Sallu smiled but Aloo cried...

All the back-stage action from a recent award function.

Burning hot

Alia Bhatt who performed to a medley of songs was one of the early birds, flying in at 5.30 pm. The actress was however kept waiting for the next five hours as Salman Khan took her slot and Alia's act was pushed to the end of the show.

On stage, she was serenaded with a shower of fireworks, one of which landed on her bare arm, scalding it. Despite the painful burn, Alia performed with a smile, but as soon as she was away from the sea of eyes, the 22-year-old burst into tears.

A solicitous Salman Khan on learning about the accident immediately rushed to her vanity van. And after making sure she wasn't seriously injured, packed her home.

Sallu, his girls and Big B

Meanwhile, Salman Khan, who has been cleared by the Bombay High Court of all charges in the 2002 hit-and-run case, was in high spirits, both on stage and off it. After doing a "Selfie Le", he stretched out backstage with two of his favourite girls, Elli Avram and Scarlett Wilson. Even his 'Munni' from Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Harshaali Malhotra, was seen running around Bhai while her mother told anyone who cared to listen that her daughter was now being mentored by Salman Khan.

However, it was the Big B who took Sallu by surprise when after picking up his award, he took a detour for a fiveminute chat with the actor.

When the Hero lost to a punch

It was the first disappointment for Sallu's 'Hero', Sooraj Pancholi, and 'heroine' Athiya Shetty, who came all dressed up for the ball, hoping to go back home with their shoes on and the Best Debutant trophies. But they were upstaged by Akshara Haasan, who was introduced by R Balki in Shamitabh and Omkar Kapoor, the new boy in the Pyaar Ka Punchnama sequel. The duo smiled sportingly, lil' Miss Shetty getting 'cheeky' with another style icon, Sonam Kapoor, who was under the weather but weathered the viral well.