The prestigious annual Filmfare Awards function was held on a grand scale this year as well. The function is being held to felicitate the 'Best' of the artistes and technicians in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam language films and to present them these Awards by the leading film magazine of southern India 'Filmfare'. That means, the south Indian film stars and technicians would be presented these awards. The Filmfare Awards function was held at International Convention Centre in Hyderabad this year at 6.30 pm on August 5.
Those who attended the function include the top stars of the Telugu film industry Padma Bhushan, Mega Star, Dr Chiranjeevi, Yuva Samrat Nagarjuna, Amala, Victory Venkatesh, Bollywood Baadshah and All India Super Star Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aiswarya Rai, Raviteja, Malayalam super star Mammootty, Kannada young hero Puneet Rajkumar, Ramcharan Teja, Vijay, versatile directors, Shankar, Puri Jagannath, K Raghavendra Rao, Gautham Menon, Muralimohan, AM Ratnam, Dr D Ramanaidu, Allu Aravind, YVS Choudary, Jesudas, Music Magician AR Rahman, besides Krishnamraju, K Viswanath, Arjun Rampal, Devisri Prasad, Lawrence, Vineet, Jayasudha, Ramyakrishna, Amala, Namrata, Tabu, Ooha, Nayanatara, Roma, Chitra, Bhavana, Sandhya, Trisha, S Gopal Reddy, Veturi Sundararama Murthy, and several other top film personalities from Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam participated in the programme.
Padma Bhushan, Mega Star, Dr Chiranjeevi, and Malayalam Super Star Mammotty received Legendary awards, while Rebel Star Krishnamraju and popular playback singer P Suseela received the Lifetime Achievement Awards for the year 2006 as part of the 54th Annual Filmfare Awards function.
Bommarillu bagged the Best Film category, while Puri Jagannath bagged the Best Directors category, Maheshbabu won the Best Hero, Genelia won the Best Heroine, Devisri Prasad as Best Music Director, SP Balasubrahmanyam as Best Male Singer, Mamata Mohandas as Best Female Singer, while Ram and Ileana bagged the best Debut hero and heroine awards. In technical sectioni, S Gopal Reddy bagged the Best Cinematography award, Lawrence as the best choreographer, Veturi Sundarama Murthy as the best lyricist, Saikumar in the Best Supporting Actor category, while Sandhya received the Best Supporting Actress category, besides others.
Legend Award winner in Telugu Chiranjeevi says, 'While receiving such prestigious awards, we remain dumbstruck. At this moment, I feel that I am still a student and talking in front of a Headmaster. That Headmaster is none other than Big B Amitabh Bachchan. He is an inspiring personality for many artistes. I thank all the producers, directors, technicians and co-stars on this occasion. Especially, it was my fans who refill energy every time. This legendary award is the result of all the power that was given to me by all these people.'
SP Balasubrahmanyam says, 'After the Filmfare started announcing awards to Best Playback Singers, I am the first-ever person who bagged this award. Moreover, I am very happy to receive this award especially in presence of my brother-like Viswanath and Jesudas.'
P Suseela, who bagged the Lifetime Achievement Award says, 'It was Prakasa Rao who gave me the first-ever opportunity to sing a song in 1951. My career continued all these days because of the blessings of all the elders and the producers and directors. I feel proud to bag 'Lifetime Achievement Award.' I will continue to safeguard my honour by rendering songs even with this present generation singers.'
Another Lifetime Achievement Award' winner Krishnamraju says, 'This is my fifth Filmfare Award. My journey in the film industry was started with 'Chilaka Gorinka.' Though I announced earlier that I don't receive any private awards, I am receiving this award in honour to the prestigious Filmfare Awards. In my first film, I had a chance to play with SV Ranga Rao. After 40 years, I bagged an award instituted on his name this year. I am very happy for achieving to great honours in the same year.'
Dil Raju, who bagged three awards for his film 'Bommarillu' in the categories of Best Film, Best Director and Best Heroine, says, 'We can produce many successful films. But great films would not come very often. This award should go to Bhaskar and his team, who had brought out a film like 'Bommarillu'.
