IIFA awards ends with fanfare in Singapore

Preity Zinta picking up best actress

It was the evening for New York-set love story Kal Ho Naa Ho (KHNH), which scooped the eight out of the 13 awards on offer, including best picture, with Preity Zinta picking up best actress and Saif Ali Khan best supporting actor for their roles in the film.

While Jaya Bachchan took home the best supporting actress for her performance in KHNH with the film also winning best music direction, best story, best lyrics and best male playback singer.

India's first ever science fiction film Koi Mil Gaya, Bollywood's biggest box office success for 2003, was the only movie that came close to rivalling Kal Ho Naa Ho in Bollywood's version of the Oscars.

Other awardees were Om Puri for Outstanding Performance by an Indian in International Cinema, Dilip Kumar for Outstanding Contribution to Indian Cinema and Yash Johar for Outstanding Technical Contribution to Indian Cinema.

Besides, Samsung Style Icon Award went to Saif Ali Khan; Sony Entertainment Television Face of the Year Awards went to Amrita Arora and Shahid Kapoor. The Samsung Diva Award was given to Kareena Kapoor.

The rare moment of the evening came when Karan Johar spoke on the relationship between a father and son and went on to say all that he ever wanted to, and that too, in front of a global audience. To be recognised in front of millions of people, to win praise from his own son and to be awarded by Amitabh Bachchan, Yash Johar couldn't have asked for anything more.

Rahul Khanna and Celina Jaitley anchored the show. An estimated 400 million people, mainly in India, watched the event live on television.