STARS FAIL TO GRAZE V SHANTARAM AWARDS
When The Legend Went Unhonoured

The V Shantaram Awards ceremony, which was conducted at the ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton in Andheri (East) yesterday night, set to reward excellence in the country's cinema from the years 1997 to 2000. His son, Kiran Shantaram, his grandson and widow Sandhya attended the function to commemorate the renowned filmmaker's hundredth birthday.

However, most of the current crop of Bollywood stars including those slated to receive awards were conspicuously absent from the event. A fat chunk of the awards remained on the shelf, since there were few winners who made it to the ceremony to collect them.

While a smattering of veterans like thespian Dilip Kumar and the evergreen Dev Anand graced the occasion and spoke about the legendary filmmaker's contribution to Hindi cinema, stars like Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Amisha Patel, Mahima Choudhary and Joy Sengupta were missing. Among other award winners music composers Jatin-Lalit, A. R. Rahman and Annu Malik, and directors Karan Johar and Rakesh Roshan failed to make it to the ceremony.

In a moving speech, actor Dilip Kumar spoke about the director's talent and vision as being a cut above the rest, even in today's world of filmmaking. Dev Anand referred to V Shantaram as a lexicon in Indian cinema. Other attendees to the function were producer/director Yash Chopra, jumping jack Jeetendra, director Ramoji Rao, actress Saira Banu, composer Naushad, and actors Ramesh Deo and Sulabha Deshpande.

Acclaimed director Ashutosh Gowarikar said that the veteran filmmaker as the driving vision behind his directorial venture Lagaan, and added that he did attempt to capture the spirit and beauty of the director's black & white classic. The chief minister of Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh who commented that the local awardees who did not make it to the function really missed something.

The show compered by actor Sachin Khedekar, saw filmmakers JP Dutta (who bagged an award for Border) and John Mathew Mathan (who won for his directorial debut in Sarfarosh), and Shrabhani Deodhar in attendance, along with music director Uttam Singh who won for his score for Dil To Pagal Hai.

The ceremony was also graced by actress/dancer Hema Malini and her daughters Esha and Aahna. Esha performed a Mangal Charan Odissi recital after which the two daughters went on to, present a Bharata Natyam recital of Parampara. There were several others who set the stage alight with classic Shantaram songs keeping the function lively and interesting. Indeed a fitting tribute to a director, who has spawned several generations of filmmakers and actors, sadly there weren't enough to come forth and pay their respects.

THE AWARDEES:
1997:
Best Film -- Border
Best Director - J P Dutta (Border)
Best Music Director -- Uttam Singh (Dil To Paagal Hai)
Best Debut Artiste -- Mahima Choudhary (Pardes)
Special Jury Award -- Sarkarnama (Marathi)

1998:
Best Film -- Tai Sahiba - (Kannada)
Best Director -- Girish Kasaravalli (Tai Sahiba - Kannada)
Best Debut Director -- Karan Johar (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai)
Best Music Director - Jatin-Lalit (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai - Crescendo)
Best Debut Artiste -- Joy Sengupta (Hazar Chaurasi Ki Maa)

1999:
Best Film -- Sarfarosh
Best Director - Rakesh Roshan (Kaho Na Pyaar Hai)
Best Debut Director - John Mathew Mathan (Sarfarosh)
Best Music Director - A R Rahman (Taal)
Best Debut Artiste (Female) -- Amisha Patel
Best Debut Artiste (Male) -- Hrithik Roshan

2000:
Best Films
Gold Award - Shantam (Malayalam)
Silver Award -- Utsab (Bengali)
Bronze - Mrugjaal (Marathi)

Best Directors
Gold -- Jayraj Shantham
Silver -- Rituparno Ghosh (Utsab)
Bronze --Sathyan (Kochu Kochu Santoshangal)
Best Debut Director - Satish Rajwade (Mrugjaal - Marathi)

Best Music Director - Annu Malik (Refugee)
Best Actress - K P S C Lalitha & Seema Biswas (Shantam)
Best Actor - Mamooty (Babasaheb Ambedkar)
Best Debut Artiste (Female) -- Kareena Kapoor
Best Debut Artiste (Male) - Abhishek Bachchan
Best Child Artiste - Bhakti Kulkarni (Mrugjaal) & Kalidas Kochu Kochu Santoshangal)
Special Jury Award - Babasaheb Ambedkar

WRITTEN BY ROBEEL HAQ