South Indian stars shine in Dubai
The South Indian International Movie Awards honoured achievers in Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and Tamil cinema
The second day of the South Indian International Movie Awards (Siima), which honoured excellence in Telugu and Kannada cinema for 2017, paid glowing tributes to Sridevi at Bollywood Parks in Dubai on Saturday.
Actors Khushboo, Radhika, Puneet Rajkumar and producer Allu Aravind praised the star as a versatile performer par excellence.
Khushboo was overcome with grief as she recounted her conversation with Boney Kapoor a few days before Sridevi and her family were to go to Dubai for a family wedding.
“It was a rude shock to be woken up with a very sad news [of Sridevi’s death],” Khushboo said. “I think the legacy that she left behind is there to keep her in our hearts with all the good memories.”
Playback singer P Susheela, who has served the South Indian film industry for over six decades, was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The event also remembered the legendary Telugu actor and late chief minister of Andhra Pradesh NT Rama Rao. His son Nandamuri Balakrishna,
who is donning the role of NTR in the eponymous biopic, said his father has served the film industry for over six decades and had established the identity of Telugu people on the world map.
Balakrishna, who received the critics award from Radhika and Sharat for his title role in Gautamiputra Satakarni, which also starred Hema Malini, said the film was made in 96 days and shot in India, Morocco and Georgia. Baahubali 2: The
Conclusion led the pack in bagging Siima Awards: best director (SS Rajamouli), best film (Shobu Yarlagadda), best cinematographer (Senthil Kumar), best singer (Kaala Bhairava for the song Dandaalayya) and best music director (M M Keeravani).
Bhairava said: “This award is just the beginning and I have a long way to go.” He said he was pleased to receive the award from Bhumika Chawla whose Simhadri he said he saw as a child.
Rana Daggubati won the best entertainer of the year award for his roles in Baahubali 2, The Ghazi Attack and Nene Raju Nene Mantri.
The show that got off to a spectacular start kept the audience engaged until the end.