Gr8 awardees & Gurti onstage..

GR8! AWARDEES AND GURMEET & DRASHTI ONSTAGE- PART 1

8 Hours Ago

Hello all,

We Geetians are used to what strong women are all about. Geet has been the epitome of strength incarnate, and her character has forever etched in our minds a history of dignity, love and loyalty. She needed no self aggrandizement to prove herself. She was who she was- Bold and Beautiful in its truest sense. And her Maan loved her for that. Who else then than Gurmeet and Drashti would be most apt to honour those truly priceless women of India who deserve kudos for their battle with life and the success stories they have been etching?


The GR8! Magazine, the 11th Kelvinator GR8! Women Awards, 2012, held on the 15th February, '12 has been creating news as being one among the rare platforms that have striven to recognize women of mettle. I thought it incumbent that we as women and Geetians know each one of these awardees a little better. After all hadn't Gurti dedicated a part of themselves to these wonderful women via their perfomances?

Before that a word (or more!) on their performances...


While Gurmeet proved to all and sundry that he was unquestionably the current hearthrob of the masses as the lone male single perfomer of the day with his Manmohini, I have to send him kudos for rendering intricate classical steps in all confidence and with an attitude and poise that spelt power in bold. Not many actors are comfortable in attempting a track that is not contemporary, but Gurmeet comes across yet again as somebody brave enough to tread across less taken roads. Bravo! His taandav was epitomy of the spirit behind Gr8: The world as in Lord Shiva recognising the achievements of his female counterpart. Brilliant concept and kudos to the brain behind that!

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyn8JwQVgxc [/YOUTUBE]

Drashti meanwhile came across as the epitome of the free spirit and independant woman, the girl of today's times who knows to live life fullsize, with Dhunki and Pardesi girl. And who better than Drashti to anthem it across to women like her out there to whom she renders cheer and positivity with her never-say-die attitude beneath the effervescent bubbliness!

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdTgM41WWPk&feature [/YOUTUBE]

Getting on to the awardees, per se, I shall cover the first dozen of the 24 most honourable women in this blog entry and the rest in an entry down the week.


This year's awardees are:

• GR8! GOLDEN LAUREL - MUSIC: Smt. Shamshad Begum:: Any descriptors accorded to her would be sheer audacity on my part. Suffice to say, she's been one of the earliest and finest playback singers Bollywood has had and without her classic renderings, many of our childhoods spend with our grandparents at their transistors would have lost their flavor.

And adding to that two of those lilting numbers that move us to this day...

• GR8! SCROLL OF HONOUR- Ms. Tabassum Govil: Again, my words would fall short in trying to honour one of the finest actresses the industry has seen and her journey from Baby Tabassum to being known as The Shirley Temple of India has been simply exemplary.

• CINEMATIC EXCELLENCE in Acting- Juhi Chawla: An year back, I had been discussing on Geet FB, how Drashti often seemed to resemble. I've always thought of Drashti and Juhi as classic beauties with profiles of the kind unseen of late in the industry- when everybody seems right out of a cosmetic surgeon's mill. Juhi's on the first actresses who taught me what onscreen chemistry meant. And to this day, nobody except Gurmeet-Drashti can beat what Aamir-Juhi achieved in Qayamat se Qayamat Tak and Hum Hai Rahi Pyaar Ke. Even by herself Juhi is the epitome of an actress who stands out for her freshness and ingenuity to this day. I am glad Drashti got to pay tributes to this wonderful lady via her performance this year!
  
  
  
  
• CINEMA ' Versatility In Acting: Vidya Balan: She's been top actor of the decade by all standards. Radical, independent and strong- that Vidya Balan. I fell in love with her in Parineeta and never fell out of it! Wish to see Drashti follow down her steps'

• GR8! SCROLL OF HONOUR- Ms. Salma Sultan: She along with her peers like Neeti Ravindran, Rini Khanna, Minu and others, defined to a changing India the female contingent at the English news reading desk was on Doordarshan. Our mothers just might remember the lady in the photograph who always had a rose tucked behind her ear. Ask them. There's even a story behind why she wore a rose to work every day :-)
  

• THE GR8! SPECIAL MENTION FOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD OF ENTERTAINMENT- Ms. Ekta Kapoor: None of us would need any help identifying this lady who redefined Indian television through sheer creativity and willpower. My salutations to Ekta Kapoor who challenged a male dominated society and created an institution that inspires fear and awe among her peers.
  
  
  

• GR8! SPECIAL MENTION for Restoring Dignity to Women Gulabi Gang: Founded by Sampat Pal Devi in 2006, the Gulabi gang (named after the pink colour of their saris) which functions in North India (mainly in Uttar Pradesh) have been strong activists working against domestic abuse, female infanticide, dhild marriage and dowry. They're said to pick up lathis if so required against cases of domestic abuse and rightfully so. Our salutations to the founder and to the activists who make the real difference in women's lives. Do you wish to aid her cause? Check in here: http://www.gulabigang.org/?page_id=17

• BANKING- Ms. Vishakha Muyle: She's one of India Shining's female faces- one among the current battalion of women entrepreneurs and business women showing a man's world what women can be. The CEO and managing director at one of India's largest private equity fund, ICICI Venture, she's been taking strides in laying the foundations of new India.

• JEWELLERY- Ms. Varuna D Jani: Well worn out of the Popley mettle, this lady has been crafting exquisite pieces in gold and diamond worthy to be worn by a princess. She travelled the hard way striving to come out on her own. You could always finding something interesting of your choice at http://www.varunadjani.com/

• STYLE CONSULTANCY- Ms. Chhaya Momaya: Lifestyle coach, grooming coach, image consultant- the professional tags attached to Chhaya Momaya are many. This Mumbai based consultant has been a votary of healthy and holistic living, guiding Page 3-ers as well as aam janta alike on how to go about the world with the high spirit of life.

BEAUTY & HEALTH CARE- Ms. Kiran Bawa: A former student of cosmetology and wellness at London Beauty School (UK) and now famed as a "Beauty & wellness industry entrepreneur", Kiran Bawa has succeeded in carving out her own niche in the highly competitive beauty industry. She recently associated with Shilpa Shetty in a joint venture in opening Iosis Medispa in Mumbai.

TELEVISION- Ms. Jiaa Maanek & Ms. Rashmi Sharma: I needn't say much more on Jiaa Maanek besides the fact that she is the highly popular face behind Gopi Bahu on the chartbuster television series Saath Nibhaana Sathiya on Star Plus produced by Rashmi Sharma's Sunrise Telefilms. She's also been one of the most successful single-handedly successful women in the television industry. Shows out of her kitty include among others Sasuraal Simar Ka on Colors and Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein on Zee TV on air currently.

JOURNALISM- Ms. Anuradha Sengupta: She is the Features Editor at CNBC-TV18 and editor-anchor of CNBC TV18's flagship feature show "Storyboard" which is solely devised by her. She also anchors the popular profile weekly, "Beautiful People" and has anchored & edited special series like 'The Business of Cricket' and annual series like 'That's Entertainment'.

Source: http://www.moneycontrol.com/storyboard/?page_id=11

That's it for now girls. Part 2 and the rest of the 12 awardees should follow soon. Yeah, I love documentation. If only I spent more time in real than online, my name would be up there! ;-)

Much love
Re-awardingly yours :-)
Sini