Abhishek-Aishwarya on second honeymoon!

By Fakir Hassen

For Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, the IIFA week could well have been a second honeymoon.

The couple, clearly very much in love in their second year of marriage, showed something rather rare in their public life otherwise - their affection for each other very publicly at the various International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards events and also during stage activities at the grand finale show at this entertainment and gambling hub that is a Special Administrative Region of China.

In the company of Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan most of the time as they walked the green carpets at the three nightly events that saw hundreds of fans behind barriers screaming for autographs and a handshake, the couple readily obliged.

Aishwarya even playfully pulled Abhishek along by the hands at one stage when she thought he was taking too long in moving along as he chatted to the media.

But it was during the awards ceremony Saturday night that the couple revelled in their love for each other amidst their performances on stage.

"Baby, you're the best, " Abhishek said off the stage as he accepted the award for the Best Comic Role playing a pseudo-gay character in the hit film Dostana last year.

Earlier, when Aishwarya got the award for outstanding achievement by an Indian in global cinema, she said in her thanks to all her family: "You're the best husband!"

Towards the end of the show, as Abhishek danced through the 15, 000-seater packed auditorium, he stopped by Aishwarya's seat and even got her to jump up and dance with him in front of her seat.

When Abhishek broke down and choked with emotion about he had aspired to be like his father when he saw Amitabh's role in "Amar Akbar Anthony" as a child, the shared emotion was clear on Aishwarya's face shown on the screens around the arena. And every time that he laughed or joked, she showed great joy too.

The same was true for Abhishek whenever Aishwarya was on stage, and the huge crowd lapped it all up with thunderous applause.

The love story that was the toast of Bollywood two years ago clearly continues to make waves.