Last evening I attended the 11th annual Gollapudi Srinivas Memorial Trust Award function for the best debut director of 2007. The winner was Aamir Khan & the key note speaker this time was Anupam Kher. The other speakers were Vidhu Vinod Chopra, K.Balachandar & Jagjit Singh.
This is an annual award ceremony for the best debut director across the country for the year instituted in honour of the late Gollapudi Srinivas by his family. Gollapudi Srinivas was promising director who died while shooting his first film ,Prema Pusthakam ( telugu). This year's event began with a wonderful ghazal concert by Jagjit Singh & the audience couldnt keep asking for more. Anupam Kher delivered his lecture on Children of the greater God & packed his lecture with a lot of personal anecdotes.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra recalled his early association with Aamir & also expressed his fascination for TZP.But it was K.Balachandar who literally swept the audience away. Though reading from a prepared text ( he even gave a lovely reason for it- saying I am a director, I cannot speak extempore like an actor or a politician) he couldnt hide his childlike admiration for Aamir Khan & TZP. The various adjectives & statements used in praise of Aamir so moved Aamir that he actually broke down listening to the doyen speak.
In fact whe Aamir after accepting his award came forward to speak, he was again overcome by emotion & choked up. Overall a lovely evening including the compere , the lovely Lekha Washington ( but was happening to her speech- saying facilitate instead of felicitate repeatedly, probably she couldnt control her excitement of meeting all these luminaries) & I had a great time. For those who are wondering how come Aamir came down to accept this award ( he normally doesnt accept award functions) well he himself has been a speaker at this event a few years back & people like Ram Madhvani a previous winner ( 2002- Lets Talk) who worked with him in TZP also helped in the same process.
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