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IIFA Utsavam celebrates South Indian Cinema
MUMBAI: IIFA Utsavam took over Hyderabad as the biggest megastars of the Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada Film Industries descended for the celebrations on 24 and 25 January, 2016. The award ceremony took place at the Gachibowli Outdoor Stadium in Hyderabad
On day one the Tamil Film Awards, Baahubali won the best picture, supporting role male, supporting role female, playback singer male and playback singer female. Jayam Ravi won the award for leading role male for his performance in Thani Oruvan while Nayanthara walked away with the award for leading role female for May.
For the Malayalam film awards, Ennu Ninte Moideen took home the highest number of accolades with a total tally of five awards including Best Picture, Leading Role (Male), Leading Role (Female), Supporting Role (Female) and Playback Singer (Female). Prithviraj Sukumaran and Parvathi Menon won Best Actor and Best Actress for their film Ennu Ninte Moideen.
Kavya Madhavan opened the evening at the awards ceremony followed by superstar divas Shriya Saran, Adah Sharma, Tapsee Pannu, Mamta Mohandas and Nikki Galrani, who held the audience spell-bound with their stunning performances. Also, the dynamic star Bharath set the stage on fire with some incredible moves.
On day 2, Srimanthudu took home the highest number of accolades with a total tally of six awards including leading role male, leading role female, supporting role male, music direction, lyrics, playback singer male for the Telugu awards. Following closely was Baahubali-The Beginning with five awards. Mahesh Babu won the award for leading role male and Shruti Hassan won for leading role female for their amazing performance in the hit film Srimanthudu.
For the Kannada awards, Rangitaranga took home the highest number of accolades with a total tally of six awards including best picture, direction, supporting role male, negative role, music direction and lyrics.
The evening came alive as dynamic superstars Tamannaah, Akhil Akkineni, Ram Charan and Shivraj created unstoppable magic with their stellar performances. Prabhudeva and Shriya Saran also stunned audiences with their electrifying performances and awesome dance moves.
Speaking about the success of the premiere edition of IIFA Utsavam, Wizcraft International Entertainment director Andre Timmins said, “We are thrilled at the phenomenal success of the very first edition of IIFA Utsavam. Our dream to bring South Indian cinema much deserved recognition and a global platform has finally come true. It is truly and honor to felicitate commendable individuals on their talent and hard work in the year gone by and we congratulate & wish all the winners the very best for their future projects. This is just the beginning; IIFA Utsavam is all geared up to create more milestones and leave cinema fans spellbound in years to come”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
