'The Dirty Picture' Makes a Clean Sweep at 18th Colors Screen Awards

NEW DELHI – India's awards season kicked off Saturday night in Mumbai with the 18th Colors Screen Awards, which expectedly saw last year's runaway hit The Dirty Picture making a clean sweep with six trophies.

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Starring Vidya Balan as a sexy siren in the kitschy era of 1980s Indian cinema – inspired by the real life story of the late South Indian actress Vijayalaxmi, popularly known as Silk Smitha – The Dirty Picture also bagged best director (Milan Luthria) and best actress (Balan).

The awards saw a joint win for best film being shared by The Dirty Picture and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara directed by Zoya Akhtar. Revolving around three male friends who head to Spain on a soul searching journey, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara picked up best ensemble cast (Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin), best dialogue (Farhan Akhtar and his lyricist/writer father Javed Akhtar) and best choreography (Bosco-Caesar for the song “Senorita”).

Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle was honored with a lifetime achievement award.

Another critical and commercial hit, Rockstar, saw its male lead Ranbir Kapoor winning best actor while Saif Ali Khan won best supporting actor for his turn as a low-caste teacher in social drama Aarakshan (Reservation). Aditi Rao Hydari won best supporting actress trophy for her turn as a housewife in urban drama Yeh Saali Zindagi.

The awards ceremony – which will be telecast on Colors on Jan. 22 – featured dazzling peformances by superstar Shah Rukh Khan and actresses Katrina Kaif, Madhuri Dixit, Priyanka Chopra and Anushka Sharma.