Jodhaa-Akbar,A Wednesday surprises at Screen Awards!!!

Last year was painful, and terror attacks on Mumbai were a bitter reality.It however, couldn't choke the imagination and enthusiasm of Bollywood. Neither did the global downturn dampened spirits.


The Khan siblings, Sajid and Farah, hosted the evening along with Shreyas Talpade, sprinkling the announcement of the Awards with jokes on several talked-about releases of the year 2008, particularly Karzzz, Dostana and Fashion.

Between themselves, Jodha Akbar and A Wednesday notched 14 nominations each.The first, a historical epic that tenderly told the story of a romance that transcended the barriers of religion; the second an edgy thriller,economical, small-budgeted which framed the aam aadmi as terrorized and helpless. Rock On!! joined A Wednesday in a run on the awards, both films winning many a awards.

When the young man whose name was announced as winner of the best story award for A Wednesday took the stage, compere Farah Khan asked aloud, “Is that really Neeraj Pandey?” It was meant in all seriousness, something that could not be said of most of Farah and Sajid’s best lines from the glittering stage.

No one probably at the MMRDA Grounds knew what Neeraj Pandey looked like. Not even Farah, who is no ordinary comperer, and the only woman director to make it big commercially.The lean, bespectacled man, dressed deep blue and black, allowed his film to do all the speaking for him.

Akshay Kumar refused to accept the Best Actor in Popular Category (Male) Award for Singh is Kinng Akshay left the Award statuette on the podium. Aishwarya Rai , winner of the Best Actor in Popular Category (Female) Award, said she would accept, but only on behalf of the entire crew of Jodhaa Akbar.

On a sultry evening, populated by innumerable stars in the sky and on the ground at Mumbai’s sprawling MMRDA Grounds. Hrithik Roshan won Best Actor (Male) for Jodhaa Akbar.Befittingly, as the flames went up from the stage, as Priyanka Chopra danced to a medley from Fashion, there was fire too. She walked away with Best Actress Award for Fashion, afterall.

Jodhaa Akbar won Best Film, and its director Ashutosh Gowarikar shared Best Director with Neeraj Pandey for A Wednesday. A R Rahman won the Award for the Best Background Score (Jodhaa Akbar). Pandey also won Best Debut Director for A Wednesday, which won the Award for Best Story.

The Nokia 15th Annual Star Screen Awards toasted a year which opened up space for stories with a difference told by bold new storytellers carried on.