International Indian Film Academy Awards
Rang De Basanti" was named best film at
Bollywood's version of the Oscars, a star-studded, spectacular
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British model and actor Upen Patel ackowledges the audience as he
receives an award |
celebration of song, dance and stagecraft. The movie scooped a
total of 10 awards from 15 nominations at the
International Indian Film Academy Awards
(IIFAs) in Sheffield, northern England, designed to honour Bollywood
talent and promote its films abroad.
"Rang De Basanti" which means "Paint It Yellow" in English beat off
challenges from movies including "Dhoom 2", a thriller starring
Bollywood golden couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, and sci-fi
hit "Krrish".
Showing no hard feelings, Bachchan and Rai presented the award at the
climax of a marathon five-hour ceremony which finished well past
midnight and was watched by a capacity 12,500 arena crowd as well as
some 500 million people in 110 countries on television.
Earlier, Hrithik Roshan won best actor in a leading role for "Krrish",
while Rani Mukherjee was best actress for her part in "Kabhi Alvida Naa
Kehna".
The award for best director went to Rajkumar Hirani for "Lage Raho
Munnabhai", a comedy about the enduring influence of Indian independence
movement leader Mahatma Gandhi and his philosophy of non-violence.
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British actor Colin Firth delivers a speech beside his wife Livia
Giuggioli |
 But
the event was not only about awards a series of high-octane stage
performances by stars like Shilpa Shetty, Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan
had the mainly British South Asian crowd swaying in their seats and,
later, dancing in the aisles. Abhishek Bachchan and his father Amitabh,
voted the biggest star of the millennium in a 1999 BBC poll, danced
together on stage to deafening cheers and screams from the crowd.
Cheers were only slightly less loud for heartthrob Salman Khan, who
snaked through the audience on a golden pantomime horse, pursued by a
brass band and dancers, before leaping on stage for a song-and-dance
routine in front of huge Easter Island-inspired masks.
Other highlights included an award for outstanding contribution to
Indian cinema for legendary actor and politician Dharmendra, who was
joined on stage by his two weeping sons, Sunny and Bobby Deol.
Amitabh Bachchan told the audience in a very personal address that
Dharmendra, his neighbour in Mumbai, was "the most wonderful friend and
the most wonderful human you can come across." Dharmendra and his sons
were at the festival promoting their new film "Apne" the first time the
clan have appeared on screen together.
In addition, Shetty was awarded a special prize by the county of
Yorkshire marking her victory earlier this year on British reality
television show "Celebrity Big Brother" in the face of alleged racist
bullying.
Handing over the award, former Yorkshire and England cricket captain
Geoffrey Boycott told the audience, to loud cheers:
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Actor Bobby Deol (2ndR) cries as his father Dharmendra Deol (2ndL)
receives an award, looking on is brother actors Sunny Deol |
"Under great provocation, she acted with dignity and class and
like a true lady."
The event was presented by funnyman Boman Irani and former Miss
Universe Lara Dutta.
An estimated 30,000 visitors from abroad poured into Sheffield,
Leeds, Bradford, York and Hull for the events that are bringing a touch
of glamour to gritty Yorkshire.But a serious twist was thrown in as the
stars walked the green carpet that replaced the traditional red carpet
to raise awareness of environmental issues and climate change.
The industrial heartland of Yorkshire, built on industries like
mining and steel, may seem like an unlikely setting for such a
flamboyant event, but the area has the third-largest population of
ethnic South Asians in Britain.
The IIFAs, first held in 2000 in London, are always held in different
locations around the world, such as Johannesburg and Amsterdam, to
increase the international profile of Bollywood film.
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