MUMBAI: India's leading television stars and stalwarts shone bright at Indiantelevision.com's The Seventh Indian Telly Awards 2007 where excellence in television (popular categories) was honoured and recognised

Kasamh Se's Prachi Desai (Bani) and Ram Kapoor (Jai Walia) walked away with the best actress and best actor award respectively in the popular category. Another highlight was Siddhartha and Anita Kaul Basu being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Said Siddhartha Basu, "It is a matter of pride that the Indian television industry has recognised my work."

UTV Software Communications CEO Ronnie Screwvala was conferred with the Contribution to Indian Television award.

The Awards were held this evening at the Chitrakoot Grounds in Andheri, Mumbai.

Sharad Malhotra who plays Sagar Singh in Bannoo Mein Teri Dulhan and Smriti Zubin Irani who plays Vasudha in Virrudh were the critic's choice for best actor and actress respectively. The best daily soap Indian Telly went to Shakuntalam Films Banoo Mein Teri Dulhan, while the best weekly show statuette was picked up by Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan.

Best ensemble cast was awarded to Virrudh, produced by Ugraya Entertainment. "Producing the show and then winning this award has been a dharam yudh for me. It has been a great journey," said Ugraya Entertainment promoter Smriti Irani.

The Hindi Entertainment Channel of the year award was picked up by Zee TV. The seven long year running Kyuunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi was adjudged the best in the continuing TV programme category.

The evening was hosted by TV actor Ram Kapoor and actress Roshni Chopra. The event was marked by lively performances from Eijaaz Khan, Anita Hassnandani, Sayantani Ghosh, Rajashri Thakur Vaidhya, Mona Singh, Urvashi Dholakia, Smriti Iraani, Mouni Roy, Naman Shaw, Jay Bhanushali and the miraculous duo from Amber Dhara. The new Balaji find Dimple Jhangiani was also revealed for the first time in a performance with Akashdeep Saigal.

Another major treat of the spectacular evening was the closing act which had a cross section of industry ranging from Mukesh Khanna to Smriti Irani swaying to Om Shanti Om, replicating Shahrukh Khan's on screen act for the first time in a live event.

CNN IBN was awarded the best news channel of the year - English, while Aaj Tak bagged the best news channel of the year - Hindi.

The glittering evening had the who's who of industry in attendance right from Set India CEO Kunal Dasgupta, INX Media's Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, to Balaji Telefilms' Ekta Kapoor and Miditech's Sandip Sikcand.

The eligible bachelors of television Pulkit Samrat, Naman Shaw, Karan Mehra and Romit Raaj performed an "all-boys-act" at the night. New York-based singer of Indian origin Reenie Mansata whose album is set for an end month release under the Sare Gama label also performed here for the first time in India.

The Indian Telly Popular Awards have 37 categories this year and few of the awards categories include: Best Actor (Popular and Critics - Male and Female), Best Supporting Actor (Male and Female), Best TV Daily, Best TV Weekly, Best Continuing TV show, Best TV Anchor, Best Hindi Channel, Best Production House, Best Reality Show, Best Talent Show, Best News Channel (English and Hindi), Best Hindi Movie Channel, Best Business News Channel, The Hall of Fame Award and Contribution to Television Award, among many others.

The exquisite stage and set was designed by the husband wife duo of Kunal and Leena Bhandula. Creative Direction and TV production was orchestrated by Fazilla and Kamna of SOL Productions while all the sequences were choreographed by Geeta Kapoor who is part of the choreography team of the just released blockbuster Om Shanti Om and who has choreographed numerous TV awards nites.

Top brands got together to partner the prestigious evening. These included Sony Entertainment Television, Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Network 18, Dainik Bhaskar, Bright Outdoors, Radio Mirchi, Orienta, Hathaway, InCable, 7Star and Telly Chakkar.com.

The Indian Telly Awards are the most watched TV awards Nite on television. The show which was telecast on Sony Entertainment Television last year clocked a rating of 3.54, the highest viewership for any independently run TV awards show. The awards were instituted in early 2001 by TV analyst and specialist Anil Wanvari, one of the few board members of the American International Emmy Awards, For the first three years, The Indian Telly Awards were telecast by Star Plus and since then they have been aired on Sony.

Fans can catch the event on Sony Entertainment Television on 2 December at 8 pm