet,” he pointed out, then turning and spotting Kirron Kher’s statuette, he wondered aloud if he could take it. “But it’s mine,” our Best Actor in a Supporting Role protested loudly. “I’m just borrowing it for a photo-shoot,” Saif offered as explanation before he stalked out with it. Kirron didn’t breathe till she saw her keenly-fought-for award again.
Kirron had not been expecting to win. In fact, she frankly admitted that she hadn’t even been expecting a nomination because ever since the top-ranking actors have nudged their way into the supporting category, character actors like her had grown resigned to being sidelined. But as Mitro, Aamir Khan’s dildaar mother in Rang De Basanti, Kirron caught the eye with a subtly-nuanced performance. And just being in the top five was reason for celebration for Kirron and she came to the show with absolutely no expectations, wanting only to blend with the RDB unit in a saffron-hued sari. Husband Anupam was away on a shoot and had it not been for her son Sikander, Kirron too might have lost her moment of glory. But she came (on time), she saw and she conquered. Only to have her much-coveted trophy constantly being tugged away...
When Saif wasn’t wrestling it away from her, Vidhu Vinod Chopra wanted it - because someone had wandered away with his Best Film trophy - for a keepsake photograph with his unit. When Kirron refused to part with her precious posession Vidhu compromised by drawing her into the frame and enveloping her in a warm hug so they could share her trophy. It made for a wonderful image of the camaradarie that makes our cinema so special.
Earlier in the evening, while accepting his award, Vidhu had insisted on not just his Lage Raho ... family joining him in his moment of glory but also extended an invitation to fellow RDB director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra who had referred to him as his “guru”. His large-hearted exuberance put to rest all speculations about an on-going rivalry between the two creatively innovative filmmakers following their chase for an Oscar nomination. Years ago Bapu had preached brotherhood. Today, Vidhu’s actually practising it.
While there were many disgruntled detractors grousing over their exclusion from the top list, the chosen ones themselves waxed eloquent over how fair and keen the competition was. When Kirron Kher inched ahead of Konkana Sen Sharma in the final tally, Konkana without the slightest hint of hurt, cheerfully insisted that “she had come only for the moment”.
Another “moment” that will be entrenched in our minds forever is of Kajol reaching out to warmly hug Kareena when her name was announced as Best Actor (Female) for Omkara. Kajol who was in the contention for her blind girl act in Fanaa, has long been a favourite with the Screen team. Her sporting spirit has only made her more special.
Kajol came straight from a family wedding which explained her choice of attire—a black-and-white saree. It must have been pure coincidence that her cousin, Rani Mukerji, also chose to drape herself in a safed-kaala sari. Rani with her Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna co-star Shah Rukh Khan was voted the Jodi No. 1 of 2006. This is our only popular award with the voting open to the public and Karan Johar’s adulterous couple won by a wide margin, out-pacing the five other jodis. Rani who had just managed to make it back from a shoot abroad, looked tired after a long plane ride. But that didn’t diminish the glow on her face as she accepted her second consecutive Jodi No. 1 trophy. It would have been another Kodak moment had SRK been by her side...But it was not to be.
For a week, since his New Year’s bash in Mannat directly after which he left for a Chak De India shoot in the capital, we had been “in touch” with Shah Rukh. The badshah insisted that he would give it his best shot but shooting, weather and the fact that “I have to, have to, finish this film” could mess up his chances of being with us on our Big Nite. All we could do was pray...And when on January 6 we woke up to find the sun shining bright in Mumbai and reports of near-clear skies in Delhi, our hopes lifted magically. Good omen?
SRK called on his way to the shoot to point out that it still looked difficult since it being the last day he couldn’t ask for a quick wrap. “I’m sporting a beard in this film that takes me 10 days to grow so I have to get the patch-work done today,” he reasoned. With a home production waiting to start and KBC moving into top gear our lucky star had a killing schedule that we didn’t want to throw awry.
His gracious SMS later in the afternoon (See highlight) brought a lump to the throat. Till the n-th hour we waited for a chamatkar... It didn’t happen. Shah Rukh’s promised though that he will be there next time, “for sure”. With SRK it’s always kabhi alvida naa kehna ...
There were other absentees too ...
Abhishek Bachchan... Busy with promotional interviews for Guru...
Hrithik Roshan ... Who couldn’t bear to celebrate on the platform that didn’t acknowledge his dad (Krrish had got Rakesh Roshan a nomination in the Best Film category but not for Best Director) ...
Preity Zinta...Vacationing in Colorado ...
Siddharth...Busy with a shoot in the US ...
Aamir Khan...Who doesn’t believe in awards ...
Ajay Devgan...Who admitted that he was a “problem” when it came to public functions...
And then there were those who made a special effort to be there...
The ever elusive Akshaye Khanna who surprised us by agreeing to present the music awards that had been built up to a crescendo by Sunidhi Chauhan’s delightful parody. He only laid down one condition. He would make a backdoor entry, remain closeted in a room specially reserved for him till it was time for him to go up on stage and then, as soon as the segment was over, make an immediate exit. We faithfully agreed to keep our part of the bargain provided Akshaye made it to the venue in time for his 7.40 p.m. presentation. “I’ll be there,” Akshaye promised, then almost gave us a cardiac arrest when he called around 7 p.m. to find out when we were expecting him. “In another 15 minutes,” we croaked. “Okay, I’ll be there by 7.30 p.m...” he retorted. And we wondered if we were ever going to see Akshaye...
Barely five minutes had passed when he called back...To announce that he had arrived “and there is no one here”. We dashed to the back gate to find Akshaye stepping out of his car, suave in dark trousers and a silver tie. He followed us to his room, then with arms crossed, negligiently leaned against the door jamb to make conversation. “So who’s performing?” he asked. Bipasha...Kareena...Shahid...Salman...”Salman? Where’s he?” Akshaye enquired. No idea...But hey, there was his Salaam-e-Ishq co-star John Abraham a few furlongs away. “What’s he doing here?” Akshaye demanded. Seeing Bipasha...And it was time to leave before the queries got unanswerable. But we have to admit that Akshaye was symphony on stage...Without singing a single line.
We had initially thought of pairing Akshaye and Vidya Balan but when it was pointed out to us that with the winner themselves announcing the names of their successor and Akshaye giving away the trophies, there wasn’t much Vidya could do in this segment, we held her back for the Debut Awards. The category was appropriate since last year this was the first ever award she’d won. Elegant in a white Abu-Sandeep creation, Vidya took the change in plan in her stride. “Screen is one of the most well-organised award functions I’ve attended. Everything seems so well oiled and the entertainment is tops but I have to leave soon since I have a flight to catch,” she murmured. She was flying out to Australia to join the Hey Baby shoot the same night.
Jimmy Sheirgil took a short break from his on-going shoot to come and present the first set of technical awards, and despite the traffic was well in time. Suited-booted Jimmy was style personified as he partnered a radiant-in-red Rituparna Sengupta on stage. Ritu, as she is known to her friends, had cancelled her shoot because Screen is family. And in the green-room caught the eye of everyone including I & B Minister Priyaranjan Das Munshi who wondered if she had settled down in Mumbai and Dhoom director Sanjay Gadhvi who admitted that he hadn’t seen any of Ritu’s Bengali film but agreed that he needed to get some of the DVDs for home viewing...pronto. With six films on the floors, this National Award winning actor may well be a serious contender next year.
Sanjay Gadhvi with his funky cap and his on-screen techno-wizardry, was a big hit with Ashwini Bhave. Ashwini who was a dream in crimson, was explaining the whole sequence from Dhoom 2 to Sanjay, in vivid detail, in her excitement perhaps forgetting that he had directed the film. While on Dhoom 2, Gadhvi (he insists that we get the spelling of his name right) was at pains to point out that while KANK was the biggest overseas hit ever, his super sucessful sequel topped the All-India and overseas charts combined. Got that?
Aftab Shivdasani looking smashing with his hair clipped close...the Red look...And candidly confessed that he was drawn to our awards show year after year because besides his mother our editor was the only other woman who dared to scold him.
Chunky Panday was concerned about what to wear to the show. We recommended a Don look and Chunky turned up looking smashing in a dark suit. We paired him with Boman Irani to present the Story, Screenplay and Dialogue Awards. Chunky approved, “Boman and I have just done a film together and he’s great fun.” Despite applause worthy performances in Apna Sapna Money Money and Lage Raho Munnabhai neither Chunky nor Boman had made the grade but they weren’t sulking. “The film industry needs to become more sporting and come out to clap for each other. I’ll always be there. I come for the medium,” observed theatre veteran Boman. Cheerio!
Randeep Hooda who read the citations felicitating the Lifetime Achievement Award winners had a tuxedo stitched specially for the occasion. His deep baritone lent weight to the words we had written for the ’60s superstars, Mala Sinha and Biswajeet. His quiet smile as he slipped into the greenroom to announce his arrival and his uncertain SMS after the curtains had come down...”I hope it went off okay and I didn’t embarrass anyone...” has stayed with us. A warm memory of a gentleman actor.
Years ago, Mala Sinha had been invited to a popular award function twice with the assurance that she was winning the Best Actress Award. And at the end of the evening Vyjayanthimala Bali and Meena Kumari had walked home cradling the trophy. After these two “betrayals” Malaji had become pretty disillusioned with the “award business”. So she was understandibly sceptical when we approached her and till the nth hour actually believed that she would go back empty-handed. When our golden lady was eventually placed in her hands, she admitted it came as a “plesant shock”.
Biswajit, the co-star who had serenaded Malaji in so many jubilee hits, was also in shock since the time we caught him in the midst of a press meet in Chandigarh just before a Mohd. Rafi night, to inform him that he was the unanimous choice for the Lifetime Achievement Award this year. “But what have I done to deserve this honour?” the actor who had won the President’s Gold Medal and had been in the running for the National Award for Rahgir asked us countless times. What could we say except ‘Bekaraar karke hamen yun na jayeeye, aap ko humari kasam laut aayee...’
It was a grand reunion of sorts when our special winners met up with Asha Parekh and Jeetendra who were to present them with their trophies. Malaji admitted that she was suddenly “tense” wondering about what she would say on stage. But her apprehensions evaporated in a flash when turning she suddenly spotted Yash Chopra and beaming delightedly she reminded the movie moghul that she had been his “first heroine”.
Since his announcement a couple of years ago that he was “out of the running”, Yashji has been feeling very liberated. Jubilant that Yash Raj Films combine had a tally of 14 nominations, he came and so did his quartret of in-house directors—Kunal Kohli (Hum Tum, Fanaa), Sanjay Gadhvi (Dhoom, Dhoom 2), Siddharth Raj Anand (Bunty Aur Babli) and Kabir Khan (Kabul Express). “What’s there for anybody to feel negative?” Chopra argued. “I come because I want to.”
The Barjatyas came early...and stayed till the end. And still smiling when they were making their way back even though their small, big film, Vivah, despite five nominations, hadn’t picked up any statuettes. “It was a very nice show. I enjoyed it,” Sooraj Barjatya complimented.
Gulzar who won the award for Best Lyrics was away in Orrisa, held up following an unexpected death in the family. However, Meghna was there, casual in jeans and a kurta, ecstatic to accept a trophy on behalf of her father. Seated between Rongita Nandy and the Bhardwajs, she was in the midst of major jubilation as the Pyaar Ke Side/Effects and Omkara team celebrated on either side.
Not too far away from Meghna her Just Married heroine sat demurely with her mama. Hema Malini who looked very glamorous in a lace sari, couldn’t be persuaded up on stage. Even Esha demurred but we cajoled her to give away the Jodi No. 1 award by pointing out that we couldn’t keep her away from the spotlight when she was looking so gorgeous.
Govinda had promised a couple of times in the past and not turned up. This year our editor called and told him emotionally that this was a sister making contact with her brother. Govinda responded with, “Jab tak ek bahen baat karegi ek bhai sunega. Aur jab journalist baat karegi ek star sunega.” Bhawana Somaaya rued over the fact that now her announcement that Govinda was coming was greeted by colleagues with disbelieving smiles. “Don’t worry,” he assured her. “This time like Kishen Kanhaiya I’ll be there and silence them forever.” And he kept his word, admitting that wife Sunita had been pushing him all evening so he wasn’t “too late”. In a black jacket Govinda who’s lost several not-needed kilos looked relaxed and rejuvenated. He was our Hero No. 1again and so we invited Karisma Kapoor to partner him again. And within minutes it was evident that their screen magic had not dimmed.
Karisma who came flanked by her two favourite designers, Shabina and Manish Malhotra, was a picture of sophisticated chic in a black pant-suit. She looked elegant but anxious, wondering if sister Kareena was ever going to win one of Screen’s golden ladies. She did...and it was celebration time for not just the Kapoors but all of us too.
