We cheer along with the team of 3 Idiots as they scoop away maximum trophies at the Nokia 16th Annual Star Screen Awards If you were at the Nokia 16th Annual Star Screen awards,this was the happiest place to be at. The first three rows at the centre of the audience reminded one of a laughter club,with the excited cast of 3 Idiots picking up awards by the handful. Ten rows behind were 40 enthusiastic crew members of the film. We rehearsed the cheer on the way, says Boman Irani with a smile,Our entire cast and crew came together in a huge bus. It was such a big bus that we were not allowed to enter the venue so we had to walk some distance, he laughs. The cast and crew,led by producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and director Rajkumar Hirani,entered the venue like baraatis hollering Aal izz vell. Omi Vaidya,R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi walked in with the group along with their wives all of them with nervous smiles. Im more nervous about my performance than the awards, reveals Vaidya,The fact that Ive been nominated is big enough for me. I just hope I dont let people down my giving a bad performance. This is Vaidyas first awards function and he tells us that all his family and friends back in USA and waiting with bated breath for the results. As soon as the awards start,the tension starts mounting. Hirani is excited. Im so happy to be here with my entire cast and crew. Of course we miss Aamir (Khan) and hope that we can convince him to come to awards some day, says the soft spoken director as finds a seat in the first row next to his wife and Chopra. The awards for the Best Editing,Dialogue and Screenplay are announced in succession and 3 Idiots have swooped them all. The cheering squad,which is the entire crew of the film,have screamed their anthem till their throats are hoarse. Hirani does several rounds of back and fro from the stage,handing his awards to his wife each time he comes back. Hes blushing now. This is so much fun, is all he can say. The team is in great spirits now. Vaidya and Madhavan are on stage performing superbly as Marathi and Bihari cowboys. Everyone from the crew to Chopra make sure they laugh loudly for every joke that their team members crack. Little girls have found their way to these chair and go to each person with their autograph books,but are not happy only with these,Where is Chatur? they ask. Vaidya aka Chatur returns to his seat post-performance and can finally relax. But that lasts only until he jumps up to pick up his award for the Most Promising Male Debut. He hugs his wife and rushes to pick up the golden lady. Its all still a blur, he gushes,unable to say more between the smiles and congratulatory hugs. Irani then goes to pick up his award for the Best Actor in Negative Role,after which Vaidya runs up again to pick up his second,Best Actor in Comic Role. Everyone is the team is giggling and laughing. Even Sharman Joshi,who lost his Best Actor in Supporting Role to Rishi Kapoor,is not a sore loser as he continues to cheer for the team. After 3 Idiots is announced as the best film,everyone jumped off their seats to the stage chanting Aal izz vell,including the 40 crew members. And all thats left in the audience are six happy wives,clutching awards and clapping till their hands get sore. (Watch the awards telecast tomorrow night,Sunday,on Star Plus,at 7.30 pm)
