Bollywood glitters at the GIFA

Mumbai: Actor and entrepreneur Suniel Shetty's Popcorn Entertainment did a superb job looking after the celebrity guests in Kuala Lumpur for Global Indian Film Awards, GIFA, says Kaante and Zinda director Sanjay Gupta who just returned from the GIFA in Kuala Lumpur.

"Suniel was personally there to take care of not just the stars but also their assistants, man-Fridays and drivers. I've never seen so many smiling faces at any awards ceremony. There were 103 BMWS on service 24 hours for the guests," says Gupta

"In Mumbai I only know three stars, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Ekta Kapoor, who drive 740 BMW. Here in Kuala Lumpur every Tom Dick and Hari bhai was given one to drive."

In spite of all the arrangements there were many who complained; Gupta is shocked by the cribbers.

"Those who drive Fiats were given Mercedes. And still they're bitching. The show, food, room service - it wasn't just us VVIPs in fancy suites. Even ordinary guests were given suites. Suniel's whole Popcorn Entertainment team looked after every need of every guest."

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmed Badawi and the royal couple also attended the gala night.

"We had a football match and a fashion show for charity. At the fashion show, stars did major auctioneering. Salman was supposed to auction one of his Baabul outfits. I suggested he auction the jacket he was wearing. He took off his jacket and brought in the big numbers.

"The next day at the deputy prime minister's house - Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham, Bipasha Basu - everyone sang for orphaned kids. Huge amounts of money were collected for charity."

Gupta screened Zaahir, one of his short stories from the collection entitled Dus Kahaniyan. Zaahir features Manoj Bajpai and Diya Mirza.

"I guess the fact that Suneil comes from the restaurant business makes him an expert in hospitality. I saw this man standing in the hotel lobby till six in the morning receiving guests. I kept asking him if he had slept for even six hours in the six days of the event," Gupta said.

 

Source: CNN-IBN