9th ANNUAL SCREEN AWARDS 2003

Tuesday , January 10, 2006

New Frontiers

Amid Akshaye Khanna’s electrifying performance on tracks from Humraaz, Information & Broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj lit the traditional lamp. Shamita Shetty sizzled on Sharara from Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai while Fardeen Khan entranced the audience with a medley of hits from Khushi.

Model Ishita Arun announced Sonu Nigam’s name for the Most Outstanding Debut Of The Year.


It was total recall with Rani Mukerji swinging to Sharmila Tagore’s hits like Ishaaron mein. The lifetime award was presented to Sharmila by Gulzar and Rakhee. Saif and Fardeen later presented Rani with the Special Jury Award for her sensitive performance in Saathiya.

Coming to cricket, Screen arranged to present a bat, autographed by film stars. SRK did the honours.

Meanwhile, Ram Gopal Varma’s Company picked up six trophies, including the second Special Jury award for Best Director. Vivek Oberoi won the Most Promising Debut (Male) and the award for Best Supporting Actor (Female) went to Madhuri Dixit for Devdas that also bagged the Best Film, Best Director (Sanjay Leela Bhansali), Best Actor (Shah Rukh Khan) and Best Actress (Aishwarya Rai). Aparna Sen, Konkona Sen Sharma, Gurinder Chaddha and Boman Irani were the first-ever recipients of the Screen Diaspora awards.



** most outstanding debut of 2003...must be one of his movies...cool...but isn't it kinda late??? LOL.

Main Hoon Na: Sonu Nigam to hearing impaired students

Shaikh Ayaz
Sunday, January 08, 2006 19:04 IST


Sonu Nigam might have crooned his way up through commercial singing, but on Thursday afternoon at the Lion’s School for the Hearing Impaired, Nigam matched duets for a cause - and giving him competition were the 30 odd speech and hearing impaired students. Not only did he entertain the students, but he also decided to present them a unique New Year gift - a set of 10 sophisticated hearing aids. An NRI from London also made a donation of 20 pieces of hearing machines.

“The donation will help our institute, since most of the students hail from poor homes. We had in fact given digital hearing equipment to a girl three months ago and it worked for her. She made huge progress. These new donations will be utilised in the best possible way,” remarked a teacher of the school.

Meanwhile, Nigam has been stationed at Rajkot for a series of stage shows that he is doing for a cellular brand and in fact came on the venue directly from the airport. He was invited by friend and actor Kunika. “I thought it might be for cancer patients or some other cause, because Kunika is always involved in social work. It is strange that my audience are these children, because they can’t hear properly. Yet in a way they are my audience,” he says. The singer, who also handed over some other gifts to the kids, kept them entertained throughout. He sang songs from ‘Kaho Na Pyar Hai’ and ‘Main Hoon Na’ for the children. Needless to say, they seemed impressed. Evidently, he turned out to be as popular with the kids, as with the music connoisseurs.



** Wow that's so sweet of him...he's got a big heart...Rock on Sonu! Aap sach mein ho na!