Saif (top), Shahid

Bangkok, June 9: Saif couldn’t be spotted when Kareena walked up on stage. And Bebo didn’t find him “important” enough for even a mention.

Bollywood’s hottest couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor sent out all the wrong signals at the IIFA Awards night here on Sunday, less than a year after they publicly announced their togetherness at the Lakme Fashion Week last October.

Saif couldn’t be seen among the audience when Kareena performed to a medley of songs from Tashan and Jab We Met, though he was present when the evening began.

After the performance, Kareena sat on her own. Saif was not seen in the stands when she picked up the Best Actress award for Jab We Met.

Moments later, it must have been Jab They Split that flashed through those present when Kareena thanked the “three most important” persons for the award.

“I want to thank the three most important people for this award — director Imtiaz Ali, producer Ashtavinayak and… and the most important person, my co-star (and ex) Shahid Kapur,” she said in her acceptance speech.

Not a word about Saif.

Unlike other award ceremonies this year, Saif and Kareena didn’t hit Bangkok together. In fact, there was no Saif for the first two days of Bollywood’s biggest annual three-day party.

Kareena was seen going out with actor friend Tusshar Kapoor on Saturday. Even her showstopper turn for Manish Malhotra at the IIFA Fashion extravaganza in the evening had no Saif cheering from the front rows.

Saif decided to arrive on Sunday from London, where his first home production is about to get under way.

“He wasn’t sure he would make it but wanted to watch Kareena perform at the show,” revealed a source.

Actress Kareena Kapoor at the IIFA awards in Bangkok. (Reuters)

But Chhote Nawab wasn’t around when Bebo was preening.

According to a backstage insider, Saif didn’t want to hand over the trophy to Kareena, and Govinda was asked at the last moment to do the honours.

The Telegraph’s sources blamed it on the dress code.

Saif was supposedly not happy with the skimpy outfit Kareena was to wear during her performance. He had Manish Malhotra put together something more Indian — read less provocative — to envelope his girlfriend’s Size Zero figure.

So while the likes of Katrina Kaif and Dia Mirza were at their smouldering best, Kareena’s elaborate dress spoilt the party.

Back home in Bollywood, insiders insisted it was the same angst that affects urban couples — misunderstandings because of lack of time together.

“Kareena is extremely busy this year. Five of her films are under various stages of production. She is doing nine endorsements for which she needs to shoot throughout the year, plus two stage shows for which she wants to give her best and is rehearsing hard. She came to the IIFA directly from Melbourne where she was shooting,” said a source close to the actress.

“The two don’t get enough time to themselves,” said a source close to the Chhote Nawab. “Whenever Saif finds a way to meet her, by joining her on her shoots, or driving her down for any of her events, the media splashes it as yet another instance of Saif being over-possessive about Kareena.”

But a family friend of Kareena said she feels suffocated by his possessiveness and constant trailing. “Kareena is a rebel at heart. The only person she listens to in this world is her mother.”

Call it coincidence or premonition, the IIFA Awards hosts, Boman Irani and Riteish Deshmukh, had shot for a spoofy video for the Sunday evening event. It showed Kareena leaving both Saif and Shahid and the two men finding solace in each other.

Déjà vu?