Johar danced to Ekta's tunes!

By Subhash K Jha

By showing up at Balajee's first awards function on Friday night to dance on stage with the replacement Tulsi Gautami Gadgil, Smriti Irani has taken the olive branch that Ekta has been extending towards her for a while.

Ekta, still exhausted from the night of her first show gets sentimental. "Smriti came. And she performed on stage with Gautami Gadgil and Shah Rukh. What a performance!

I want to thank the ten tv girls who did the Chak De India act with Shah Rukh. Specially Smriti. In fact Karan Johar said on stage that she's the real Tulsi."

And now Ekta wants Smriti to come back to Balajee. "It can happen any time Smriti wants it to. Our doors are open for her. I'd be honoured if Smriti comes back to us.

I'd love to do something in collaboration with her. I smsed and told her that the show couldn't have been complete with her."

Ekta gets deeply emotional about another alliance. "I've come to the conclusion that Karan Johar is one of the best humanbeings in the world.

My mother was in tears when he even helped me get ready for our dance together on stage. Karan just took charge. 'You're usually not well dressed. You'll wear what I tell you.' I'm totally indebted to Karan. And Shah Rukh. He was so wonderful with all the tv actresses. He made each one feel so special.

He won himself a whole new section of female fans in the audience. I'm indebted to the two for life. And Kareena and Saif came to make the show ultra-glamorous just because Tusshar asked her!

Dino Morea sportingly joined Lara Dutta's act."

Ekta gets emotional about the family bonds that made the show a reality. "It was my mom's goodwill and hard work. Everyone came because of her. I wasn't in the loop till the last few days. It was my mom's awards all the way."

After the awards there was a big bash for all the invitees from the awards function.

Says Ekta, "Everyone danced and drank till early hours. There was no question of my drinking or dancing, firstly because I don't dance or drink at parties that aren't at my home.

Secondly, I had exhausted my quote of dancing on stage after that little jig with Karan. And lastly, because my outfit weighed 40 kilos. I'd have gone home and changed. But there was a little private party at my place."

The day of Ekta's awards was also her mom's birthday. "It was my mom's birthday on the day of the awards function. And my buddy Sunita Menon's birthday was the following day.

So Karan, his mom and some other very close family and friends came for a party at home before the big after-party. So no time to change. But loads of fun even if I didn't dance or drink."

Ekta feels enthused by the response to the awards. "I did feel a twinge when Balajee serials won just 3-4 awards. But seeing the larger picture I was happy that the rest of the industry also got honoured. That was the whole point.. I wanted the whole television fraternity to participate."

For those who missed the show it will be telecast on the fledgling channel 9 X.

"It was a deal with Peter Mukherjea and his wife. I share a good rapport with all the channels. And I do my best for all the channels that I'm associated with…

The awards function was my first back-breaking project for 2008. My next project is a mega-serial that takes me into a genre I've never attempted before. I hope I succeed."