19 Feb : Megastar Amitabh Bachchan was among the top ten bollywood personalities to be felicitated with the first FICCI-IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) Awards for the ‘Most Powerful Entertainers of the decade’.
The awards function which was held in Mumbai to commemorate the 10th anniversary of FICCI-FRAMES and IIFA saw Bachchan and actresses – Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty – collecting their trophies while the other winners – Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan – did not make it.
The evening also witnessed the presentation of the FICCI-USIBC (US-India Business Council) Award to Hollywood actor and leading social activist Danny Glover and to Congressman John Lewis.
Speaking on the occasion, Bachchan recalled that he had completed 40 years in the showbiz on 5th February."I am happy at being a part of the film industry which is a symbol of national integration," he said.
When Danny referred to Bachchan as the greatest actor in the world, an apparently embarrassed Big B thanked him for the compliment.Later in his blog, Bachchan wrote if there was space beneath his chair, he would have disappeared in there.
Actor-producer Danny Glover has a commanding presence on screen, stage and television for more than 25 years.As an actor, his film credits range from the blockbuster ‘Lethal Weapon’ franchise to smaller independent features, some of which he himself had produced.
The actor also gained respect for his wide-reaching community activism and philanthropic efforts.Glover, a recipient of 2006 DGA Honor, has served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Program from 1998-2004, focusing on issues of poverty, disease and economic development in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. He is currently serving as UNICEF ambassador.
John Lewis, often called "one of the most courageous persons the Civil Rights Movement has ever produced", has dedicated his life protecting human rights, securing civil liberties and building what he calls "the beloved community" in America.
Sarod Maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma and his son Rahul enthralled the audience with their scintillating performance on the occasion.