Aishwarya rolls it

Rajesh Khanna

Anand in 1971. Namak Haram in 1973. IIFA Awards in 2009. Three decades after they waged celluloid war, Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna staged a dramatic comeback in front of 11,000-odd people at the Cotai Arena in The Venetian Resort Macau Hotel on Saturday night.

AB as the brand ambassador of IIFA and Kaka as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Priyanka Chopra

Bipasha Basu with her style icon award

Bachchan introduced Khanna and somewhere in the middle of his eloquent speech said: “Watching his craze among his fans, I wondered if I could ever make it as a hero in this industry.”

Then Rajesh Khanna in a bizarre orange pyjama-kurta walked up to the stage, gave Bachchan a long hug and even a peck on his cheek.

As Bachchan stood behind him with not a muscle on his face twitching, Khanna spoke less about himself and more about his Babumoshay. From the opening lines of “Amit ne mujhe mauka diya main aaj aapke beech mein hoon...” to Anand lines like “Babumoshay eto bhalobasha bhalo noy” to the sign-off “Yeh mujhe gham nahin zamana badal gaya/ zindagi hai tumse, tum badal naa jaana”, it was high drama, Kaka-style.

But that wasn’t the only piece of drama at the big awards night in what was the 10th anniversary of IIFA celebrations. Presenting some tinsel tidbits from the five-hour gala...

Hrithik roshan with his two iifa trophies

Hrithik the rockstar

You have seen him act. You have seen him dance. You have even seen him fly. But on Saturday night, the packed Cotai Arena crowd saw a different Hrithik Roshan. Hrithik the singer. In an impromptu antakshari conducted by host Boman Irani, Duggu let loose his vocal chords, making it the moment of the night.

Singing Tera mera yaarana a couple of seats away from AB, Hrithik was a revelation. Let’s just say that if someone were to do a musical with Duggu, he wouldn’t need a playback singer to dub his voice. Hrithik totally rocked it, singing two stanzas of the song composed by his uncle (Rajesh Roshan).

“He is a fantastic singer.... After hearing him at a party, I asked him to sing a song in Kites and he has actually done a number in the film,” film-maker Anurag Basu told t2 later.

And, yes, Hrithik did pick up two awards on the night — Best Actor (Jodhaa Akbar) and the Style Icon trophy (Bips was the female Style Icon).

Hrithik rocks. Period.

Sonam Kapoor

Poor Anil

The only Kapoors of the night, the ones high on international acclaim — father with an Oscar-winning movie, daughter with a report in The Hollywood Reporter — had quite a forgettable time. Anil was, in fact, the chosen bakra for the night as hosts Boman and Riteish picked on his angrezi accent, his Lakhan ways, his crazy Oscar dance and everything else you can think of. He would appear on the wrong end of almost every joke and sitting in the audience, he could do very little about it.

A good performance by Sonam would have saved the day. But that wasn’t to be. A whole lot of first-time-on-stage nerves, strange costumes and some very, very stiff dancing made up what was billed as the item of the night. With everything from Genda phool to Masakali playing on the speakers, Sonam should have had it easy but even the crazy cheering from Dad in the crowd couldn’t come to the rescue.

Abhishek rocks it

Chhota B

He surprised himself with his tears, but cry he did while accepting the Best Comic Actor Award.

Abhishek, who carried director Tarun Mansukhani up on stage after winning the trophy for Dostana, was the most natural Bachchan on view on Saturday night. “Ash, I only love you and it proves that I am heterosexual, but baby today I am feeling very gay.”

And then followed the tears. “When I was a kid, I watched this man doing the mirror scene in Amar Akbar Anthony and I told myself I want to be like him and whatever I am today is because of him.” Pa smiled in Row One but Ma couldn’t held back her tears. Aww!

Abhishek’s was also arguably the best performance of the night. Starting from amidst the audience and then hip-hopping his way on to the stage, Bachchan Junior was at his bindaas best, on the beat and in the groove. And yes, Ash did a Desi girl thumka sitting in the crowd!

Anil Kapoor with Amrita rao and akshaye khanna

Ash vs Anil

This one is about taal se taal mila!

Boman set things off with a separate skit on Anil Kapoor where he kept saying “Fantastic, fabulous, mind-blowing, mind-numbing, chaiwala” just like the Slumdog Millionaire quizmaster had done in the film.

When Anil came on stage to give Ash the trophy for Best Indian Contribution to International Films, he announced “Fantastic, fabulous, mind-blowing, mind-numbing my favourite chaiwali!!!”

Now the chaiwali is a Miss World of all things who can think real fast on her feet and let it rip when required. So first thing Aishwarya Rai Bachchan said on stage was: “Thank you chaiwala!”

Gawd, after so many years of political correctness, here was Bollywood calling each other chai people.

Ek cutting chai ho jaye!

Decade duel

It was the 10th IIFA and so Wizcraft had people voting in from all over the world for their decade’s favourites.

Rahman, who couldn’t make it because of “some very important work in Los Angeles”, was one of the easiest winners having picked up Best Music trophies for Taal, Lagaan, Saathiya, Rang De Basanti and Guru.

Lagaan won the Movie of the Decade edging past Rang De and Veer-Zaara.

Rakesh Roshan was a surprise choice for Director of the Decade given that Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ashutosh Gowariker were on the list.

Ash won Actress of the Decade, though it was not clear whether it was for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam or Devdas.

And just when everyone was sure Amitabh Bachchan would pick up the Actor of the Decade crown for Black, Shah Rukh Khan’s name was announced! No, he wasn’t around, and Priyanka Chopra picked up his trophy and said: “This really doesn’t make sense... why am I picking up Shah Rukh’s trophy?”

Dostana 3, anyone?

Amitabh Bachchan on the green carpet

Kabhi kabhie

Ash won two awards. Abhishek won one. Amitabh gave away a couple. And finally Ash, Abhishek and Jaya together gave out the Best Film trophy. Receiving it for Jodhaa Akbar, Ashutosh said: “Priyanka is a very good actress but I didn’t understand why Ash didn’t win the Best Actress award!”

An Indian businessman sitting behind, translating the entire awards ceremony for his Chinese friend, was overheard decoding the Bachchan hold on Bollywood: “It’s like his family function!”

That it well may be, but let’s get one thing straight. Of the 300 minutes awardathon that IIFA Macau was, if there was one moment that defined what Bollywood meant to all NRIs present, it was Amitabh Bachchan reciting Kabhi kabhie...

They still haven’t been able to make them like him any more.

Awards list

Farhan Akhtar

Kangana Ranaut

Best Film: Jodhaa Akbar

Best Director: Ashutosh Gowariker (Jodhaa Akbar)

Best Actor: Hrithik Roshan (Jodhaa Akbar)

Best Actress: Priyanka Chopra (Fashion)

Best Supporting Actor: Arjun Rampal (Rock On!!)

Best Supporting Actress: Kangana Ranaut (Fashion)

Best Comic Actor: Abhishek Bachchan (Dostana)

Best Negative Actor: Akshaye Khanna (Race)

Best Music: A.R. Rahman (Jodhaa Akbar)

Best Lyrics: Javed Akhtar (Jodhaa Akbar)

Best Male Playback Singer: Javed Ali (Jashn-e-Bahara, Jodhaa Akbar)

Best Female Playback Singer: Shreya Ghoshal (Teri ore, Singh is Kinng)

Best Story: Neeraj Pandey (A Wednesday)

Most Promising Newcomer (Male): Farhan Akhtar (Rock On!!)

Most Promising Newcomer (Female): Asin (Ghajini)