10th Masala! Awards

Undoubtedly, the Masala! Awards 2017 was one of the biggest social events of the UAE in recent times. The star attendance, the buzz, the glamour and the fun was like none other. However, one image stood out among the millions that were shared – it was that of Pakistani beauties, Saba Qamar, Mawra Hocane and Mahira Khan, with B-town’s eternal diva, Sridevi and celebrity designer, Manish Malhotra. Top stars from Pakistan and India descended on Dubai this week for the annual Masala Awards, organized by the popular magazine. Touted as the only high profile event that puts stars from sides of the border in the limelight together, this year’s Masala Awards – marking their tenth anniversary – attracted names such as Sridevi, Govinda and Arjun Rampal (amongst others from India). The delightfully humorous (and non-political) Boman Irani acted as host for the evening while Govinda took to stage in performances that delighted the audience.

This was the picture that defined what the awards were all about – a platform for Bollywood and Lollywood celebrities to be honoured and celebrated together. But how did it come about?

Rao Ali Khan, the stylist to Saba Qamar and Mawra Hocane spills the beans. He said,

Sridevi had just won her award (for Outstanding Performance in ‘Mom’). Being a huge fan for a long time, I really wanted a picture with her, before she left the venue. I happen to know Boney Kapoor for the last two years and requested him if I could take a picture with my idol Sridevi. He was kind enough to tell me to meet them backstage, probably the best place to get an image without being mobbed!

Incidentally, Manish too played a part. He gathered the other beauties and got them backstage for introductions and it was he who got them to strike a pose for this lovely image. Manish insisted he is in the middle next to the gorgeous Sridevi who he had styled for the event. Soon, an excited Mawra and the beauteous Mahira and Saba joined them in the frame. The Pakistani actresses, we hear, were super excited to meet and interact with Sri. Saba especially seemed to have made quite an impression on the MOM actress and the latter was heard praising her performance in Hindi Medium. A phone was handed to Rao who was only too happy to snap the gorgeous ladies and the man of the moment, Manish.

Masala!

She wore an outfit by Manish Malhotra that included a beaded corset blouse, a matching embroidered lehenga and sheer tassel hem dupatta draped over her shoulders. Casually tousled curls and simple makeup rounded her look out.