The predictable happened. Like at so many other film award ceremonies over the past few months, Devdas was the toast of the prestigious 9th V. Shantaram Awards. At a glittering ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Ballroom on Saturday, the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed magnum opus virtually made a clean sweep. Held under the aegis of the Rajkamal Academy of Cinematic Excellence (RACE), the 61-member Academy judged nominations from across the country. Of the 12 categories, Devdas bagged awards in five (Music, Story/Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography, Choreography, Female Artiste). It also shared the honours in two categories (Direction and Best Film). However, the big names of Devdas Bhansali, Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai gave the ceremony a miss, with Bela Sehgal receiving most of the awards on behalf of the absentees. The obvious choice for Debutante Artist (Male) was Vivek Oberoi for his role in Company. And Gauri Karnik bagged the award for Debutante Artist (Female) for her role in Sur. ‘‘I have been nominated at a number of awards, but this is the first time I am actually getting it,’’ she said. The Best Male Actor award was bagged by Malayalam actor Jayaram (Shesham). The evening was interspersed with a mini-documentary on Shantaram’s life and works, a Provogue fashion show and several jaunts down memory lane. Jeetendra, who got his break in Shantaram’s Geet Gaya Patharon Ne in the 1960s, said: ‘‘I would parade in front of his office every day so that Shantaramji would pick me. God has been kind to me since then.’’ Among those in attendance was Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh along with actor-son Ritesh, Perizaad Zorabian and Riya Sen.
