Awards
Lux Zee Cine Awards announced
“Aamir (Aamir Khan), my son, normally does not accept awards. I am in a dilemma. I don’t know what to do. But because I believe it is a genuine award, I will accept it on his behalf.”
With that statement, Aamir Khan’s father and film maker put the stamp of approval and paid respect to the Zee Network organised Lux Zee Cine Popular Awards. The Junior Khan got the award for Best Actor, through a poll process that directly involved viewers of Zee TV, for his role in Sarfarosh.
The best actress award went to Aishwarya Raid for her able essaying of the role of a young girl forced into marriage by a doting father, her rebellion, and her final reconciliation to the fact that her husband is a much better choice for her than her lover (played by Salman Khan), in the box office success Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.
The best director award and best film award went to film maker Sanjay Leela Bhansali for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Veteran actor Pran was given a lifetime achievement award. Ditto with film maker Nasir Hussain. Both have been associated with roles and films which have become bellwethers for the industry.
The awards function was held at a sports stadium, the Andheri Sports Complex, in northern Mumbai. A packed house – a crowd of at least 10,000-15,000 – which included the film trade, advertisers, the corporate world, media and the general public went agog with excitement every time a star got on stage to perform.
And there were perfomances aplenty by matinee stars Govinda, Anil Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty, Salman Khan, Juhi Chawla, Lucky Ali and the hearthrob of the nation, Hrithik Roshan. Anil Kapoor, Govinda, and Salman Khan stole people’s hearts. As did Hrithik Roshan but one expected a lot more display of his dance talent when he performed on stage along with singer Lucky Ali.
Among those who presented the awards included: the breathtaking Rekha, Sushmita Sen, Akshay Khanna, Namrata Shirodkar, Shammi Kapoor, Alka Yagnik, Renuka Sahane, Sultan Ahmed, Baba Sehgal.
Overall, the show was a lot more controlled this year with everything proceeding like almost clockwork and the awards ending on schedule. Probably last year’s chaotic organisation gave a lifetime of experience to the organisers of the awards.
Awards
MRSI to honour B.V. Pradeep with lifetime achievement award
Veteran insights leader to be recognised at 7th Golden Key Awards in Mumbai
MUMBAI: The Market Research Society of India will confer its Lifetime Achievement Award on B.V. Pradeep at the 7th Golden Key Awards on March 6, 2026, in Mumbai, celebrating a career that has quietly shaped how businesses listen to consumers.
With more than four decades in the field, Pradeep is widely regarded as one of the architects behind the transformation of market research from a support function into a strategic growth engine. An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, he spent nearly 30 years with Unilever in India and overseas, where he developed research frameworks and insight-led systems that went on to become global best practices.
Long before consumer centricity became corporate shorthand, Pradeep championed the idea that organisations should build from the consumer backwards. He played a key role in formalising the consumer and market Insights function, elevating it from number crunching to boardroom influence. From reshaping sensory research in tea and refining brand equity measurement in the 1990s to designing large-scale insight systems and behaviour change models, his work helped businesses turn observation into action.
His impact stretches well beyond India. Pradeep served on Esomar’s Governing Council as vice president and treasurer and worked to strengthen India’s presence in the global research community. He has chaired the joint technical committee for Television Audience Measurement, been a governing council member of the Media Research Users Council and led MRSI as president from 1999 to 2005. He now heads his consultancy, Catalyst-4ur-Growth, advising organisations on marketing, insights and analytics.
TAM Media Research chief growth and partnerships officer and MRSI president Nitin Kamat, said Pradeep’s contribution extends beyond frameworks and methodologies. “He reshaped how organisations think about consumers and expanded the sector’s horizons beyond FMCG. His work elevated insights into a strategic lever for growth, and we are proud to honour his legacy.”
Kantar managing director and qualitative head Apac and committee chair for the award Paru Minocha, noted that Pradeep’s influence is both deep and enduring. “He pioneered frameworks that unlocked growth for clients and agencies alike and helped position India strongly on the global research map. His work strengthened the strategic role of consumer insights in lasting ways.”
The Lifetime Achievement Award jury was chaired by C K Sharma, former strategic consultant and principal at Gallup, and included senior industry leaders from Nestlé India, RSPL, Quantum Consumer Solutions and Inteliphyle Ltd.
As the Golden Key Awards return for their seventh edition, MRSI continues to spotlight the people and ideas that power the research and insights industry. This year, the spotlight falls firmly on a man who ensured that the consumer voice was not just heard, but heeded.
