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Indiantelevision.com's
The Indian Telly Awards 2001 Night
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| We
started a little later than we had mentioned on the invitation. Mumbai
traffic did us in; a few of our special guests were delayed. That
was one of the irritants for our invitees, but they bore us patiently. But when the Indian Telly Awards night flagged off with a light show, which unveiled The Indian Telly - a slender lady holding a dish, receiving everything that is beamed down from the skies by satellite broadcasters - rounds of applause were heard, clearly signifying that The Indian Telly Award has managed to find its place under the television arc lights. Aly Khan, the anchor - who did a phenomenal job keeping our one and a half hour show tight and together - followed, giving a flying start to the proceedings. Anil Wanvari, our nattily dressed (for once) CEO, got on stage and spoke nervously, and honoured two television artistes who are no more with us: Marathi newsreader and theatre actress Bhakti Bharve Inamdar and comic actor Jatin Kanakia. While no one from the Barve family could attend (Her mother requested to be excused as she had yet to recover from her daughter's untimely demise), Kanakia's nephew received the satuette saying that wherever his uncle is, may he rest in peace. From thereon, it was over to Khan, who had come dressed in a fabulous sherwani. He called on stage the first presenter Sony programming head Rekha Nigam to hand out the first set of awards (four of them), which she did in her usual graceful style. MTV Bakra Cyrus came on and gave a quick take on the Indian television business, leaving the audience in splits. It was onto the next set of awards which were handed out by MTV India boss Alex Kuruvilla (again four of them). A break followed which had Darren Das and his dancers doing a western-Indian fusion dance. It was time for the miscellaneous awards like best marketing activity, best promoted TV event, MSO of the year, and finally production house of the year. The last award had Ekta Kapoor at her best when she retaliated rather angrily to a comment made by Khan, when he said that success needn't determine good quality programmes. Quoth her: "Don't underestimate your viewers. They can very well differentiate from good from bad. And it is because our programmes are good they are popular. I am grateful to Sony, Channel 9, Zee TV, and If our programmes were bad they would not be popular. And most of all Star TV, kyunki unhone banaiya hamhe kahani ghar ghar ki." Then it was on to the final set of awards: The special awards, which recognised the efforts TV channels, a TV personality, a TV CEO and finally the contribution of a single individual to the television business. Which left us with the last or rather the second last act of the evening: Mumbai musicians Viv and Merlin who rocked those in attendance. Then it was on to drinks and dinner. And finally, it was over to deejay Lloyd who drew the crowd onto the dance floor. The party rocked on till close to 1 pm. Television people we loved bringing The Indian Telly Awards to you. (For larger and higher resolution images of these web images click on each of the pictures) |
 Indiantelevision.com CEOAnil Wanvari hands over The Indian Telly to the late Jatin Kanakia's nephew. "May his sould rest in peace," said he. |
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 Star India ad sales head Raj Nayak receives The Indian Telly Award for best TV sitcom/comedy for Tu Tu Mein Mein from Sony programming head Rekha Nigam |
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 An In House Production representative gleefully holds aloft his Indian Telly for best continuing TV show Movers & Shakers |
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 BBC World's Deeptie Sethie accepts the statuette on behalf of programming head Narendar Morar for Hard Talk India from Rekha Nigam |