Finally, Devdas is a winner on night of starry dreams

The only category in which opinion was divided among the jury was for Best Actor — ending in Ajay Devgan (Company) and Shah Rukh Khan (Devdas) sharing the award. “I’d like to thank half the jury!” said Khan when he went onstage with a glowing, prettily pregnant Kajol, who collected it on husband Devgan’s behalf. Following close on the heels of a drunken Devdas was the slick Company, for which producer/director Ram Gopal Varma received a critics’ salutation and several other awards. Marathi film Dahavi bagged the plum awards for makers Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukhtanker.

The stage for the ceremony — inaugurated by Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sushma Swaraj — was dedicated to the magic of movies. Converted into giant marquees, the stage carried enormous posters of films like Deewangee and Humraaz.

If the stage burst into flame when Shamita Shetty sang Sharara sharara and Fardeen Khan brought a guitar that exploded into a shower of sparks before his act, then silk curtains danced to Urmila Matondkar’s hit from Lajja. Bengali beauty Rani Mukherjee paid tribute to the gorgeous Sharmila Tagore — who received the Lifetime Achievement award — through a delightful medley of Tagore’s reigning songs.

The performance of the evening went, however, to the hilarious parody that Sonu Nigam made of all the music nominations. Nigam’s act began with the startling announcement that he had won the award for his debut in Jaani Dushman. So convincing was he that after all humour unfolded, the camera caught a relieved Vivek Oberoi (who later won Most Promising Male Newcomer).

This year’s Star Screen awards also introduced an entirely new category for the diaspora — an emerging cinema in India. Gurinder Chadha collected it for best film made by Indian based abroad and credited Bend It Like Beckham for spreading the meaning of aloo gobi the world over. Aparna Sen won the award for best film made by Indian based here with her inspired Mr And Mrs Iyer.

Ajay Devgan did a ‘double take’ by gathering the award for his negative role in Deewangee and funnyman Paresh Rawal got the comic role award (Awaara Pagal Deewana).

An audience poll also chose Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai as the best star couple of the year. After Company amassed awards for Background Score, Editing, Sound Recording and Actor in Supporting Role, Devdas held court.

‘‘I’m immensely proud of Devdas because it was made against all odds,’’ said a victorious Bhansali, before the sky lit up with shimmering fireworks at the end of another Asian Paints Star Screen award ceremony.