This is my account of my evening at AVTA and of course my first of what I hope will be many many more meetings with Sanaya. It was a long evening and there are probably bits I've forgotten so I hope others who were there will write about their experience so we can give a more complete account to all the fans who were unable to go. I apologise for the delay...real life got in the way and for the length...well it was a wonderful and long evening.
My daughter and I got to the hotel about one and a half hours before the event and while waiting in the lobby for Anita (Neets2407) to paint her nails in the bathroom, we ran into Karan Tacker. We took a selfie with him which he very sweetly took because I was fumbling with my camera. My daughter had no clue who he was as she doesn't watch Indian shows so I told her he's your grandmas's favourite. After the picture I asked him if Sanaya was around and he said no...but then he wasn't going to tell us I suppose. As he was leaving he told my daughter say hello to your grandma from me'. Aww he was so sweet and very very good looking...I think my daughter might just start watching Indian shows now,lol. I don't really understand why I was shaking after meeting Karan because I'm not a fan even though now I like him a lot, probably that's the moment it hit me that I was actually there and going to meet Sanaya very soon. I tried to get more info about San from the organisers but no one was talking!
Registration was at 6pm and then a champagne reception which was very nicely done. It seemed like forever waiting for the stars to arrive - I guess I and others were expecting them to be there already but the event was well organised and we had time to get something to eat and drink before the celebs came in. I didn't see Sanaya come in but obviously as soon as we heard she was there we made a beeline for her. Sanaya and Mohit were standing hand in hand with people around them taking pictures. I guess as Mohit saw the crowd coming closer to San he moved a little to the side but still quite close to her. I was expecting to be bowled over when I saw Sanaya but never in a million years could I have guessed how intense that experience would be... my heart literally skipped a beat. Sanaya Irani is radiant and has a glow about her. She's absolutely tiny but not short and her eyes actually seem to be golden when the light falls on them - I wasn't close enough to take a picture of them and when I was I completely forgot. It didn't help that she actually looked like a cross between a delicate china doll and an angel. As crazy as I am about this girl I've never thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world but I was wrong. Sanaya is an extraordinarily pretty girl but what makes her stunningly beautiful is this glow that seems to radiate from within her. Her beauty is truly ethereal and now I totally see what some magazine editor meant when she said that the beauty of Sanaya's heart shines on her face. The outfit she wore was stunning but the best part is another fan told me that she had gifted Sanaya the earrings she was wearing. They weren't expensive earrings and the fact that she wore them speaks volumes about who she is and she sure made that fans day. People were giving her gifts and she kept telling everyone, you shouldn't buy me gifts. I think I was just gawping at Sanaya while I was waiting to meet her - I think she must have thought I was a stalker the way I was staring at her, lol! I have no clue what I said when I first saw her. My daughter saw I was tongue tied and jumped in and thanked Sanaya for making me smile while I was going through a difficult time in my life . She told San sometimes I think my mother loves you more than she does me' San smiled and said aww , no she doesn't'. I think I mumbled something incoherent about how as Khushi she made me smile. She seemed to be truly touched by what my daughter said about her making me smile and that overwhelmed me even more that I just asked her for a hug. She said sure opened her arms and took a step towards me and gave me a tight hug. We took some pictures and moved away. I then saw some people who were getting her to sign autographs and stood in line again with my AVTA ticket (thanks Anita (Neets2407) for the suggestion, I have a wonderful memento of the evening now). This time I was a bit more coherent and told her that I'd never been a fan of anyone before her and that even though I'm almost old enough to be her mother she makes me feel like a teenager. She started laughing and said if she made me feel like a teenager then that was a huge compliment for her. I asked if she was coming in a new show and she said not yet. I just asked her to come back quickly because we miss her and tv just isn't the same without her. I then moved over to Mohit so others could meet Sanaya because needless to say Sanaya had the biggest crowd of people around her. Mohit was sweet though he seemed a bit distracted which might just have been nerves as this might have been a new situation for him. He looked good in his blue velvet tux and he smiled when my daughter told him she liked it. I asked him if Sanaya had picked it and he said no but she really liked it a lot when she saw him in it. I spoke to Mohit about his new show and he seemed excited about it saying that they had already started working on it. I think he said not filming yet but I'm not sure. He said the heroine was a new girl or new to being a lead who had had a supporting role in a Life OK show but he didn't say her name or the name of the show. Karan Tacker came to close to where Sanaya was and we went to see him as Anita had missed him earlier because she was painting her nails.
We walked into the main event room where dinner was about to be served and saw Vivian and Vahbiz sitting at their table and as dinner wasn't yet served I went to say hello. Vivian was on the phone but I spoke a little to Vahbiz about Saraswati Chandra as I'd really liked her in that show. I said it was a shame her role was so short and I wish she'd been there longer. I said I guess she should have been in Kumuds family and not Pramads. She laughed and said she wished her role had been longer too but it was all screwed up. I really liked her a lot she was very warm and friendly. When Vivian got off the phone I said hi and asked him if he and Sanaya would be doing a show together, I think he said no and then Vahbiz said they hadn't been offered one. We weren't able to ask anything else as people started coming in.
After dinner there was a presentation on diabetes led by an Indian origin MP named Keith Vaz. He was talking about diabetes in the south asian community and there was a raffle to raise money for diabetes awareness. I bought my ticket and am now waiting till the 14th of November to claim my new car when my name is draw...no harm in dreaming, right? Hey I got to meet Sanaya Irani so anything is possible. The font two rows of tables were for the celebs and sponsors exclusively and then I guess the less important sponsors were scattered around the room. Sanaya and Mohit were on one of the center tables closest to the stage and Vahbiz and Vivian on another. I don't know where KT sat to eat, I think it was on San's table but not sure but anyway after dinner he was hosting. The lady I sat next to at dinner had no idea who Sanaya Irani was (she and her family were guests of Rajan Singh) but when she saw Sanaya's picture on the nominations list in the red sari from SPA she turned to me and said oh you mean Khushi, I really like her' and her mother also said oh we like Khushi'. I felt so proud as a fan that tv audiences who saw Sanaya in a role two years ago still remember her with so much love. These are not fans but people who watch a number of shows every night for the characters and not the actors. An actor makes an impression on this audience base when their character is talked about long after the show has ended. Sanaya Irani has made that place in people's hearts and that's got to be be the best award.
Then the main event began and Karan began hosting - he was really good, he was charming, funny and flirting outrageously with every lady who came on stage and with all the ladies who were in the band that was performing through the night and were on stage the whole time. It was all in good fun and everyone enjoyed it. The band was really good and the best part was seeing Sanaya bopping along with the music whilst sitting in her seat. It was good to see she was having a good time because I was nervous enough for the both of us. The best part of the first award for TV news presenter was that it was presented by Sanaya and she was excited that Barkha Dutt won because she's her favourite. Mine to Sanaya, I voted for Barkha!! She bantered a bit with Karan about how he had told her she has to say she loves him and then she said no one gives him any importance back home so he's trying to get attention here, Karan agree with her and both were laughing. I have to say Sanaya looked so graceful as she walked up to the stage - she is just so elegant. Awards were given out and the band played but I was just too nervous to concentrate. I remember Mohit standing up and Sanaya giving him a hug when he won and I remember cheering him but I have no idea what he said but I think it was short and sweet. Then came the category we were waiting for and our table started shouting the moment Sanaya's name was announced as a nominee. We were the loudest table there and I think my voice is really sharp when I shout because I caught a couple of people looking at me as though I was crazy...ok I was but still...lol. One of the people who were going to present the award was a British Indian singer called Navin Kundra and he knew Karan from another event and they were chatting and then Karan asked him to sing - I was ready to throttle them both, I just wanted the award to be announced. To be fair to Navin he sings very well but I couldn't care less right then. Of course when the nominees were announced and while the envelope was being opened we were screaming out Sanaya's name and when Sanaya's name was announced we all went crazy. Karan Tacker was so cute - he jumped off the stage and brought Sanaya onto the stage...I'm really starting to like this guy a lot. It was truly an honor to have been there to watch this incredibly talented actress finally get her due. Sanaya's speech' broke my heart she said she had a history of never winning any awards by herself and that she had won with others but never by herself so she wasn't prepared. She thanked all her fans who voted for her and she said she knew that people had come here just to meet her and I just watched the video again and she was definitely looking at our table where we at this point we were standing up and cheering and making the most noise...it was as though she was acknowledging us. The funniest part was my daughter who 4 hours before would have walked past Sanaya without knowing who she was cheering her just as much as we were. She was extremely impressed with Sanaya's persona. She said she was very sweet and elegant and very beautiful and she said she could see why people were drawn towards her. After meeting her she's definitely going to give Sanaya's next show a try. I've read fans of other actresses say that this wasn't a best actress award but let me tell you the nomination clip showed Sanaya acting, not her personality so therefore it's a best actress award no matter what it's called.
The next award we shouted ourselves hoarse for was of course the best show which of course Rangrasiya won. Sanaya went to collect the award with a Colors representative and she was asked to say something and she quite rightly declined. The Colors person spoke about how all three nominated shows were Colors shows but of course forgot to mention that 2 had ended and one without being allowed to tell it's story...never mind all that's for another day, this night was about celebrating a talented beautiful actress and a beautiful show, the likes of which we'll probably never see as long as trp homes rule the roost.
Once the awards were all announced the band played music and again Sanaya was having a good time. At this point Anita and I went to congratulate her. She was talking to Mohit and had her back to us so we waited till Mohit caught my eye and told San we were there. I just bent down to hug her as she was sitting and said congratulations, we've been waiting for this day as long as you have and she said thankyou and we ended up rubbing cheeks and kind of air kissing - it was kinda weird but she got the feeling that we were genuinely happy for her and we understood she was over the moon. I then congratulated Mohit and he seemed surprised. Anita also congratulated them both and she got the same feeling that Sanaya was really happy that we went to congratulate her. I'm not sure when she left the room but I guess she went to give her winning byte and had some official pictures. I didn't see her again but I did see Karan again and told him that I loved his hosting and then my daughter and some other girls wanted pictures with him. I told him it was his fault because he kept saying he was single all the time he was on stage and he just smiled. After that all the main celebs pretty much left. We got some pics with Raj Badhan who will be interviewing Sanaya soon or might already have done it and will be airing it hopefully this week. Cricketer Mark Ramprakash was there as were a singer named Lemar and Priya Kalidas who was a member of the original Bombay Dreams cast and of course Raj Badhan was there. There may have been others but I didn't see or probably recognize them. I thanked Rajan Singh for a wonderful event and told him he was right when he tweeted me that fans would not be disappointed about getting time with the celebs as i had been worried. Then there was an after party where the young ones danced away a couple of hours and older people like me went and had a coffee in the bar. Later we sitting in the lobby and Rajan came up to us and asked if we were happy and he said next year there would be more stars and it would be even better - he was a very happy man. I asked if he'd bring Sanaya again next year and obviously he doesn't know and he said it would depend on what she was doing. I said if Sanaya is there we'll be there. That was about it.
It was a fantastic fantastic evening, one that I'll never forget. I can't believe I'm saying that meeting a tv celebrity is one of the best moments of my life but it truly is.
Here are some pics - the pics weren't very good quality and then I don't have an artistic bone in my body but thought it would be easier to make collages rather than posting all the pics separately.
Selfie time with the gorgeous Karan Tacker
Anita with her nails painted standing with the seriously hot Karan Tacker
Chatting with the lovely and warm Vahbiz Dorabjee D'Sena
Heating up the room...hot Mr.&Mrs. D'Sena
Others who attended
Lemar. Mark Ramprakash and Raj Badhan in the picture. Navin Kundra and Priya Kalidas were also there.
Mohit looking good in his blue velvet tux
Adorable MoNaya...so sweet!!!
The ethereally beautiful Queen of Television...Sanaya Irani
Picture 1 Jaya to Sanaya - please would you sign this (AVTA ticket)
Sanaya to Jaya -sure
Picture 2 Jaya to Sanaya -I've never been a fan of anyone before you
Picture 3 Jaya to Sanaya - I'm almost old enough to be your mother but you make feel like a teenager
Picture 4 Sanaya to Jaya - I guess if I make you feel like a teenager then that's a huge compliment for me.
Cropped but happily glowing Jaya with an autograph I never thought I'd have.
One last one - Sanaya doesn't like getting gifts but when she gets them she appreciates the love with which fans have given them. Here she is wearing the bag I gifted her - she makes me so happy.
I hope everyone here gets their chance to meet with Sanaya but until then I hope you got at least to feel a tiny bit of the experience. I want to let Sanaya fans know that she truly appreciates her fans. As a fan I was overwhelmed to be standing in front of her but honestly she was more overwhelmed by the love she was being given.
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