While at the IIFA...

It saw actors Farhan Akhtar and Shahid Kapoor poking fun at the CBFC. And superstar Salman Khan, for his performance, chose songs that made many wonder if he was apologising for his “rape” comment. The IIFA awards night was packed with fun, drama and entertainment that left the audience wanting for more. The 17th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards night on Saturday started much later than the scheduled time, causing agitation among the audience. But when the hosts Farhan and Shahid hit the stage on donkeys, they brought a smile to everyone’s face. But before them, actor-producer Anil Kapoor talked about the healthy relation between India and Spain and how Indian cinema was hugely appreciated there. Shahid and Farhan then took over as Papu and Raju making the audience laugh at some of their jokes. There were times when the guests rooted for comedian Kapil Sharma and demanded him on stage. Hrithik Roshan was the first performer mesmerising audience with songs like Ek pal ka jeena and Baawre. Shahid almost imitated in a hilarious way the famous urination scene from his latest film Udta Punjab. The Bombay High Court had directed the makers to delete the scene. He even mentioned the name of CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani. Another high point of the night was the performance by Priyanka, who shook a leg to songs from her films including Dil Dhadkane Do. She also sung live on stage.

The last act of the night was of Salman, who received a thunderous welcome on stage by the audience in the form of loud cheer, whistles and We love you Bhai. Though earlier he had said “Don’t expect me to dance like Hrithik and Tiger”, the superstar got everyone dancing when he performed to his hit songs. Sea of other celebs like Amisha Patel and Neha Dhupia attended too. —IANS