Fabulous Firsts

The joy of first victory can be overwhelming. Ranveer Singh aka Bittoo of Band Baaja Baaraat can vouch for it. Quite unlike his boisterous on-screen character,the 25-year-old was reduced to sobbing when he was presented with the trophy of Most Promising Newcomer Male. “Sorry for crying like this. This is my first award,” said the otherwise chirpy host of the evening.

Despite spending a decade in the industry,when screenwriter and director Habib Faisal came up on stage to receive the award for Best Dialogue,he was visibly excited. As Singh and co-star Anushka Sharma,who were anchoring that segment,danced their way towards him,he mockingly stopped them as he wanted to concentrate on his thank-you speech. “I want to thank my wife and daughter for putting up with my mood swings which was like PMSing,” said Faisal. He had also won nominations for Best Screenplay and Most Promising Debut Director awards — both for Do Dooni Char.

The first-timer at Screen awards who attracted maximum attention was Sonakshi Sinha. One can blame the tight-fitted Shantanu & Nikhil backless dress for it. But then the Dabangg girl has been generating such response ever since the film released. Flanked by brother Luv and mother Poonam Sinha,Sonakshi said,“I am a newcomer in the industry and it is so encouraging to be nominated for my first film.” The other Dabangg girl who was in the spotlight that evening was playback singer Mamta Sharma. She bagged two awards for her hit item number Munni Badnaam Hui.

Sonakshi was not the only girl vying for attention. Amrita Puri of Aisha fame made many heads turn. Dressed in a golden one-shoulder Vizyon dress,Puri was in the race for Best Supporting Actor Female award. “This is my first nomination,my first time at the Screen Awards — it’s a great feeling,”she said. Rajshree Ojha,the director of Aisha,too was present at the event. “This is the first cinema-related award ceremony that I have attended. What I like about the Screen Awards is the fact that the choice of nominations and awards are very out-of-the box. The performances are also fun,” she said.

Actor Manu Rishi appeared excited to be in the company of Phas Gaye Re Obama team. “I couldn’t make it to the Screen Awards when Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! was nominated. So this is my first time at this award ceremony and I am excited that Phas Gaye Re Obama has been nominated,” said Rishi.

However,as far as the first-timers’ luck at the Screen awards goes,the Udaan team seemed to have it in plenty. Most of the film’s crew and cast,including Rajat Barmecha,Ronit Roy and Vikramaditya Motwane,had received their first Screen awards nomination. They sat together and every time the film’s nomination was read out they burst into a prolonged round of applause. “To be nominated for my first film is the most amazing feeling. I am ecstatic,” said Barmecha,who had bagged the Most Promising Newcomer nomination.

It was not the first Screen awards ceremony that Motwane was attending. “But being nominated for the first time is so over-whelming,” he said. What made the event special for him were the Best Director and Best Film trophies Motwane took home.